![Cover image of Applications for ERC Starting Grants 2018 – Facts and figures Cover image of Applications for ERC Starting Grants 2018 – Facts and figures](/sites/default/files/ERClogo_129.jpg)
The competition for ERC Starting Grants 2018 closed for applications on 17 October 2017. These are the preliminary statistics on submitted proposals:
- Number of applicants increased: the ERC received 3,170 applications, an increase of about 3% from 3,082 in the previous Starting Grant competition.
- The highest number of applications was submitted in the domain of Physical Sciences and Engineering (1,345 or 42%), followed by Social Science and Humanities (915 or 29%) and Life Sciences (910 or 29%).
- Around 37% of proposals were submitted by women – the same share as in 2017.
The ERC Work Programme has earmarked €581 million for an estimated 391 Starting Grants in 2018. The ERC is now starting evaluation of proposals. The selected projects will be announced in summer 2018.