The European Research Council has just announced the latest winners of the ERC Starting Grants! 494 early-career researchers from 51 different nationalities have been awarded nearly €780 million to carry out their projects at universities and research centres across 24 countries in Europe.
But what exactly is the European Research Council, and what is its aim?
Set up by the EU in 2007, the European Research Council (ERC) is the first European funding organisation dedicated to excellent frontier research. It funds creative researchers of any nationality and age to run projects based across Europe, providing support for investigator-driven frontier research across all fields, on the basis of scientific excellence.
The ERC is led by an independent governing body, the Scientific Council.
What is the budget allocated to the ERC?
The total budget for the 2021-2027 funding period is 16 billion EUR, 17% of the overall Horizon Europe budget. The budget for 2024 is 2.2162 billion.
The 2024 work programme provides a detailed breakdown of the budget.
Who is eligible to apply?
Researchers from all over the world can apply for ERC grants, as long as they carry out their research in an EU Member State or Associated Country. More details on non-EU researchers can be found here.
For more detailed information on eligibility, it is recommended to check out the most recent work programme, since it will provide all the necessary conditions to apply.
For instance, for 2024 applicants, there are specific eligibility periods which must be taken into consideration:
| Eligibility period: Principal Investigator(s) who have successfully defended their first PhD |
| Starting Grant |
Consolidator Grant |
Advanced and Synergy Grant |
| > 2 and ≤ 7 years |
> 7 and ≤ 12 years |
No specific criteria |
| Prior to 1 January 2024 |
Prior to 1 January 2024 |
| Cut-off dates: Successful defence of PhD between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2021 (inclusive) |
Cut-off dates: Successful defence of PhD between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2016 (inclusive) |
What are the funding rules for each type of grant?
In the table below you will find a summary of the funding rules. For more detailed information, it is advisable to check out the latest work programme.
| Actual Cost Grants |
Lump Sum Grants |
| Starting, Consolidator, and Synergy Grants |
Advanced Grants |
| Eligible project costs will be reimbursed at a funding rate of 100% for direct costs + a flat-rate of 25% for indirect costs |
The payment of the lump sum contribution will be based on the work carried out and reported, irrespective of the actual costs incurred for the project and/or the successful outcome of the project activities |
| Reimbursements will be budget-based and will cover actual costs or unit costs depending on the cost category |
There will be 1 lump sum contribution, fully covering the work to be implemented in the proposed action |
| The amount of the awarded grant represents a maximum overall figure – the final amount to be paid must be justified on the basis of the costs incurred for the project and may be lower than the budget requested |
|
What are the funding opportunities available?
There are 5 different types of grants within the ERC funding programme. These are:
- The Starting Grant
- The Consolidator Grant
- The Advanced Grant
- The Proof of Concept Grant
- The Synergy Grant
The following table outlines the grant amount for each funding opportunity, as well as the duration of the research and the eligibility criteria.
| Name of Grant |
Grant amount (EUR) |
Duration |
Eligibility |
| Starting Grant |
Up to 1.5 million |
Up to 5 years |
2-7 years of experience since completion of PhD |
| Consolidator Grant |
Up to 2 million |
Up to 5 years |
7-12 years of experience since completion of PhD |
| Advanced Grant |
Up to 2.5 million |
Up to 5 years |
An excellent scientific track record of recognised achievements in the last 10 years |
| ERC Proof of Concept |
Lump sum grant of 150,000 |
18 months |
ERC award to establish proof of concept of idea generated in the course of one’s ERC-funded project |
| Synergy Grant |
Maximum 10 million |
6 years |
2-4 researchers (one can be based outside Europe) |
How can you find other researchers for your team?
In order to carry out your ERC project, you will need to find and recruit researchers for your team. This can be done in different ways, including:
- Publishing vacancies in ERC teams – ERC grantees can use their funding to recruit other researchers and team members for their project.
- Visiting Fellowships Programmes – ERC has invited relevant national and regional authorities in Europe to fund potential ERC candidates from the country or the region to visit the teams of existing ERC Principal Investigators.
- Implementing Arrangements – International agreements with non-EU funding agencies and science ministries to support researchers to temporarily join ERC teams in Europe.
- Mentoring Initiative – This will boost existing support programmes for ERC applicants by helping to identify international experts to provide coaching and advice.
Useful portals
- The EURAXESS portal is the largest pan-European initiative to foster researchers’ mobility and career development. It also offers free tools and resources to shape your professional path. Moreover, there are more than 600 Service Centres located in 43 European countries, which offer personalised assistance.
- The ERC dashboard is your go-to portal if you would like to find out what has already been funded within the ERC. This can help you to get inspiration on how to frame your proposal and it will provide you with successful projects in your area of research which you can reference in your proposal. You might also be able to find researchers who would be interested in collaborating with you on a particular research topic.
How can you search for open calls?
If you are interested in applying for an ERC call, you should check if there are any open or forthcoming calls listed on the Funding and Tenders Portal. Make sure to use the filters to narrow down your searches to the most relevant calls.
How do you find contact points in your country?
Due to the size of the Horizon Europe programme, in most countries there is a designated National Contact Point (NCP) specifically for the ERC. NCPS are national structures established and financed by governments of the 27 EU member states and the states associated with the programme, which give personal support on the spot and in the applicants’ own languages.
Check out the list of National Contact Points here.
Are you still unsure of how to apply for an ERC call?
If you would like to apply for an ERC call but need guidance, get in touch with our team at AcrossLimits!
With over 20 years of experience in funding procurement and participation in over 90 successful EU projects to date, we can help you draft proposals and apply to the EU funding opportunities that you are interested in.
To learn more about how we can help you make your project idea a reality, contact us at: [email protected].
