European Research Council (ERC) grants
The ERC grants are highly competitive, so an outstanding track record is an important factor of success. Along with seeking groundbreaking research, the program aims to recognize the most ambitious ideas and talents. Multiple types of grants are available within the ERC Work Program, for multiple stages of your career (Starting, Advanced, and Consolidator), a follow-up (Proof of Concept) of your running ERC grant, or a consortium grant (Synergy).

ERC Starting Grant
Subsidy: €1,500,000 – €2,000,000
Foreseen Deadline: 9 March 2021 – to be confirmed
Scope: Starting Grants are designed to support excellent Principal Investigators at the career stage at which they are starting their own independent research team or programme. Applicant Principal Investigators must demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility of their scientific proposal.
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ERC Consolidator Grant
Subsidy: up to €2,000,000 (+ €1,000,000)
Foreseen Deadline: 20 April 2021 – to be confirmed
Scope: Consolidator Grants are designed to support excellent Principal Investigators at the career stage at which they may still be consolidating their own independent research team or programme. Applicant Principal Investigators must demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility of their scientific proposal.
More about the Consolidator Grant
ERC Advanced Grant
Subsidy: up to €2,500,000 (+ €1,000,000)
Foreseen Deadline: 31 August 2021 – to be confirmed
Scope: Advanced Grants are designed to support excellent Principal Investigators at the career stage at which they are already established research leaders with a recognised track record of research achievements. Applicant Principal Investigators must demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility of their scientific proposal.
ERC Proof of Concept Grant
Subsidy: €150,000
Foreseen Deadline: 16 March, 17 June and October 2021 – to be confirmed
Scope: The objective is to provide funds to enable ERC-funded ideas to be brought to a pre-demonstration stage where potential commercialisation or societal opportunities have been identified.
More about the Proof of Concept Grant
ERC Synergy Grant
Subsidy: max. €10,000,000 + additional €4,000,000 in specific cases (moving, purchase of major equipment or access to large facilities)
Foreseen Deadline: No call expected for 2021. The call for 2022 is expected to be launched in summer 2021 with a submission deadline in November 2021 – to be confirmed
Scope: Synergy Grant aims to bring together complementary skills, knowledge, and resources in new ways, in order to jointly address ambitious research problems is to address ambitious research questions in any field that can only be answered by the coordinated work of a small group of 2-4 principal investigators.
About ERC
The ERC grants are highly competitive and an outstanding track record is an important factor of success. As well as the research carried out by the researcher, it is an ambitious program aiming to recognize the best ideas and talents. Multiple types of grants are available within the ERC Work Program.
