ERC Advanced Grant 2026

€2,500,000 (5 years) + up to €1M start-up||5 years

Call opens May 28, 2026

Last updated: 23 Aug 2026

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This call page belongs to the ERC Advanced Grant programme. The programme guide covers eligibility, budget, success rate and FAQ across every round.

The ERC Advanced Grant funds established researchers to pursue frontier research over five years, with up to €2.5 million in direct costs plus an optional €1 million start-up package for researchers 12+ years post-PhD based in Europe or associated countries. The call welcomes any research field and emphasises groundbreaking, high-risk projects that challenge existing paradigms. ERC runs this programme annually with an August deadline.

Details

Funder	ERC
Budget	€2,500,000 (5 years) + up to €1M start-up
Duration	5 years
Consortium	No — single PI
Application	Single-stage (Part I 5pp, Part II 7pp)
TRL	Frontier research
Frequency	Annual
Next round	2027-05

Who Should Apply

•Researchers at least 12 years past their PhD defence
•Hosted at an institution in an EU member state or associated country
•Any research field, fundamental or applied
•Track record of independent, high-impact research leadership
•Ambitious, high-risk projects with potential to redefine research directions

Key Dates

•Deadline: 27 August 2026 (call opens 28 May 2026)
•Two-step evaluation: Step 1 reviews Part B1 (5 pages), Step 2 the full proposal (7 pages) plus a panel interview
•Five-year project duration

Tips for Applicants

✓Part I is filtered to shortlist; be ruthless about clarity and impact, avoid hedging language.
✓The start-up package (optional €1M add-on) is rarely funded unless explicitly justified; reserve it for genuine lab setup or pilot costs, not business-as-usual research.
✓Risk mitigation matters here: reviewers expect ambitious proposals to name failure modes and contingencies explicitly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the ERC Advanced Grant pay?

Up to €2.5 million over five years for direct research costs, plus an optional start-up package of up to €1 million.

Who can apply for the ERC Advanced Grant?

Researchers at least 12 years past their PhD, hosted at an institution in an EU member state or associated country.

What types of research does the ERC Advanced Grant fund?

Any field of research, including fundamental and applied science, with emphasis on frontier and high-risk projects that challenge existing paradigms.

Is the ERC Advanced Grant a single-stage or two-stage call?

Both parts are submitted together at one deadline, but the evaluation is two-step: Part B1 (5 pages) is reviewed at Step 1, and shortlisted applicants go to Step 2 for full assessment of Part B2 (7 pages) and a panel interview.

When is the ERC Advanced Grant 2026 deadline?

The deadline is 27 August 2026; the call opens 28 May 2026.

erchorizon-europeadvanced-grantsenior-researcherfrontier-researchsingle-pieurope-widehigh-risk-research

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