ERC Advanced Grant 2026

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

Call opens May 28, 2026

Last seen in a scan/import: 26 Aug 2026.

Catalog updated: 24 Sept 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 up to €2.5 million over five years (up to €3.5 million in justified cases) for senior, established researchers to pursue frontier research on any topic, plus up to €1 million in start-up costs for those relocating to Europe. It is a single-PI award with no consortium requirement, open to any nationality as long as the host institution sits in an EU member state or associated country. The 2026 call opens 28 May and closes 27 August, with a single-stage submission split into a 5-page Part I and a 7-page Part II.

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

•Senior researchers with a strong track record of major achievements over the past decade
•Any nationality, hosted at an institution in an EU member state or associated country
•Applicants proposing frontier research in any field
•Single principal investigators, not consortium teams
•Researchers considering relocation to Europe who need start-up funding

Key Dates

•Call opens 28 May 2026; deadline 27 August 2026
•Single-stage submission (Part I, 5 pages; Part II, 7 pages)
•Five-year project duration; next round expected around May 2027

Tips for Applicants

✓Part I (5 pages) must stand alone for reviewers who don't advance to Part II, make the track record and vision immediately clear.
✓Part II's 7-page limit rewards a tightly scoped, ambitious idea over a broad research programme; ERC panels favor depth on one bold question.
✓Document your last ten years of major research achievements explicitly, this is the core eligibility test for Advanced Grant, distinct from Starting or Consolidator tracks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the ERC Advanced Grant pay?

Up to €2.5 million over five years, with up to €3.5 million possible in justified cases, plus up to €1 million in start-up costs for researchers moving to the EU or an associated country.

Who can apply for the ERC Advanced Grant?

Senior, established researchers with a track record of significant research achievements over the last ten years, regardless of nationality, hosted at an institution in an EU member state or associated country.

How long does the ERC Advanced Grant last?

Five years.

When is the ERC Advanced Grant 2026 deadline?

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

Does the ERC Advanced Grant require a consortium?

No, it funds a single principal investigator rather than a consortium.

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