Programme Guides
Top European grant programmes
In-depth guides to the most competitive early- and mid-career funding schemes in Europe. Each page covers eligibility, budget, success rate, live deadlines, and the questions applicants actually ask.
European Research Council
ERC Starting Grant
Up to €1.5M over 5 years. From the 2027 calls you can apply any time within 10 years of your PhD.
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European Research Council
ERC Consolidator Grant
Up to €2M for mid-career researchers 5-15 years post-PhD (from the 2027 calls) consolidating their independent research team.
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Dutch Research Council (NWO)
NWO Veni
You can apply 0 to 3 years past your PhD, at a Dutch institution. Up to €320,000 over 3 years.
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Dutch Research Council (NWO)
NWO Vidi
Up to €850,000 over 5 years for mid-career researchers in the Netherlands establishing an independent group.
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Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship
Monthly stipend of €6,350+ for postdocs (2026-2027 WP): 12-24 months in Europe (European Fellowship) or 24-36 months including a third-country secondment (Global Fellowship).
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KWF Kankerbestrijding (Dutch Cancer Society)
KWF Young Investigator Grant
Up to €600,000 over 4 years for early-career cancer researchers establishing their own independent oncology research line in the Netherlands.
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Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
DFG Emmy Noether Programme
Up to 6 years of funding for early-career researchers to establish an independent junior research group in Germany.
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European Research Council
ERC Advanced Grant
Up to €2.5M over 5 years. Years since your PhD do not matter, but a 10-year record of major research achievements does.
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European Research Council
ERC Synergy Grant
Up to €10M for groups of 2-4 principal investigators tackling ambitious problems that need complementary expertise.
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European Research Council
ERC Proof of Concept
€150,000 lump sum for current and recent ERC grant holders to test whether an ERC result can leave the lab.
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Dutch Research Council (NWO)
NWO Vici
Up to €1.5M over 5 years for senior researchers in the Netherlands building and consolidating an internationally-leading research group.
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Dutch Research Council (NWO)
NWO Open Competition
Curiosity-driven funding with no thematic priorities, from EUR 50,000 pilot grants to EUR 3M consortium projects.
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European Innovation Council
EIC Accelerator
Grant up to €2.5M plus an EIC Fund investment of €1M to €10M for deep-tech companies too risky for private investors alone.
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European Innovation Council
EIC Transition
Up to €2.5M to take a proven lab result to a working prototype and a business case, alone or with partners.
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Wellcome Trust
Wellcome Discovery Award
Average £3.5M over 7 years (range 3-8) for mid-career and established researchers pursuing transformative discovery science in health.
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Human Frontier Science Program
HFSP Postdoctoral Fellowship
3-year fellowship for frontier life-science research, with a hard change of country and a hard change of topic.
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Programme pages are best for scheme fit. Use the companion sections below when you want writing advice, a broader live-call view, or historical awardee context.