European Research Council
ERC Advanced Grant
Up to €2.5M for established research leaders with a 10-year track record of significant achievements.
About the ERC Advanced Grant
The ERC Advanced Grant supports exceptional established research leaders whose ground-breaking projects go beyond the current state of the art. Unlike Starting and Consolidator, there is no upper time-since-PhD limit — what matters is a sustained track record of significant research achievements over the last 10 years. Funding goes up to €2.5 million over 5 years, with an additional €1M possible for start-up costs, major equipment, or access to large infrastructure. Applicants are expected to be internationally recognised in their field, with a publication record of high impact and evidence of leading their research community. The evaluation is a single-stage full-proposal review by the panel, followed by an interview for shortlisted candidates. Success rates typically sit at 8–12% — the most selective of the three main ERC grants.
Key facts
- Career stage
- Established researcher
- Maximum budget
- €2.5M (+€1M additional)
- Project duration
- 5 years
- Evaluation
- Single-stage panel + interview
- Success rate
- 8–12% overall
Who is eligible?
- •Track record of significant research achievements over the last 10 years (no upper career-stage limit)
- •Hosted at an institution in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe associated country
- •No nationality requirement
- •At least 30% time commitment to the project (50% recommended)
Frequently asked questions
+Is there an age or career-stage limit for the Advanced Grant?
No. Unlike Starting (2–7y post-PhD) and Consolidator (7–12y post-PhD), the Advanced Grant has no upper career-stage limit. The only requirement is a strong 10-year track record of significant research achievements.
+What counts as a "significant achievement" in the last 10 years?
High-impact publications in your field, competitive grant awards (ERC, national funding bodies), invited lectures at major conferences, awards and prizes, leadership of research consortia, or training of researchers who have gone on to independent careers.
+How competitive is the Advanced Grant versus Starting or Consolidator?
Advanced Grants are the most competitive of the three, with success rates typically 8–12% vs. 10–15% for Starting and 12–14% for Consolidator. The pool is smaller but the bar is extremely high.
+Can an Advanced Grant be held alongside other major grants?
Yes, subject to the ERC's rules on non-overlapping research content. You cannot hold two active ERC grants for the same research, but distinct research programmes are allowed.
Looking for proposal-writing advice?
Read the European Research Council writing guide →Related programmes
European Research Council
ERC Starting Grant
Up to €1.5M for early-career researchers 2–7 years post-PhD conducting ground-breaking frontier research.
European Research Council
ERC Consolidator Grant
Up to €2M for mid-career researchers 7–12 years post-PhD consolidating their independent research team.
European Research Council
ERC Synergy Grant
Up to €10M for groups of 2–4 principal investigators tackling ambitious problems that need complementary expertise.
Want ERC Advanced Grant deadlines in your inbox?
Free personalised digest with grants matched to your research profile.
Find my next grant →