ERC
European Research Council
The ERC funds frontier research across all fields. Three main grant types: Starting Grants (0-10 years post-PhD from the 2027 calls), Consolidator Grants (5-15 years from the 2027 calls), and Advanced Grants (established leaders). A researcher can be awarded at most one Starting Grant and one Consolidator Grant during their career.
Evaluation Criteria
- 1Scientific excellence of the research project (ground-breaking nature, ambition, feasibility)
- 2Scientific excellence of the PI (track record, intellectual capacity, creativity)
- 3For StG/CoG: potential to become an independent research leader
- 4For AdG: demonstrated ability to lead and attract top researchers
Proposal Structure
- •Part B1: extended synopsis (max 5 pages) + CV and track record (max 4 pages, up to 10 research outputs). Step 1 shortlisting is decided on B1 alone
- •Part B2 (max 7 pages): full scientific proposal, methodology, work plan, risk mitigation. The budget justification sits outside the page limit
- •From the 2026 Work Programme, feasibility is assessed at Step 2 only, keep the B1 synopsis on the idea, objectives, and why now
- •Budget justification: personnel, equipment, consumables, travel, other
Common Mistakes
- ×Being incremental rather than truly ground-breaking, ERC wants paradigm shifts
- ×Underestimating the importance of the B2 track record section
- ×Too many work packages, keep it focused and ambitious
- ×Not demonstrating independence from PhD/postdoc supervisor's work
- ×Generic methodology, be specific about your unique approach
Success Tips
- ✓Highlight what makes YOUR approach different from existing work
- ✓Start with a compelling opening, evaluators read hundreds of proposals
- ✓Show preliminary data that demonstrates feasibility without solving the whole problem
- ✓Publications in top journals matter, quality over quantity
- ✓Budget should be ambitious but justified. Under-requesting signals lack of ambition
Frequently Asked Questions
+Who is eligible for an ERC Starting Grant?
From the 2027 calls (StG 2027 deadline 15 October 2026), researchers can apply any time within 10 years of their PhD defence (with possible extensions for career breaks); the 2-7 year window applied through the 2026 calls. You must be hosted at a legal entity in an EU Member State or associated country. There is no nationality requirement, and at most one Starting Grant can be awarded per researcher during their career.
+How much funding does an ERC Starting Grant provide?
Up to €1.5 million for 5 years, with an additional €1 million available for eligible start-up costs, equipment, access to large facilities, or fieldwork. The Consolidator Grant goes up to €2M and the Advanced Grant up to €2.5M.
+What is the difference between ERC Starting, Consolidator, and Advanced Grants?
From the 2027 calls, Starting Grant targets researchers 0-10 years post-PhD and Consolidator Grant 5-15 years post-PhD (the earlier windows were 2-7 and 7-12 through the 2026 calls); Advanced Grant is for established research leaders with a track record of significant research achievements over the last 10 years. A researcher can be awarded at most one Starting Grant and one Consolidator Grant during their career.
+What is the ERC Starting Grant success rate?
ERC Starting Grant success rates typically range from 10% to 15%, varying by panel and year. Recent calls have hovered around 12-13% overall success across life sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences panels.
+How long does ERC evaluation take?
Approximately 9-11 months from the call deadline to the final funding decision. Stage 1 (panel review) results arrive ~4-5 months after submission; Stage 2 interviews take place ~7-9 months after submission.
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