Deadline: 14-Oct-2025
The European Commission is inviting applications for its Starting Grant to support excellent Principal Investigators who are beginning or have recently begun their independent research careers. To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate research independence, such as having produced a significant publication as the main author without their PhD supervisor’s involvement.
The grant aims to promote scientific excellence by supporting groundbreaking, high-risk research. It also seeks to attract top talent to Europe, support early-career researchers, and foster the exchange of ideas. Another goal is to strengthen Europe’s global competitiveness in research.
The ERC uses a competitive peer review system based on core principles. These include a focus on scientific excellence, openness to all researchers regardless of background, support for researcher independence, and a commitment to transparency and research integrity. The ERC also values diverse research career paths and supports open science, including open access to data and results.
Starting Grants can provide up to EUR 1.5 million over five years. Additional funding of up to EUR 1 million may be requested to cover major costs such as equipment, fieldwork, or access to large facilities. Grants typically run for five years but may be extended to six for Synergy Grants.
To be eligible, proposals must align with the objectives and type of grant outlined in the call. Principal Investigators can be of any age or nationality and may reside anywhere at the time of application, but their research must be conducted at a host institution in an EU Member State or Associated Country.
Eligible host institutions include any public or private legal entity such as universities, research organizations, or companies based in the EU or an Associated Country. They may also include international research organizations like CERN or EMBL. The ERC accepts applications in any field of science, and interdisciplinary projects are welcome.
Some restrictions apply. A researcher can hold only one ERC frontier grant at a time. Applicants preparing a grant agreement under the 2024 or 2025 programmes cannot apply for a 2026 grant. Those with a current project that ends more than two years after the call deadline are also ineligible. Panel Members serving in recent programmes may be restricted from applying in 2026. Only the first eligible proposal submitted per Work Programme will be considered.
Applications must include several required documents: Part I and II of the Scientific Proposal, a CV and Track Record for each Principal Investigator, a Resources and Time Commitment section, a Host Institution Support Letter, an Ethics Issues Table, a PhD Record, and other eligibility documents. Missing sections may render the proposal inadmissible.
For more information, visit European Commission.
