Deadline: 13-Jan-2026
The Erc Consolidator Grant Programme provides support to excellence in research through grants that provide long-term, flexible and independent funding for ambitious, high-risk frontier research.
The ERC strives to achieve the following objectives: to promote scientific excellence in research by funding ground-breaking, high-risk, and ambitious frontier research; to attract the best talent and skill to Europe, to support early-career researchers, and to promote exchange of ideas and knowledge; to increase Europe’s competitiveness in the international research arena.
To achieve the above mentioned objectives, the ERC has established a competitive peer review and funding model that subscribes to the following core principles: scientific excellence at the heart of the evaluation process; openness to researchers of any age, nationality, gender, career stage, and research field, residing in any country in the world at the time of application; autonomy and independence of researchers and their teams to pursue frontier research; transparency, fairness, and impartiality in carrying out its mission; upholding ethical principles and ensuring research integrity and security; acknowledging the diversity of applicants and their research career paths; commitment to open science, including open access to the published output of research, as well as access to research data and related products.
The ERC funds frontier research through four main grant schemes: the Starting Grant, Consolidator Grant, Advanced Grant, and Synergy Grant, with additional support available via the Proof of Concept Grant. Each scheme is designed to support researchers at different career stages, from early independence to established leadership.
The Starting Grant is aimed at excellent Principal Investigators beginning their independent research careers, while the Consolidator Grant is intended for those consolidating their independence. The Advanced Grant supports established research leaders with a track record of significant achievements. The Synergy Grant is unique in bringing together two to four Principal Investigators to jointly address ambitious problems that cannot be solved by a single team.
Grant amounts vary by scheme, with the Starting Grant offering up to €1.5 million over five years, the Consolidator Grant up to €2 million, the Advanced Grant up to €2.5 million, and the Synergy Grant up to €10 million, each with the possibility of significant additional funding.
Eligibility is open to researchers of all nationalities and career stages, provided they wish to conduct their research at a Host Institution based in an EU Member State or Associated Country. Host Institutions may include universities, research organisations, or enterprises, and in the case of Synergy Grants, one institution may be based outside the EU or Associated Countries.
Applications are assessed solely on the basis of scientific excellence. The process involves detailed proposals including scientific plans, CVs, track records, and institutional support letters. For Synergy Grants, applicants must also demonstrate strong collaborative arrangements. Evaluation focuses both on the groundbreaking nature of the proposed research and the intellectual capacity and creativity of the Principal Investigator or team.
For more information, visit ERC.
