Following the publication of the ERC Work Programme 2027, the European Commission has officially outlined the upcoming funding opportunities and competition schedule for frontier research in Europe. The new work programme introduces expanded eligibility windows to reflect diverse career paths and updated application rules across its core grant schemes.
The main funding schemes available under the 2027 call cycle include:
- ERC Starting Grants 2027 (Deadline: 14 October 2026): Aimed at promising early-career researchers with up to 10 years of experience since defending their Ph.D., these grants support investigators showing exceptional research promise and a strong proposal to build an independent research team.
- ERC Consolidator Grants 2027 (Deadline: 12 January 2027): Designed for researchers with 5 to 15 years of experience post-Ph.D., targeting excellent scientists who are consolidating their independent research team or research program.
- ERC Synergy Grants 2027 (Deadline: 11 May 2027, TBC): Geared toward groups of two to four Principal Investigators who bring together complementary skills, knowledge, and resources to jointly tackle ambitious scientific challenges.
- ERC Advanced Grants 2027 (Deadline: 26 August 2027): Targeted at established research leaders with a proven track record of significant research achievements over the past decade to pursue high-risk, groundbreaking initiatives.
- ERC Plus Grants 2027 (Deadline: 1 September 2027): Designed for outstanding researchers at any career stage embarking on transformative, high-impact projects that require resources beyond the scope of standard ERC grants.
To access the complete Work Programme and review detailed guidelines, visit the official European Research Council (ERC) Portal.