ERC Plus Grant
The ERC Plus Grant funds visionary, high-risk research projects by outstanding investigators worldwide aiming for transformative breakthroughs beyond regular ERC grant scope.
Funder: European Research Council
Due Dates: September 2, 2026
Funding Amounts: Up to €7 million per project for 4–7 years; ~30 grants awarded annually; lump sum funding only.
Summary: Highly competitive support for researchers worldwide with transformative, ambitious projects beyond the scope of regular ERC grants.
Key Information: Only one ERC Plus Grant per researcher lifetime; single PI only; exceptionally competitive (30 awards/year).
Description
The ERC Plus Grant is a new, highly selective funding scheme under the European Research Council, designed to empower outstanding researchers worldwide to pursue bold, transformative research that cannot be achieved through regular ERC grants. This scheme targets principal investigators at any career stage who propose visionary, high-risk projects with the potential to fundamentally change their field or open new research directions. The grant supports projects across all scientific disciplines, with evaluation based solely on scientific excellence and the demonstrated leadership of the principal investigator.
