[European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/index_en)

September 23, 2026

€3,000,000–€4,000,000 per project (lump sum); up to 3 projects funded

Supports research on how young people's use of digital tools for leisure and communication impacts educational outcomes and mental health, with the goal of informing policy and promoting healthy digital habits.

--- ## Description This call funds research projects investigating the impact of digital tool use—such as social media, video gaming, and smartphones—by young people outside of school and for communication, focusing on educational outcomes and mental health. Projects should generate robust, policy-relevant evidence, explore relationships between digital activities and factors like motivation, attention, time management, engagement, social integration, and well-being, and develop actionable advice for policymakers and citizens. Proposals must use rigorous experimental or quasi-experimental methods, consider variations across age groups, socio-economic backgrounds, and cultural contexts, and include interdisciplinary approaches. Collaboration with educational authorities and inclusion of stakeholders' perspectives, including young people and media literacy organizations, is essential. --- ## Due Dates - September 23, 2026: Full application submission deadline (17:00 Brussels time) --- ## Funding Amount - Total available budget for this topic: €12,000,000 - Expected contribution per project: €3,000,000–€4,000,000 (lump sum) - Indicative number of grants: 3 --- ## Eligibility - Open to legal entities (universities, research organizations, SMEs, etc.) from EU Member States and countries associated with Horizon Europe. - Proposals must comply with eligibility conditions detailed in [Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2026-2027/wp-15-general-annexes_horizon-2026-2027_en.pdf). - International partners from non-associated countries may participate under certain conditions (see [Horizon Europe Programme Guide](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/programme-guide_horizon_en.pdf)). - Proposals must demonstrate financial and operational capacity. --- ## Application Process - Single-stage submission via the [EU Funding & Tenders Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-TRANSFO-04?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=5&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate). - Application form page limit: 50 pages (Part B). - Required documents: completed application form, detailed budget table (lump sum), and supporting documents as specified in the call. - Evaluation criteria, scoring, and thresholds are outlined in [Annex D](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2026-2027/wp-15-general-annexes_horizon-2026-2027_en.pdf). - See the [Online Manual](https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/funding-tenders-opportunities/display/OM/Online+Manual) for step-by-step instructions. --- ## Additional Information - Projects must include interdisciplinary approaches (e.g., economics, sociology, neuroscience, communication science, pedagogy). - Cooperation with educational authorities and inclusion of young people's and stakeholders' perspectives is required. - Clustering and cooperation with other projects under this call and relevant initiatives are encouraged. - Eligible costs will be funded as a lump sum. --- ## External Links - [Call Details & Application Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-TRANSFO-04?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502&order=DESC&pageNumber=5&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate) - [Horizon Europe Programme Guide](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/programme-guide_horizon_en.pdf) - [General Annexes 2026–2027](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2026-2027/wp-15-general-annexes_horizon-2026-2027_en.pdf) - [HE Lump Sum Grant Guidance](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-funding-what-do-i-need-to-know_he_en.pdf) - [Online Manual](https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/funding-tenders-opportunities/display/OM/Online+Manual) --- ## Contact Information | Type | Details | |-----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | General EC Contact | +32 2 299 11 11 | | EC Contact Page | [Contact the European Commission](https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/contact_en) | | Research Enquiry Service | [Research Enquiry Service](https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/contact-us/research-enquiry-service_en) | | National Contact Points | [NCP Directory](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/ncp) | | IT Helpdesk | [IT Helpdesk Contact Form](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/helpdesks/contact-form) |

The impact of the use of digital tools outside school and for communication on educational outcomes and mental health - European Commission

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