Starting Grant
The European Research Council Starting Grant funds outstanding early-career researchers to launch independent, innovative research projects in any scientific field at EU or associated institutions.
Funder: European Research Council
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2026 (Full application deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: Up to €1.5 million for 5 years; up to €1 million (or €2 million for non-associated country relocations) in additional funding possible.
Summary: Supports outstanding early-career researchers of any nationality to launch independent research projects in any field at European or associated institutions.
Key Information: This is a forecasted call; all dates are projected and subject to confirmation in the official work programme.
Description
The European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant is designed to empower talented early-career researchers—of any nationality—who have demonstrated research excellence and are ready to establish their independence. The grant enables recipients to build their own research teams and pursue ambitious, ground-breaking projects at public or private research organizations located in the European Union or associated countries. The scheme is open to all fields of research and operates on a 'bottom-up' basis, with scientific excellence as the sole evaluation criterion.
