[European Research Council](https://erc.europa.eu)

November 2026

Up to €10 million for 6 years (+ up to €4 million additional for major costs); 100% direct + 25% indirect costs.

Supports highly ambitious, collaborative research by teams of 2–4 Principal Investigators addressing scientific questions that cannot be tackled by a single PI or team.

This is a forecasted call—dates are projected; eligibility and resubmission restrictions apply.

--- ## Description The ERC Synergy Grant funds small groups of two to four Principal Investigators (PIs) and their teams to jointly address ambitious, complex research problems that cannot be solved by a single researcher or team alone. Designed to foster breakthrough discoveries at the frontiers of knowledge, Synergy Grants encourage interdisciplinary, high-risk/high-gain research in any scientific field, with no predetermined priorities. The grant seeks to support innovative collaborations where the combination of skills, resources, and expertise enables transformative advances that would be unattainable otherwise. --- ## Due Dates - Anticipated full proposal deadline: **November 2026** *All dates are projected based on the annual cycle; check the program page for updates.* --- ## Funding Amount - **Maximum grant:** Up to €10,000,000 for up to 6 years (pro rata for shorter projects) - **Additional funding:** Up to €4,000,000 may be requested for major equipment, access to large facilities, experimental/field work, or start-up costs for PIs moving from a third country to the EU/Associated Country - **Cost coverage:** 100% of eligible direct costs plus a flat 25% for indirect costs --- ## Eligibility - **Team composition:** Groups of 2–4 Principal Investigators (PIs) of any nationality, career stage, or discipline - **Host institutions:** Each PI must be hosted by a public or private research organization (Host Institution, HI) - Host Institutions must be in an EU Member State or Associated Country, except that one PI per group may be hosted outside the EU/Associated Countries - Each HI must provide a support letter at submission; HIs must engage PIs for the project duration - Legal entities that are public bodies, research organizations, or higher education institutions in the EU/Associated Countries must have a Gender Equality Plan in place - **No specific academic training requirements** for PIs, but a competitive track record is required - **Time commitment:** Each PI must commit at least 30% of their working time to the project; at least 50% of their working time must be spent in the EU/Associated Country (except for PIs hosted outside) - **Resubmission restrictions:** If a proposal received a 'B' or 'C' at Step 1 of the previous Synergy Grant call, the PI is ineligible for this call; additional restrictions apply for ongoing ERC grant holders and panel members (see program documents) --- ## Application Process - **Single-stage submission:** Full proposal required at deadline; only one submission per call - **Proposal components:** - Administrative forms (online) - Scientific proposal (Part I and Part II) - CV and track record for each PI - Budget table and justification - Host Institution support letter(s) - Ethics and security self-assessment - **Submission:** Proposals must be submitted electronically via the [EU Funding & Tenders Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/calls-for-proposals?programmePart=43108406&frameworkProgramme=43108390) - **Evaluation:** Three-step peer review process: 1. Panel review of Part I and CVs 2. Full proposal assessment by multidisciplinary panels and external experts 3. Interview with all PIs in Brussels (or exceptionally remote) - **Selection criterion:** Scientific excellence (including the added value of the synergy) is the sole evaluation criterion --- ## Additional Information - **Field of research:** Open to all disciplines; interdisciplinary and unconventional projects encouraged - **Open science:** Immediate open access to peer-reviewed publications is required; data management plans must align with FAIR principles - **Ethics:** All funded projects undergo an ethics review; exclusive focus on civil applications is required - **Portability:** Grants can be transferred to a new host institution under certain conditions - **Gender equality:** Host Institutions must fulfill Gender Equality Plan requirements --- ## External Links - [ERC Synergy Grant Call Information](https://erc.europa.eu/apply-grant/synergy-grants) - [ERC Work Programme 2026 (PDF)](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2026/wp_horizon-erc-2026_en.pdf) - [Information for Applicants 2026 (PDF)](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/information-for-applicants_he-erc-syg_en.pdf) - [EU Funding & Tenders Portal - Calls](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/calls-for-proposals?programmePart=43108406&frameworkProgramme=43108390) - [List of Associated Countries (PDF)](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/guidance/list-3rd-country-participation_horizon-euratom_en.pdf) - [ERC National Contact Points](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/ncp?functions=45785764) --- ## Contact Information | Contact Type | Details | |--------------|---------| | General queries | [ERC Synergy applicants' mailbox](mailto:erc-syg-applicants@ec.europa.eu) | | National Contact Points | [Find your NCP](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/ncp?functions=45785764) | | ERC Executive Agency | [Contact ERCEA](https://erc.europa.eu/support/contact-us-page) | ---

Synergy Grant

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