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

November 2026

Up to €10 million for 6 years per project; up to €4 million additional for major costs (equipment, relocation, etc.)

Supports 2–4 principal investigators in any field tackling ambitious research problems through collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches.

This is a forecasted call; dates and details are projected and subject to change.

--- ## Description The European Research Council (ERC) Synergy Grant is designed to enable small groups of two to four principal investigators (PIs) to jointly tackle ambitious research challenges that cannot be addressed by a single researcher or team. Proposals are welcome from any discipline, with no predefined priorities, and the scheme emphasizes scientific excellence and the unique synergetic effects of collaborative work. The grant supports high-risk, high-gain research that pushes the boundaries of knowledge, with a strong focus on interdisciplinary and transformative projects. Successful proposals must demonstrate the necessity of the collaborative approach, the complementarity of the PIs' expertise, and the potential for significant scientific advances. Projects are expected to be conducted at public or private research organizations (Host Institutions) in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, though one PI may be based outside these regions. The evaluation process is rigorous, involving three steps (including an interview), and is based solely on excellence. --- ## Due Dates - **Full application deadline (anticipated/projected):** 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 per project for up to 6 years (pro rata for shorter projects) - **Additional funding:** Up to €4,000,000 can be requested for major equipment, access to large facilities, fieldwork, or “start-up” costs for PIs moving to the EU/Associated Country - **Eligible costs:** 100% of direct eligible costs plus 25% flat rate for indirect costs --- ## Eligibility - **Who can apply:** Groups of 2–4 Principal Investigators of any nationality and career stage - **Host institutions:** Must be public or private research organizations in an EU Member State or Associated Country; up to one PI may be hosted outside these regions - **Team composition:** PIs may be from the same or different institutions; team members can be of any nationality, and may be based in third countries if justified - **Time commitment:** Each PI must spend at least 30% of their working time on the ERC project, and (unless hosted outside the EU/AC) at least 50% of their time in an EU Member State or Associated Country - **Resubmission restrictions:** PIs whose proposals received a 'B' or 'C' at Step 1 in the previous Synergy Grant call may be ineligible for this round --- ## Application Process - **Submission:** Proposals must be submitted electronically through the [EU Funding & Tenders Portal](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/calls-for-proposals?order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate&status=31094501,31094502&programmePart=43108406&frameworkProgramme=43108390) - **Required documents:** Administrative forms, Part I (project background/objectives/strategy), Part II (implementation, budget, collaboration), CVs and track records for each PI, Host Institution support letters, ethics and security self-assessment - **Evaluation:** Three-step peer review process: - Step 1: Evaluation of Part I and CVs/track records - Step 2: Full proposal review including methodology, budget, and collaboration arrangements - Step 3: Interview with all PIs - **Ethics:** All funded projects undergo an ethics review to ensure compliance with EU and international standards --- ## Additional Information - **Open to all fields:** No thematic restrictions; interdisciplinary and high-risk proposals are encouraged - **Gender Equality Plans:** Host Institutions in EU/AC countries must have a Gender Equality Plan in place by grant signature - **Open Science:** Immediate open access to peer-reviewed publications is required; data management plans must follow FAIR principles - **Portability:** Grants are portable, subject to approval, if PIs move to another eligible institution - **Restrictions:** PIs can only hold one main ERC frontier research grant at a time; additional restrictions apply based on previous application outcomes --- ## External Links - [ERC Synergy Grant main page](https://erc.europa.eu/apply-grant/synergy-grants) - [ERC Synergy Grant Information for Applicants (2026)](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/information-for-applicants_he-erc-syg_en.pdf) - [ERC Work Programme 2026](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2026/wp_horizon-erc-2026_en.pdf) - [List of Associated Countries](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/guidance/list-3rd-country-participation_horizon-euratom_en.pdf) - [EU Funding & Tenders Portal – Calls](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/calls-for-proposals?order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate&status=31094501,31094502&programmePart=43108406&frameworkProgramme=43108390) - [National Contact Points (NCPs)](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/ncp?order=ASC&pageNumber=0&pageSize=50&countries=20000832,20000839,20000841,20000911,20000871,20000872,20000875,20000880,20000885,20000890,20000873,20000902,20000913,20000915,20000922,20000946,20000944,20000945,20000960,20000973,20000986,20000990,20000994,20001005,20001004,20000883,20001001&functions=45785764) --- ## Contact Information | Contact Type | Details | |--------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | ERC Synergy Grant Applicants | [erc-syg-applicants@ec.europa.eu](mailto:erc-syg-applicants@ec.europa.eu) | | National Contact Points (NCPs) | [Find your NCP](https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/support/ncp?order=ASC&pageNumber=0&pageSize=50&countries=20000832,20000839,20000841,20000911,20000871,20000872,20000875,20000880,20000885,20000890,20000873,20000902,20000913,20000915,20000922,20000946,20000944,20000945,20000960,20000973,20000986,20000990,20000994,20001005,20001004,20000883,20001001&functions=45785764) | | ERC General Contact | [ERC Contact Page](https://erc.europa.eu/contact) | ---

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