ERC Call for Applications: Consolidator Grant 2026

The European Research Council (ERC) calls for applications for its Consolidator Grant 2026, for researchers to consolidate their independence by establishing a research team and continuing to develop a success career in Europe or strengthen an independent excellent research team recently created. 

Eligibility:

• Researchers of any nationality with7-12 years of experience since completion of PhD, a scientific track record showing great promise and an excellent research proposal.
• Applications can be made in any field of research. The ERC’s grants operate on a ‘bottom-up’ basis without predetermined priorities.
• Research must be conducted in a public or private research organisation (known as a Host Institution/HI). It could be the HI where the applicant already works, or any other HI located in one of the EUMember States or associated countries.
• Host institution:
  • Applications for an ERC grant require a single Principal Investigator (PI) to submit the application on behalf of their host institution.
  • The host institution must offer suitable conditions for the PI to independently lead the research and manage funding. The PI can be hosted by any legal entity in an EU Member State or associated country.
  • The PI does not need to be employed by the host institution at the time of proposal submission, but a mutual agreement and commitment are necessary if the proposal is successful.
• Team:
  • ERC grants support projects carried out by an individual researcher who can employ researchers of any nationality as team members. It is also possible to have one or more team members located in a non-European country.

Funding details: 

• Consolidator Grants may be awarded up to €2 million for a period of 5 years. (pro rata for projects of shorter duration).
• However, an additional €1 million can be made available to cover further eligible costs (e.g. start-up costs, major equipment, access to large facilities, major experimental and field work costs) when these are necessary to carry out the proposed work. The requests for additional funding must be duly justified in the proposal. For Principal Investigators currently based in non-associated third countries re-locating to the EU or an Associated Country to take up their ERC grant, the maximum additional funding may be up to €2 million. 
• An ERC grant can cover up to 100% of the total eligible direct costs of the research plus a contribution of 25% of the total eligible costs towards indirect costs.

Read more here.

Application deadline, 13th of January 2026 at 17:00h Brussels time.