In 2026, the European Research Council will open the first ERC Plus call for seven-year, €7 million grants. Competition will be fierce
ERC President Maria Leptin (left) has outlined the ERC Plus grants first announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (right). Photo credits: Dati Bendo / European Union
The European Research Council (ERC) will open its first call for larger, €7 million grants across all research disciplines by June 2026, it announced in a webinar dedicated to the new funding scheme held on November 28. The scheme is part of a push to make the EU more attractive to the world’s top scientists.
The grants, provided in the form of lump sums to projects lasting between four and seven years, represent a significant increase compared to the existing ERC Starting, Consolidator and Advanced grants, for which maximum funding ranges between €1.5 million and €2.5 million.
The European Commission has provided the ERC with additional funding for the initiative, which will be enough to award 30 grants per year, with calls planned in 2026 and 2027. More grants could be awarded if they are…
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