The ERC Consolidator Grant 2027 is a prestigious European Research Council funding opportunity for established researchers who are ready to consolidate their independent research careers and lead ambitious frontier-research projects in Europe.

The grant is designed for researchers who obtained their PhD between 5 and 15 years before 1 January 2027, with extensions possible in certain documented circumstances. Researchers of any nationality can apply, provided they submit their proposal through an eligible host institution in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country.

The ERC Consolidator Grant can provide up to €2 million for a maximum period of five years, with additional funding potentially available for certain eligible costs. Researchers currently based outside Europe who relocate to Europe may also be eligible to request additional relocation-related funding.

The application deadline is 12 January 2027.

The ERC Consolidator Grant is one of the European Research Council’s major research funding schemes. It supports researchers who have already demonstrated scientific independence and are ready to strengthen their own research teams and pursue ambitious, investigator-driven research.

Unlike scholarships that provide financial support directly to an individual student, the ERC Consolidator Grant is a large-scale research funding programme. The funding is intended to support a research project led by a Principal Investigator and hosted by an eligible institution in Europe.

ERC grants are awarded on the basis of scientific excellence. The research proposal should address an ambitious question and have the potential to make significant advances beyond the current state of knowledge.

The ERC allows researchers to lead projects across a broad range of disciplines, including the physical sciences and engineering, life sciences, and social sciences and humanities.

The ERC describes its grants as supporting frontier research rather than funding projects simply because they fit a predetermined thematic priority.

The ERC Consolidator Grant is best described as a major research grant, rather than a conventional fully funded fellowship.

It can provide substantial funding for an eligible research project, including research personnel and other project-related costs.

However, the €2 million is not a personal stipend or salary paid directly to the researcher.

The grant supports the research project through an eligible host institution.

Researchers should also understand that the final grant amount depends on the approved project budget and eligible costs.

What Does the Funding Cover?

Depending on the approved proposal and applicable ERC rules, funding can support eligible research expenses required to execute the project.

This may include costs associated with:

• Research personnel
• Research equipment
• Research materials
• Travel required for the research
• Fieldwork
• Access to research facilities
• Other eligible project costs
• Certain relocation-related costs where applicable

The precise eligibility of each expense depends on the ERC rules and the approved proposal.

There is no application fee associated with submitting an ERC Consolidator Grant proposal.

However, applicants should not interpret the €2 million headline amount as unrestricted personal funding. It is research funding allocated to an approved project and administered through the host institution.

PhD or Equivalent Doctoral Qualification

Applicants must have completed a PhD or another doctoral qualification recognised under the ERC rules.

For the 2027 Consolidator Grant, the PhD defence must fall within the 5–15 year eligibility window calculated from 1 January 2027, subject to applicable extensions.

Researchers who fall outside this window may potentially qualify for another ERC grant scheme instead, depending on their career stage.

An ERC Consolidator Grant proposal must be submitted with an eligible host institution.

The host institution must be located in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country and must provide appropriate conditions for the Principal Investigator to independently lead the project.

The researcher does not necessarily need to already be employed by the host institution when the proposal is submitted. However, the necessary agreement and institutional commitment must be in place if the proposal is successful.

An ERC proposal generally requires several components.

Applicants should prepare:

1. Administrative Forms

The required administrative information must be completed through the relevant EU submission system.

2. Research Proposal

The central component is the scientific research proposal.

It should clearly communicate:

• The research question
• The objectives
• The scientific ambition
• The methodology
• The expected advances
• The project’s potential impact on the field

3. Principal Investigator Information

The proposal must provide information demonstrating the applicant’s scientific track record and capacity to lead the proposed research.

4. Supplementary Documents

Additional supporting information and documents may be required according to the ERC’s 2027 call documentation.

Applicants should always use the official call documents as the final checklist because requirements can change between ERC work programmes.

The official ERC website currently lists the Consolidator Grant 2027 as an open call with a January 12, 2027 deadline.

The ERC Consolidator Grant 2027 is one of Europe’s major funding opportunities for researchers who are ready to strengthen their independent research careers.

With funding of up to €2 million for up to five years, the programme can provide researchers with substantial resources to develop ambitious research programmes, build teams, acquire necessary resources, and pursue high-risk, high-reward ideas.

However, applicants should remember that this is research funding rather than a personal scholarship or stipend. The grant is awarded to a research project through an eligible host institution, and the actual budget depends on the project’s justified and eligible costs.

The 2027 competition is particularly important for mid-career researchers because the ERC has introduced a revised 5–15 year PhD eligibility window and additional restrictions on applications. Researchers should therefore carefully check the current Work Programme before preparing their proposal.

Application Deadline: January 12, 2027

Apply Now – ERC Consolidator Grant 2027

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