Several changes will be reflected in the ERC Work Programme for 2027, which the Scientific Council has announced in advance in its latest report. The changes concern, for example, the eligibility rules for applicants and the resubmission of proposals. These measures were developed in response to the changing career paths of researchers and the rapidly growing number of applications, which is placing increasing pressure on reviewers. The ERC plans to launch grant competitions under its 2027 work program between July 2026 and June 2027.
Planned changes to the 2027 work program:
1. Extension of eligibility for applicants for ERC Starting and Consolidator Grants: The eligibility windows for applicants for ERC Starting Grants (0– 10 years after defending a Ph.D.), and for applicants for the ERC Consolidator Grant (5–15 years after defending a Ph.D.).& nbsp;This is intended to reflect the diverse career paths across scientific disciplines.& However, the reference date will remain January 1 (2027 for calls under the 2027 Work Program).
The eligibility period may be extended in duly justified cases, such as parental leave or clinical practice. Researchers will be awarded a maximum of one ERC Starting Grant and one Consolidator Grant during their career.
2. Additional restrictions on submission of applications: Like many other funding programs, the ERC is seeing a growing number of applications in its calls for proposals. The ERC Scientific Council therefore emphasizes that applicants should ensure that their research proposal is sufficiently developedbefore submitting a proposal in response to an ERC call.
- Applicants may have only one proposal under evaluation at any given time (with the exception of Proof of Concept calls).
- Applicants will be able to submit only one project proposal under the ERC 2027 work program. They may submit another proposal only if the first proposal was deemed ineligible.
- Applicants may not receive a Starting or Consolidator grant more than once in their career, so anyone who has previously received a Starting or Consolidator grant in the past cannot apply for the same grant program a second time.
- Applicants who have submitted eligible proposals to the Advanced or Plus 2026 call cannot apply for the Synergy 2027 grant.
- Synergy Grant: If one of the principal investigators (PIs) in an ERC Synergy proposal is found to be ineligible, the entire proposal will also be deemed ineligible.
3. Stricter rules for resubmission: Restrictions on resubmitting applications are being tightened to reduce the pressure on the evaluation system.
- Applicants who, in the calls for Synergy Grant applications in 2024, 2025, or 2026 received a C rating in Phase 1 of the evaluation, or who, in the Synergy Grant calls for proposals in 2025 or 2026 received a B rating in the first evaluation stage, are not eligible to apply for the 2027 Synergy Grant.
- Applicants who were unsuccessful in Phase 1 of the selection process for the ERC Plus grant in 2026 are not eligible to apply for the ERC Plus grant in 2027.
- Applicants who, in the other three main grant calls in 2024, 2025, or 2026, received a C rating in Phase 1 of the evaluation or the 2025 or 2026 calls a B rating, are not eligible to apply for any ERC main grants in 2027, including Synergy and ERC Plus grants. Applicants for the 2026 Advanced Grant cannot apply for the 2027 Synergy Grant regardless of their outcome.
From the above, it is clear that the ERC places increasing emphasis on the quality and readiness of proposals already at the time of the first submission. We therefore recommend paying the utmost attention to project preparation and considering the timing of the submission.