Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The ERC Consolidator Grants are designed to support excellent Principal Investigators at the career stage at which they may still be consolidating their own independent research team or programme. Principal Investigators must demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility of their scientific proposal.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
The maximum amount awarded by Consolidator Grants is €2.000.000 for a period of 5 years. However, up to an additional € 1.000.000 (for Principal Investigators re-locating to the EU or an Associated Country from elsewhere to take up their ERC grant, the maximum additional funding shall be € 2 000 000) can be requested in the proposal to cover the following eligible costs when these are necessary to carry out the proposed work:
- “start-up” costs for Principal Investigators moving to the EU or an Associated Country from elsewhere as a consequence of receiving the ERC grant; and/or
- the purchase of major equipment; and/or
- access to large facilities; and/or
- other major experimental and field work costs, excluding personnel costs.
It is expected that the estimated number of grants will be 328.
Thematic Categories
- Education and training
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
Eligibility for Participation
- Legal Entities
- Other Beneficiaries
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
Eligibility For Participation Notes
The Principal Investigators shall have successfully defended their first PhD at least 7 and up to 12 years prior to 1 January 2026(successful defence of PhD between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2018 (inclusive)). The eligibility period can be extended beyond 12 years for certain properly documented circumstances. For more information about these properly document circumstances please see page 24 of the ERC Work Programme 2026 (the link can be found under the “Further information” section).
Principal Investigators must demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition, and feasibility of their research proposal. A Consolidator Grant Principal Investigator should have already shown evidence of research independence.
The ERC Scientific Council has in place restrictions on applications. To find out more about these restrictions please consult the 2025 Work Programme pages 17-23.