The European Research Council’s (ERC) 2026 Work Programme adopted this week contains several changes highlighted below.
Key novelties in the ERC Work Programme 2026:
Proposal Structure:
Changes have been made to the length and structure of the research proposal:
- Part I of the Scientific Proposal (max. 5 pages): Scientific vision, objectives, and strategy
- Part II of the Scientific Proposal (max. 7 pages for StG, CoG and AdG, and max. 10 for SyG): Implementation, methodology, budget, and risk management.
Evaluation:
Evaluation procedures have been updated to reflect this new structure.
- Step 1 – Assessment of Part I plus the applicant’s CV/track record (Part B1) focusing on ambition and novelty.
- Step 2 – Full evaluation of both Parts, CV, track record, resources and methodology, including feasibility and risk mitigation.
- Feasibility is now evaluated only at Step 2 of the review process, allowing Part I to emphasize vision and ambition.
Eligibility & Inclusion Updates:
New extension grounds for Starting and Consolidator Grants:
- Victims of gender-based or other forms of violence.
- Parental leave now explicitly includes maternity, paternity, and general parental leave.
Resubmission Restrictions:
- Synergy Grant applicants who received a ‘B’ score in Step 1 of the 2025 call are not eligible to reapply in 2026.
Flexibility for Current Grantees:
- ERC grantees applying for a new frontier research grant may remain eligible even if their current grant is extended beyond the two-year post-deadline window, under certain conditions.
Boosted Relocation Funding:
- Additional funding doubled for Starting, Consolidator, and Advanced Grant applicants relocating from non-associated third countries to the EU or an Associated Country.
- This funding can now also cover personnel costs, not just relocation expenses.
Further information can be found within the ERC Work Programme 2026, ERC Website, the Funders and Tenders Portal, and the ERC Youtube Channel, where they recently held a webinar to disseminate the latest changes and host a live Q&A.
New funding instrument:
The ERC Scientific Council is currently working on a new long-term funding instrument under the Choose Europe for Science initiative announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, offering up to seven years of support for ambitious projects.
More details about the modalities will follow in due course. The new funding instrument will be included in an amended version of the ERC Work Programme 2026 that is expected to be adopted by the end of 2025.