Set up in 2007 by the EU, the European Research Council is the first pan-European funding organization for frontier research. It aims to stimulate scientific excellence in Europe by encouraging competition for funding between the very best, creative researchers of any nationality and age. The ERC also strives to attract top researchers from anywhere in the world to come to Europe.
It funds young, early-career top researchers ('ERC Starting grants'), already independent excellent scientists ('ERC Consolidator Grants'), and senior research leaders ('ERC Advanced Grants'). Grants are also available for projects carried-out by groups of 2 to 4 top researchers ('ERC Synergy Grants').
Note that the funded research must be conducted in a public or private research organisation (known as a Host Institution/HI) located in any of the EU Member States or associated countries. Novelty as from July 2018, Synergy Grant Group can include up to one Principal Investigator based in a third country, including in Brazil and other LAC countries.
All calls are published on the Participant Portal. The timetable for 2019-2020 is :
ERC Calls | Expected Call Publication | Submission Deadline(s) | Budget € million |
Starting Grant | 17 July 2019 | 16 Oct 2019 | 677 (455) |
Consolidator Grant | 24 Oct 2019 | 4 Feb 2020 | 657(343) |
Advanced Grant ERC-2020-AdG | 14 May 2020 | 26 Aug 2020 | 492 (209) |
Synergy Grant | 18 July 2019 | 5 Nov 2019 | 350 (39) |
Proof of Concept ERC-2020-PoC |
16 Oct 2018 15 Oct 2019 |
19 Sept 2019 21/01/2020 23/04/2020 17/09/2020 |
25 (130) 25 (167) |
Resources:
- Our Guide on the ERC and what's in it for Brazilian researchers: http://bit.ly/FocusERC
- The same ERC Guide, but for for LAC countries: http://bit.ly/FocusERC_LAC
- Read our interviews with ERC grantees from Brazil and other Latin American Countries
- Contact the ERC national contact point Prof. Moacyr MARTUCCI Jr here in Brazil and find the ERC National Contact Points in other LAC countries here.