In May 2025, the European Commission’s President, Úrsula von der Layen, announced the ERC Plus Grants scheme, within the ‘Choose Europe’ initiative. Last December 2025, this new scheme was presented by ERC executives, led by María Leptin, then president of the ERC. This grant scheme was designed to offer exceptional researchers a mechanism to push game-changing frontier research that cannot be realised with the traditional ERC schemes.
If you are a researcher with a bold vision — one that could reshape entire scientific fields — the ERC Plus Grant can become the opportunity that changes everything. Launched by the European Research Council (ERC) under the Horizon Europe programme, the ERC Plus Grant is the next generation of funding designed to support truly transformative research projects that go far beyond conventional grants.
What is the new ERC Plus Grant?
The ERC Plus Grant is a new funding instrument introduced in the 2026 ERC Work Programme. It supports exceptionally ambitious, groundbreaking research led by individual Principal Investigators who want to tackle huge scientific challenges and redefine what is possible in their research fields.
Unlike traditional ERC grants, which already support excellent frontier research, the ERC Plus aims to fund projects that:
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cannot be funded within existing ERC schemes due to their scale or vision;
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have the potential to open new research directions or transform whole fields.
This makes the grant feel like a “super-grant” — a rare chance to pursue research that is truly ahead of its time
Funding & Duration
Here is what makes the ERC Plus unique:
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Up to €7 million in funding, provided as a single lump sum to cover project costs over the full duration of the project
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4 to 7 years of support, allowing long-term, visionary research paths
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Highly competitive; only 30 grants will be awarded each year across all research disciplines
- Researchers can only be awarded one ERC Plus across their research career
Who Can Apply?
ERC Plus is open to individual Principal Investigators of any nationality or career stage (from early-career talent to senior research leaders), as long as the host institution is in the EU or an associated country.
Eligibility highlights include:
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Commitment of at least 30% of working time to the project
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Spending at least 50% of working time in the EU or an associated country
Researchers already holding an ERC grant can apply only once their existing ERC grants are finished.
There are no discipline-specific quotas; all fields of research are welcome.
What Makes ERC Plus Different?
The ERC Plus Grant is not just a bigger ERC grant. It is a different level of ambition — and it is evaluated differently.
• Stronger Emphasis on Leadership
For the ERC Plus Grant, your track record matters even more than in regular ERC calls.
Applicants are expected to be undisputed leaders in their field, compared to peers at their same career stage.
Because the ERC Plus is open to researchers at all career levels, evaluation panels assess each Principal Investigator relative to their career stage. A senior scientist is judged against senior peers; and an early-career leader is also assessed accordingly.
At both Step 1 and Step 2, panels explicitly evaluate To what extent is the applicant an undisputed leader in the field (compared to peers at the same career stage)?
This means your CV and track record must clearly demonstrate research independence, strong influence, and scientific leadership.
• The Statement of Vision: A Defining Element
A major difference in the ERC Plus Grant is the Statement of Vision.
At Step 1, the panel evaluates:
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The short scientific proposal (Part I of B1)
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The Principal Investigator’s CV and track record (B1)
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The Statement of Vision (½ page to 2 pages)
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This Statement of Vision must explain How does this project go beyond what could be achieved with a regular ERC grant?
The ERC Plus will only fund projects that cannot be carried out within a standard ERC scheme.
This may involve:
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Broader or deeper research needed for a breakthrough
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Particularly high-risk work
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A sequence of linked projects opening new research avenues
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Investments or team structures that exceed regular ERC limits
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At both evaluation steps, reviewers ask To what extent does the project address aims that could not be reached with a regular ERC grant?
If your idea could fit into an Advanced Grant, it is unlikely to qualify as ERC Plus.
• A Tougher First Filter
The ERC Plus Grant uses a retained / not retained system at Step 1 — not the usual A/B/C scoring.
Only the strongest proposals move forward.
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Retained → passes to Step 2
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Not retained → quality may be high, but not sufficient
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With only around 30 ERC Plus Grants awarded per year across all disciplines and career stages, competition will be exceptionally hard.
• Lump Sum Model — No Additional Top-Ups
Like the Advanced Grant, the ERC Plus Grant is funded as a single lump sum.
There are no additional funding extensions.
Projects can request:
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Up to €7 million
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For 4 to 7 years
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A 7-year project below €7M is allowed.
A 4-year project requesting the full €7M is also allowed.
What matters is that the ambition, duration, and resources are fully aligned.
• The ERC Plus Is About Transformative Scope
The ERC Plus Grant is Europe’s instrument for research that:
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Cannot be done within standard ERC frameworks
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Seeks to redefine a field
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Opens entirely new scientific directions
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Panels are not just evaluating excellence. They are evaluating vision, scale, and bold leadership.
To stand a chance, you must convince reviewers that your project truly requires this exceptional level of support — and that you are the right person to lead it.
How to Make your ERC Plus Stand Out
To be competitive, applicants should focus on:
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Vision: Clearly articulate how the project breaks new ground.
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Transformative impact: Demonstrate how the research could shift paradigms or open new scientific directions.
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Leadership potential: Highlight past achievements signaling capacity for high-impact research.
This grant does not just fund ideas, it invests in people who can change the game.
Timeline & Expectations
The 2026 call for ERC Plus Grants is expected to open on June 2nd, 2026, with deadline on September 2nd, 2026.
Applicants invited to the interview stage will be announced in February 2027, and final results are expected in June 2027.
Keep an eye on the official ERC website for details, templates, and guidance, including tips from webinars on preparing a successful proposal.
In Summary
The ERC Plus Grant is Europe’s boldest bet yet on trailblazing research ideas. Offering unmatched funding, long-term support, and a platform for visionary science — it is poised to unlock discoveries beyond today’s scientific horizon.
If you have got a big idea with transformative potential, this could be the breakthrough support your research needs to change the world.
If you are interested in a broader overview of ERC Grants, you can find dedicated blog posts on our website.
In addition, the official broadcast of the New ERC Plus Informative Session with the main information about this scheme, it is freely available at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuOsosK4vbk. (If you are interested in the Q&A session, it starts at 18:50.)
Please contact us for more support in your proposal development and best of luck with your ERC Plus application!
The ERC designed this scheme for researchers who dare to think bigger than the current boundaries of their field and pursue a bold vision. This is your opportunity to show that you are ready to lead it.