The ERC Starting Grant 2027 Call, implemented by the European Research Council under Horizon Europe, aims to support ambitious and ground-breaking research projects proposed by talented early-career researchers who have demonstrated scientific independence and have the potential to become research leaders.

The ERC Starting Grant is open to frontier research proposals in all scientific fields without predefined thematic priorities.

📅 Call Timeline

• Call opening date: 22 July 2026
• Application deadline: 14 October 2026, 17:00
• Invitation to interviews: February-March 2027
• Notification of Step 1 results for non-retained applicants: April-May 2027
• Step 2 interviews: Late May-mid-June 2027
• Notification of Step 2 results: August 2027

The evaluation schedule is indicative and may be updated by the ERC.

✅ Eligibility

Researchers of any nationality may apply, provided that the proposed project will be hosted by an institution established in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country.

Researchers who successfully defended their PhD between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2026 are eligible to apply for the ERC-2027-StG call. This corresponds to the 0–10-year eligibility window preceding the reference date of 1 January 2027.

The eligibility period may be extended for duly documented circumstances accepted under ERC rules, including parental leave, compulsory military service, long-term illness and clinical training.

Under the ERC 2027 Work Programme, the eligibility periods for Starting Grant and Consolidator Grant partially overlap. Researchers who are eligible for both schemes may submit a proposal to only one of the Starting Grant or Consolidator Grant calls under the 2027 Work Programme. Applicants are advised to select the scheme that best corresponds to the maturity of their research idea and their academic track record.

The Principal Investigator must:

• Dedicate at least 50% of their working time to the ERC project,
• Spend at least 50% of their working time in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country.

The Principal Investigator does not need to be employed by the Host Institution at the time of submission. However, a mutual agreement and institutional commitment must be in place if the proposal is selected for funding.

📂 Funding Scope and Duration

The call supports frontier research projects led by a single Principal Investigator, evaluated on the basis of scientific excellence and implemented for a maximum duration of five years.

Proposals may be submitted in any field of research. The Principal Investigator may establish a research team comprising researchers from different countries and at different career stages.

The project must be hosted by a university, research organisation, public institution or eligible private legal entity established in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country, including Türkiye.

💶 Funding Amount and Budget

• Total call budget: €594 million
• Estimated number of grants: Approximately 373
• Standard grant amount: Up to €1.5 million for a five-year project
• Additional funding: Up to €1 million for duly justified additional costs
• Additional funding for researchers relocating from outside Europe: Up to €2 million
• Maximum total funding: Up to €3.5 million in eligible relocation cases
• Funding rate: 100% of eligible direct costs, plus a 25% contribution towards eligible indirect costs

Additional funding may be requested for major equipment, access to large research facilities, major experimental or fieldwork costs and start-up costs associated with relocating to an EU Member State or Associated Country.

Researchers currently based outside the EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries who plan to relocate to an eligible country, such as Türkiye, to conduct their ERC project may request up to €2 million in additional funding for start-up activities, including establishing a laboratory and building a research team.

📝 Application Process

Applications must be submitted electronically by the Principal Investigator on behalf of the Host Institution through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

The application includes administrative forms, the scientific proposal, the Principal Investigator’s curriculum vitae and track record, information on resources and the Host Institution’s support letter.

Proposals are evaluated in two steps. At Step 1, the core scientific approach of the proposal and the Principal Investigator’s scientific profile are assessed. At Step 2, the full proposal is evaluated, and shortlisted Principal Investigators are invited to an interview with the evaluation panel. Scientific excellence is the sole evaluation criterion.

Researchers planning to apply from Türkiye may benefit from the TÜBİTAK ERC Principal Investigator Development Programme (EBAG), which provides:

• Proposal writing and presentation training,
• Proposal pre-evaluation support from expert individuals or organisations,
• Interview training for applicants invited to the second evaluation step.

General applications to the EBAG Programme are accepted no later than 45 days before the ERC call deadline. Since applications are evaluated on a rolling basis, researchers are advised to apply early.

📌 Important Links

• Official ERC-2027-StG Call and Application Page
• ERC Starting Grant 2027 Call is Now Open Announcement - Horizon Europe Türkiye
• ERC Starting Grant - Horizon Europe Türkiye
• ERC Starting Grant Programme Page

✉️ Researchers preparing an application may contact the Project Office team at projectoffice@bogazici.edu.tr for feedback and guidance on their project proposals.