The ERC Plus Grant Call aims to support outstanding researchers from Europe and around the world in pursuing bold ideas and transformative research visions that go beyond the scope of existing ERC funding schemes.
Developed under the "Choose Europe" initiative announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the programme is planned to be launched as a pilot scheme within the ERC Work Programmes 2026 and 2027. A total budget of €210 million has been allocated for the first call, with approximately 30 projects expected to be funded. Given the limited number of grants available, the ERC Plus Grant is expected to be even more competitive than the existing ERC calls.
Researchers at all career stages and from all scientific disciplines will be eligible to apply, provided that they have demonstrated outstanding scientific achievements at the forefront of their fields. Applicants' intellectual leadership will be assessed in a manner appropriate to their career stage. Each researcher will be eligible to hold only one ERC Plus Grant during their lifetime.
Projects funded under the ERC Plus Grant are expected to have a duration of between 4 and 7 years, with funding of up to €7 million per project.
Contact and Support:
For your questions regarding the call, to receive support in preparing your proposal and to discuss the relevance of your project idea please contact us, the ERC National Contact Points at TÜBİTAK, via ncperc@tubitak.gov.tr.
Information Regarding the Open ERC-2026-Plus Call
The ERC-2026-PLUS call was launched on 2 June 2026 and is expected to close on 2 September 2026. A total budget of €210 million has been allocated for the first call, with approximately 30 projects expected to be funded.
Official Call Page
Important documents for the call:
Information for Applicants to the Plus Grants 2026 Call
Standard Application form (HE ERC PLUS) (pdf) (Application forms in .rtf format can be accessed through the Submission System)
ERC Historical Data on Personnel Costs for Lump Sum Evaluations
ERC Guide for Peer Reviewers (PLUS) (Not available yet)
ERC Rules of Submission and Evaluation
Multi & Mono Grant Agreement for Lump Sum Grants
Note 1:The ERC Scientific Council decided to the use of lump sum funding as a pilot for Advanced Grant calls. A new frequently asked questions page is available on ERC website. Also a webinar organized by the ERC can be watched in YouTube and the presentation of the webinar can be downloaded here. There has been no change in the funding model of other calls.
Note 2:The events organized in relation to the call are listed below:
Webinar on the new ERC Plus Grants
📅 28 November 2025 – organised online by ERCEA.
Details
Second Webinar on the ERC Plus Grants
📅 2 June 2026 – organised online by ERCEA.
Details
