ERC SYNERGY GRANTS

The ERC Synergy Grant 2026 (ERC-2026-SyG) is a funding program under Horizon Europe, aimed at supporting collaborative research efforts by groups of two to four Principal Investigators (PIs). These groups tackle ambitious scientific challenges that cannot be addressed by individual researchers alone. The grant has a substantial funding limit of up to €10 million for a duration of six years, with an option for an additional €4 million to cover specific costs related to equipment or other major expenses. The application process is single-stage, with a deadline set for November 5, 2025, and entails a rigorous three-step evaluation emphasizing scientific excellence.

Eligible applicants include Principal Investigators of any career stage who can form a Synergy Grant Group. These PIs must be associated with host institutions that are established in EU Member States or Associated Countries. However, one PI per group may be hosted outside these regions. The research can cover any field, focusing on groundbreaking and transformative projects that foster interdisciplinary collaboration.

While there's no specific co-funding requirement, the grant covers up to 100% of eligible costs. The expected maturity of projects is at the research stage, as they aim for significant advancements in knowledge and methodology. The evaluation process comprises three steps: initial review of submitted materials, assessment of full proposals, and interviews with the most promising applicants. Though specific success rates for these grants are not publicly disclosed, they are known to be highly competitive.

In summary, the ERC Synergy Grant 2026 offers a unique opportunity for collaborative scientific research, providing substantial funding for innovative projects and requiring strategic cooperation among researchers from diverse fields. The emphasis on scientific excellence and the encouragement of open science principles underscore the potential impact of the funded research on global scientific progress.

The ERC Synergy Grant 2026 call (ERC-2026-SyG) under the Horizon Europe program aims to support small groups of two to four Principal Investigators (PIs) to collaboratively tackle ambitious research problems that they couldn't address individually. These synergy projects should lead to significant breakthroughs in knowledge, potentially through cross-disciplinary collaboration, new research avenues, or innovative methods. The goal is to fund transformative research that sets a global benchmark.

The call is a single-stage application process, with the submission session opening on July 10, 2025, and a deadline of November 5, 2025, at 17:00 Brussels time. The total budget for this call is 500,000,000 EUR, with an indicative number of 49 grants to be awarded.

Eligible PIs can be of any age and nationality and may reside in any country at the time of application. The Synergy Grant Group must consist of two to four innovative and active PIs, along with their teams. There are no specific academic training requirements for PIs. However, each PI must present a CV and track record using a provided template. PIs must commit at least 30% of their working time to the ERC project and at least 50% of their working time within the EU or Associated Countries, with an exception for one PI per group hosted outside these regions. The ERC expects the Synergy Grant Group composition to remain stable throughout the project.

Eligible host institutions, up to four, must engage and host the PIs for the project's duration. These institutions must be established in an EU Member State or Associated Country, or be an international European research organization. Any legal entity, public or private, including universities, research organizations, and undertakings, can serve as a host institution. One host institution, excluding the corresponding host institution, can be outside the EU or Associated Countries at any time. Additional team members can be hosted by other legal entities, even outside the EU or Associated Countries, if they bring scientific added value or their participation is essential.

Synergy Grants can award up to EUR 10,000,000 for a period of 6 years, reduced proportionally for shorter projects. An additional EUR 4,000,000 can be requested to cover start-up costs for PIs moving to the EU or Associated Countries, major equipment purchases, access to large facilities, or other significant experimental and field work costs (excluding personnel). This additional funding is not subject to pro rata temporis reduction.

A complete proposal includes administrative forms (including an Ethics Review Table), a Research Proposal (Parts I and II), host institution(s) binding statement(s) of support, and an ethics review self-assessment (if applicable). Part I of the Research Proposal has a maximum of 5 pages, while Part II has a maximum of 10 pages. The Resources and Time commitment section in Part II, including the budget table, has no page limit.

The evaluation process involves a three-step evaluation, including PI interviews, conducted by dedicated panels assisted by remote experts. The Corresponding PI can request the exclusion of up to four specific individuals from evaluating their proposal. Scientific excellence is the sole evaluation criterion, focusing on the ground-breaking nature and ambition of the research project, as well as the intellectual capacity, creativity, and commitment of the PIs.

The ERC is committed to open science, requiring open access to peer-reviewed publications and supporting open access to research data. Beneficiaries must retain sufficient intellectual property rights to comply with open access requirements and adhere to research data management provisions.

Applicants can find further information and assistance through the ERC Synergy Grant Applicants' Mailbox, the ERC website's FAQ section, ERC National Contact Points, the Online Manual, the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, the Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points, the IT Helpdesk, the European IPR Helpdesk, and the CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesks. Partner Search Services are also available.

In summary, this ERC Synergy Grant call provides substantial funding for collaborative research projects led by outstanding Principal Investigators. It emphasizes scientific excellence, transformative research, and the synergy of expertise to address complex research questions. The call encourages interdisciplinary approaches and aims to support projects that have the potential to become global benchmarks. The application process is rigorous, involving a three-step evaluation, and requires a well-structured proposal with detailed information on the research project, the PIs, and the host institutions. The ERC's commitment to open science ensures that the research outcomes will be widely accessible and contribute to further scientific advancement.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicants are groups of two to four Principal Investigators, with their teams, who can demonstrate competitive track records. The host institutions, which can be any type of legal entity, public or private, including universities, research organizations, and undertakings, must engage and host the Principal Investigators.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically an ERC Synergy Grant.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium of multiple applicants is required. The 'Synergy Grant Group' must be made up of a minimum of two and a maximum of four Principal Investigators.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The host institution must be established in an EU Member State or Associated Country. However, team members and one of the Principal Investigators in a Synergy Grant Group may be based outside of the EU or an Associated Country. Principal Investigators may reside in any country in the world at the time of application.

Target Sector: This program targets frontier research across all fields. It aims to support ambitious research problems that require the cross-fertilization of scientific fields, new lines of enquiry, or unconventional approaches. The program supports transformative research with the potential to become a benchmark on a global scale.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions the European Union (EU) and Associated Countries. It also refers to "third-countries" in the context of National Contact Points.

Project Stage: The project stage is for ambitious research problems that require synergy, cross-fertilization of scientific fields, new productive lines of enquiry, or new methods and techniques, including unconventional approaches and investigations at the interface between established disciplines. The research is expected to be transformative and potentially become a global benchmark.

Funding Amount: The funding amount is up to EUR 10,000,000 for a period of 6 years, with an additional EUR 4,000,000 possible to cover specific costs like start-up costs, major equipment, access to large facilities, and experimental/field work.

Application Type: The application type is an open call.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages: The application process involves a three-step evaluation, including interviews of all the Principal Investigators.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the evaluation process includes budgetary cut-off levels at each step, suggesting a competitive selection process.

Co-funding Requirement: The document does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

The ERC Synergy Grant is a funding opportunity under the Horizon Europe program designed to support small groups of two to four Principal Investigators and their teams in addressing ambitious research problems that necessitate a synergistic approach. The grant aims to foster transformative research that can advance knowledge across scientific fields and potentially set global benchmarks. The funding can reach up to EUR 10 million for 6 years, with an additional EUR 4 million available for specific eligible costs.

To be eligible, the Synergy Grant Group must consist of a minimum of two and a maximum of four Principal Investigators with competitive track records. While the Principal Investigators can be of any age and nationality and may reside in any country, the host institution must be established in an EU Member State or Associated Country. The evaluation process involves a three-step review, including interviews, with scientific excellence as the primary criterion. The call emphasizes open science principles, requiring beneficiaries to ensure open access to research publications and data. The application process is a single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders opportunities Portal, with a deadline of November 5, 2025. This grant is an excellent opportunity for established researchers to collaborate on high-impact, interdisciplinary projects that have the potential to significantly advance their respective fields.