The European Commission, on 20.07.2026, adopted the European Research Council (ERC) Work Programme 2027, setting out the funding opportunities, grant budgets, competition timetable and application rules for the coming year.  
Established by the ERC Scientific Council and formally adopted by the Commission, the Work Programme introduces a few changes to the ERC's grant schemes and application rules that were announced earlier this year to give researchers time to prepare. 
Among the key changes are broader eligibility windows for Starting and Consolidator Grants, as well as limits on the number of proposals researchers may submit under a single work programme. The changes aim to reflect increasingly diverse research careers while helping to maintain a fair and efficient evaluation process.  
The first competition under the new Work Programme will be the ERC Starting Grant 2027 call, which opens on 22 July 2026. It will be followed by the other ERC grant competitions: Consolidator Grant, Synergy Grant, Advanced Grant as well as the ERC Plus Grant.  

More info
ERC Work Programme 2027
Applying for an ERC grant in the 2027 competitions: what you need to know
ERC Scientific Council readjusts rules for reapplication