The European Research Council (ERC) will soon launch its 2027 Consolidator Grant competition, one of Europe’s most prestigious and generous research funding schemes for mid-career scientists and scholars. This grant supports ambitious, investigator-driven research projects across all disciplines and is open to researchers worldwide who are based in, or willing to relocate to, an EU Member State or Horizon Europe–associated country. This guide covers ERC Consolidator Grant in full — funding, eligibility, deadlines and how to apply.
Key Details
- Grant Amount: Up to €2 million over 5 years; up to an additional €1 million for specific eligible costs (e.g., major equipment, large facilities)
- Eligibility: Principal Investigators who defended their PhD between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2021 (5–15 years post-PhD at the time of the call deadline)
- Important: Applicants may not hold a Starting or Consolidator Grant more than once — prior StG/CoG holders are not eligible
- Host Institution: Must be based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe–associated country (or relocating there)
- Open To: Researchers of any nationality worldwide
- Call Opens: September 2026 (expected)
- Submission Deadline: 12 January 2027 (to be confirmed)
- How to Apply: Submit via the ERC Funding and Tenders Portal
The ERC Consolidator Grant is designed for researchers who have shown the potential to become independent research leaders. It is widely regarded as a career-defining award in European academia. Researchers outside Europe are encouraged to consider relocating, as the grant supports non-EU Principal Investigators who move to an eligible institution with additional relocation funding of up to €2 million.
Always verify deadlines and details on the official European Research Council website before applying.
ERC Consolidator Grant: key details
Related scholarships
- [Closed] ERC Starting Grant 2027 – Up to €1.5M for Early-Career Researchers – Call Opens July 2026
- [Closed] Wellcome Career Development Award 2026 – Up to 8 Years Funding for Mid-Career Researchers – Apply by 28 July 2026
- [Closed] Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship 2026 – Fully Funded Research in Germany for Postdoctoral Researchers – Next Call Opens July 15, 2026
- [Closed] Wellcome Career Development Award 2026 – Up to 8 Years of Funding for Mid-Career Researchers – Apply by 28 July 2026
- [Closed] Royal Society University Research Fellowship 2027 – Up to £1.87M for Early-Career Scientists in UK/Ireland – Apply by September 9, 2026
- [Closed] Wellcome Early-Career Award 2026 – Up to £400,000 for Early-Stage Researchers in Health Sciences – Apply by 21 July 2026
- [Closed] Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowship 2026 – €399M Fund Open to All Nationalities – Apply by 9 September 2026
- [Closed] Wellcome Early-Career Awards 2026 – Up to £400,000 for Early-Career Researchers in Health & Biomedicine – Apply by 22 July 2026