European Commission adopts ERC Work Programme 2027

The European Commission has adopted the European Research Council (ERC) Work Programme 2027, established by the ERC Scientific Council.

The Commission adopted the changes on 20/07/2026, relating mainly to eligibility, which the ERC had already announced in April to allow researchers time to adapt.

Before the 2027 Work Programme, researchers were eligible for an ERC Starting Grant between two and seven years after obtaining their first PhD, while Consolidator Grants were reserved for those seven to twelve years post-PhD. From 2027, Starting Grants will be open to researchers up to ten years after their PhD and Consolidator Grants to those between five and fifteen years after their PhD.

However, researchers who have previously held a Starting or Consolidator Grant cannot apply for the same…