European Research Council (ERC) 2026
About this scholarship
The European Research Council funds frontier research in Europe through grants led by outstanding researchers, and these grants often create funded PhD and postdoctoral positions at host institutions.
The European Research Council (ERC) is a major European funder of frontier research. It supports ambitious, investigator-led projects across all academic disciplines through competitive grants such as Starting Grants, Consolidator Grants, Advanced Grants, and Synergy Grants. The ERC is part of the European Union research funding landscape and supports projects hosted by universities and research institutions across Europe and associated countries.
For students and researchers, the ERC is not usually a single central scholarship application in the way a national scholarship scheme operates. Instead, ERC funding is awarded to principal investigators, and those funded projects may then recruit PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and other research staff. The reference postings show ERC-funded opportunities at institutions in countries such as Denmark, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Croatia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic, across subjects ranging from law, political science, education, archaeology, and South Asian studies to physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science, biomedicine, and energy systems.
Funding packages vary by host institution and project. Many ERC-funded positions are fully funded research appointments or doctoral scholarships, and some postings mention salary or stipend support, research budgets, travel support, or access to advanced laboratories and computing infrastructure. Exact benefits, duration, and employment terms depend on the host institution, national regulations, and the specific ERC project.
Eligibility also varies by vacancy. PhD roles commonly require a relevant master's degree or equivalent before starting, while postdoctoral roles generally require a completed PhD and project-specific research skills. English is frequently required, and some projects may ask for additional languages, technical expertise, writing samples, referees, or research proposals.
To apply, candidates should usually search for ERC-funded openings at individual universities or research institutes rather than applying to the ERC directly for a scholarship. Application procedures are handled by the host institution and may involve an online recruitment portal or direct submission of documents to the project team.
Eligibility
Who can apply for this scholarship
Eligibility depends on the specific ERC-funded project and host institution. In the reference postings, PhD applicants typically need a relevant master's degree or equivalent before enrolment or start date. Postdoctoral applicants usually need a completed PhD, often in a closely related discipline, plus research experience aligned with the project topic. Some positions specify limits on years since PhD, mobility conditions, fieldwork ability, or language skills.
Requirements
Documents typically needed to apply
Language requirements
Often strong English proficiency is required; some projects may require additional languages or host-institution language standards
Where you can use this
Open positions accepting European Research Council (ERC).
