Following the announcement on 7 September 2023, UKRO in their role as UK National Contact Point (NCP) for European Research Councill (ERC) has received some questions from those interested in ERC funding.
This article attempts to address the most common questions submitted to date to the ERC NCP helpdesk. Additional guidance can also be found in the Horizon Europe and Copernicus programmes: 2023 UK-EU agreement explainer.
What does the announcement mean for ERC?
The announcement confirmed the UK’s association to the Horizon Europe and Copernicus programmes and means that successful UK applicants to Horizon will be covered through the UK’s association (or through the existing UK funding Guarantee for grant calls) for the rest of the programme.
UK organisations will be able to participate in Horizon Europe calls for proposals on the same terms as institutions from many other associated countries, including leading consortia and receiving EU funding, from the 2024 Work Programme and onwards. The UK government’s Horizon Europe Guarantee has been extended to cover all remaining Horizon Europe grant calls that are funded under Work Programme 2023, irrespective of the call closing or grant signature date.
This means that:
- All ERC 2024 Work Programme calls will be covered by the UK’s association, with applicants receiving their funding directly from the European Commission, regardless of the closing date.
- All ERC 2023 Work Programme calls will continue to be covered by the Guarantee.
Further information can be found on the UKRO website and in the dedicated factsheet.
I was awarded an ERC grant under the 2021, 2022 or 2023 calls and am being funded by the Guarantee. Can I now request and receive funding from the ERC for this project?
Existing Guarantee projects will continue to be funded through the Guarantee for the remainder of their lifetime. Principle Investigators cannot retrospectively apply for ERC funding for a live Guarantee-funded project
Awarded projects that start after 1 January 2024
ERC projects that were deemed successful in 2021, 2022 and 2023 call years will receive funding through the Guarantee even if they start after 1 January 2024.
If I am currently funded by UKRI, can I apply to a 2024 ERC grant?
Principle Investigators currently funded by the Guarantee can apply to undertake an additional, new project through a 2024 ERC call.
Applicants will need to be mindful of the time commitment requirements for the ERC grant they are interested in applying to.
If I am funded by the Guarantee, can I apply for a Proof of Concept (PoC) grant in the future?
Principle Investigators funded under the Guarantee cannot apply for a PoC based on the results of their Guarantee-funded project.
2024 Starter Grant, Consolidator grant, Advanced Grant, and Synergy Grant calls
The UK can fully participate in all open and forthcoming calls in the ERC Work Programme 2024, regardless of the call deadline, provided they meet the eligibility conditions.
| Call | Call Opens | Deadline |
| ERC-2024-StG | 11 July 2023 | 24 October 2023 |
| ERC-2024-CoG | 12 September 2023 | 12 December 2023 |
| ERC-2024-AdG | 29 May 2024 | 29 August 2024 |
| ERC-2024-SyG | 12 July 2023 | 8 November 2023 |
| ERC-2024-PoC | 16 November 2023 | 14 March 2024 & 17 September 2024 |
| ERC-2024-PERA | 14 November 2023 | 21 February 2024 |
For the 2024 calls:
- UK-based institutions can host ERC applicants/awardees.
- UK-based Principle Investigators can apply for and hold an ERC grant.
- Time spent in the UK will count towards the ERC requirement of time spent in an EU Member State or Associated Country.
- For ERC Synergy Grants, UK Principle Investigators will not be considered a ‘Third Country PI’.
- UK-based institutions and Principle Investigators can receive funding from the ERC for the lifetime of the project.
Horizon Europe Guarantee and ERC
The Horizon Europe Guarantee follows the rules and spirit of ERC. Further guidance, including the terms and conditions and requested documentation, can be found on the UKRI website.
Where can I go for help?
If you have questions related to ERC calls, funding rules, implementation issues etc. please contact erc-uk@ukro.ac.uk.
If you have any question regarding the implementation of the guarantee, or the guarantee in general, please contact eugrantsfunding@ukri.org.