UKRO has received a clarification on how to proceed if awarding institutions are unable to confirm the successful PhD defence date for ERC Starting and Consolidator applicants.
Issue in Question
UKRO understands that some applicants applying for a European Research Council (ERC) Starting and Consolidator grants are unable to provide the necessary proof of the successful defence of their PhD due to institutional document retention policies.
As stated in the 2024 ERC Work Programme, the reference date used to calculate eligibility is the date of the successful defence of the first PhD degree. It is the responsibility of the applicant to demonstrate their eligibility for the call to which they are applying. As part of the application process, they will need to provide documented evidence of the successful defence date and they will need to encode the date in the submission system.
Applicants who undertake their PhD in the UK may be required to make corrections following their viva. Thus, the reference date is the date on which the corrections are accepted, and they are effectively considered to have successfully defended their PhD. Applicants may need to request additional documentation from their awarding institution clarifying the successful defence date.
Clarification
The ERC has clarified that if the awarding institution is unable to provide the necessary information to prove the successful defence date due to their document retention policy, the applicant should provide their PhD certificate and a document from the awarding institution explaining why they cannot confirm the successful defence date.
The applicant should also include any additional information which would allow the ERC to verify the successful defence date and the applicant’s eligibility for the call. For example, the date of submission of the thesis.
Depending on the documentation provided, an Admissibility and Eligibility Review Committee may be convened to discuss the case after the call deadline. Additional documentation may be requested if necessary to assess the applicant’s eligibility for the call.