ERC Starting grant:

The European Commission has published the next call of Starting Grants from the European Research Council (ERC-2019-STG).

Aim: ERC Starting Grants are designed to support excellent Principal Investigators, in any field of research, at the stage at which they are starting their own independent research team or programme. 

Eligibility: The ERC actions are open to researchers of any nationality who intend to establish and conduct their research activity in any EU Member State or Associated Country. The PI may be of any age and nationality and may reside in any country in the world at the time of the application.

The Principal Investigator shall have been awarded their first PhD at least 2 and up to 7 years prior to 1 January 2019. The effective elapsed time since the award of the first PhD can be reduced in certain properly documented circumstances.

A competitive Starting Grant Principal Investigator must have already shown the potential for research independence and evidence of maturity, for example by having produced at least one important publication without the participation of their PhD supervisor. Applicant Principal Investigators should also be able to demonstrate a promising track record of early achievements appropriate to their research field and career stage, including significant publications (as main author) in major international peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journals, or in the leading international peer-reviewed journals of their respective field. They may also demonstrate a record of invited presentations in well-established international conferences, granted patents, awards, prizes etc.

Principal Investigators funded through the ERC Starting Grants will be expected to spend a minimum 50% of their total working time on the ERC project and a minimum of 50% of their total working time in an EU Member State or Associated Country.

Funding: Starting Grants can be up to a maximum of EUR 1 500 000 for a period of 5 years (The maximum award is reduced pro rata temporis for projects of a shorter duration).

Up to an additional EUR 500 000 can be requested in the proposal to cover:

- Eligible "start-up" costs for Principal Investigators moving to the EU or an Associated Country from elsewhere as a consequence of receiving the ERC grant

- The purchase of major equipment and/or

- Access to large facilities

Deadline:

- VHIR's deadline to submit proposals: October 10, 2018

- Official deadline to submit proposals: October 17, 2018

Further information:  ERC-2019-STG - https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/erc-2019-stg.html