Apr 21, 2026

ERC tightens resubmission rules for 2027 calls

The European Research Council (ERC) has announced stricter resubmission restrictions for its upcoming 2027 calls, aimed at reducing pressure on the peer review system amid a rapidly growing number of applications.

The restrictions are broadest for the three main grant schemes (Starting, Consolidator, and Advanced Grants):

Applicants who received a C score at Step 1 in those calls in 2024, 2025, or 2026, or a B score at Step 1 in 2025 or 2026, cannot apply to any 2027 ERC main grant call — including Synergy and ERC Plus.
Advanced Grant 2026 applicants are additionally barred from applying to Synergy Grant 2027, regardless of their result.

Furthermore, the following rules are envisaged:

Under the 2027 Work Programme, applicants who received a C score at Step 1 in the 2024, 2025, or 2026 Synergy Grant calls, or a B score at Step 1 in the 2025 or 2026 Synergy Grant calls, will not be eligible to apply to Synergy Grant 2027.
Similarly, applicants who did not pass Step 1 of the 2026 ERC Plus Grant competition are barred from applying to ERC Plus Grant 2027.

More broadly, applicants will be limited to submitting only one proposal under the entire 2027 Work Programme, and may only submit a second proposal if their first was declared ineligible.

Also, researchers will not be allowed to hold more than one Starting or Consolidator Grant during their careers.

The ERC notes that this information is preliminary and subject to the formal adoption of the 2027 Work Programme but it is also possible that similar restriction may be imposed in following calls.

Links to the relevant ERC news:

Contact at EPC: