Horizon Europe Synergy Grants (HORIZON-ERC-2026-SYG)

Eligibility

ERC Synergy Grants

The conditions specific to ERC grants are described in the ERC Work Programme 2026 under the heading 'Admissibility, Eligibility, Resubmission Restrictions ' and in the ERC Rules of Submission and evaluation under Horizon Europe -  An overview is provided below: 

Eligible Scientific Field: Applications in any field of science are eligible for ERC funding and the ERC welcomes research proposals of an interdisciplinary nature. Nevertheless, research proposals within the scope of Annex I to the Euratom Treaty, namely, those directed towards nuclear energy applications, must be submitted to relevant calls under the Euratom Research & Training Programme.

Admissible and eligible proposals: All proposals must be complete and submitted by eligible Principal Investigators before the relevant call deadline. A complete proposal needs to include all parts or sections (further details below under 'Proposals page limits and layout' and in the ERC Work Programme 2026 section 'Proposal submission and description'). Incomplete proposals may be declared inadmissible. The content of the proposal must relate to the objectives and to the grant type set out in the call, as defined in the ERC Work Programme 2026. If a proposal is considered not to relate to the objectives of the grant and/or call for proposals, it will be declared ineligible. 

Eligible Principal Investigators: Principal Investigators may be of any age and nationality and may reside in any country in the world at the time of the application. A Synergy Grant Group must be composed of a minimum of two and a maximum of four innovative and active Principal Investigators and, as necessary, their teams. 

No specific eligibility criteria regarding the academic training are required for PIs applying for ERC Synergy Grants. Each PI has to present their profile, consisting of a CV and track record, using a single template available for all career stages. The PIs are requested to use the template in part I available for download from the submission system. 

Principal Investigators funded through an ERC Synergy grant shall spend a minimum of 30% of their working time on the ERC project and a minimum of 50% of their working time in the European Union or Associated Country except for a Principal Investigator hosted or engaged by an Institution outside the European Union or Associated Country (see Annex 3 of the ERC Work Programme 2026).

The ERC expects the composition of a Synergy Grant Group to remain unchanged throughout the lifetime of the grant. If a Principal Investigator leaves a Synergy Grant Group, the grant may be continued only exceptionally, contingent on scientific evaluation and provided that all eligibility criteria will continue to be met.

Restrictions on submission of proposals: The restrictions on submissions are related to the outcome of the evaluation in previous calls and are designed to maintain the quality and integrity of ERC’s evaluation process. For further details please consult the section 'Restrictions on submissions of proposals' of the ERC Work Programme 2026 or the Frequently Asked Questions (ERC - FAQs).

Eligible host institution: The host institution(s) (Applicant Legal Entity/ies) – up to four host institutions – must engage and host the Principal Investigators for at least the duration of the project, as defined in the grant agreement. It must either be established in the European Union or an Associated Country (see Annex 3 of the ERC Work Programme 2026) as a legal entity created under national law, or it may be an international European research organisation (such as CERN, EMBL, etc.), or any other entity created under EU law. Any type of legal entity, public or private, including universities, research organisations and undertakings can host Principal Investigators and their teams. One of these host institutions, with the exception the corresponding host institution, at any one time, may be a legal entity established outside the European Union or Associated Countries or an international organisation.

Summary

The aim of the Synergy Grant is to support a small group (hereafter, the Synergy Grant Group) of two to four innovative and active Principal Investigators jointly addressing ambitious research problems that cannot be tackled by any single Principal Investigator and their team alone. Principal Investigators of any professional seniority, and with a competitive track record matching their career stage can apply. One of the Principal Investigators (except the Corresponding Principal Investigator) of the Synergy Grant Group may be hosted and engaged by an institution outside of the EU or an Associated Country.

Restrictions on Applications

Given the large number of applications received every year, and the need to uphold the quality and integrity of the evaluation process at the ERC, the following restrictions apply to calls under the ERC Work Programme 2026:

▪ A researcher may participate as a Principal Investigator in only one ERC main frontier research grant at any given time

▪ An applicant, whose proposal has been selected for funding and who is preparing a Grant Agreement under a call of the ERC Work Programme 2024 or 2025, may not apply for a Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, or Synergy Grant under a call of the ERC Work Programme 2026

 ▪ A researcher participating as a Principal Investigator in one of the ERC main frontier research grants may not submit another proposal for an ERC main frontier research grant, unless the existing project ends in less than two years following the call deadline

▪ A Principal Investigator who is a serving Panel Member for an ERC call under the Work Programme 2026 or who has served as a Panel Member for an ERC call under Work Programme 2024 may not apply to a call for the same type of main frontier research grant under the ERC Work Programme 2026

▪ An applicant may submit proposals to different ERC main frontier research grant calls published under the same Work Programme, but only the first eligible proposal will be evaluated

Overhead

25% overhead is applicable

Application deadlines

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

2021-2027 Horizon Europe Programme Guide