European Research Council (AHSS)

The ERC’s mission is to encourage the highest quality research in Europe through competitive funding and to support investigator-driven frontier research across all fields, on the basis of scientific excellence.

Being ‘investigator-driven’, or ‘bottom-up’, in nature, the ERC approach allows researchers to identify new opportunities and directions in any field of research, rather than being led by priorities set by politicians.

ERC grants support projects carried out by an individual researcher who can employ researchers of any nationality as team members. It is also possible to have one or more team members located in a non-European country.

Indicative summary of calls – 2021 Deadlines

Starting Grant Consolidator Grant Advanced Grant
Call identifier ERC-2023-StGERC-2023-CoGERC-2023-AdG
Call opens 12/07/202228/09/202208/12/2022
Call deadline 25/10/202202/02/202323/05/2023

Proof of Concept

The ERC Proof of Concept is a top-up grant for existing ERC awardees (€150K), meant to explore the commercial or societal potential of their project.

This opportunity is open to ERC PI from all panels and disciplines.

In the video below, Professor Anna Davies talks about this opportunity in relation to SSH and Social innovation.

The 2023 dates are included in the table below.

Cut off datesEligibilityLaunch Remote Evaluation Remote EvaluationExpected feedback to applicants
24 January 2023February 20232 February 2023March 202321 April 2023
20 April 2023May 2023end April-
beginning May 2023
May 2023end July 2023
21 September 2023end October 2023end September-
beginning October 2023
October 2023end December 2023

Useful links

Dr Chiara Loda is the European Research Council National Contact Point (SSH) based at the Irish Universities Association.

The Irish Research Council holds the national support roles for ERC (SSH). The NCP service is carried out by the IUA under a partnership with the IRC, the national support agency for Horizon Europe Cluster 2 and joint NCP for ERC.

Dr Maria Nash is the ERC National Delegate and ERC National Contact Point (Life Sciences and Physical Sciences & Engineering), based in SFI.