ERC Plus Grant
Grants for leading researchers
The ERC Plus Grant supports outstanding principal investigators who address major scientific challenges. Applications for ERC Plus Grants should be for projects that could not be carried out with a regular ERC grant. Applicants should explain how the proposed project goes beyond the scope of a regular ERC project, for example because it aims to transform the field or open new avenues of research. Scholars at all career stages can apply for an ERC Plus Grant if they have an outstanding record of scientific achievement at the forefront of their field.
Grants of up to €7 million are awarded for a period of 4 to 7 years.
A researcher will be allowed to hold only one ERC Plus Grant in their lifetime.
Applicants should be aware that every year, only some 30 ERC Plus Grants can be awarded across all fields and all career stages, compared to approximately 1 000 Starting, Consolidator and Advanced Grants.
Next deadline: 9 September 2026
The ERC Plus Grant 2026 call will open on June 2, 2026.
Information event
UZH will organize an event together with ETH Zurich to provide information about the new ERC funding instrument and the application processes at each host institution.
Further information about the event will follow.
Written confirmation from the research institution and budgeting
To submit an application, you need a written confirmation from the research institution.
At UZH, you will receive the confirmation letter via the approval process in AVA, the UZH third-party funding platform.
On AVA you will also find help with budgeting your project.
Please contact the responsible persons at the institute, seminar or clinic at an early stage to discuss aspects of the scientific connection as well as the available resources (premises, infrastructure, etc.).
You can register on AVA with your UZH login (short name and password).
If you do not (yet) have a UZH login, an administrative employee of the host institution can enter the project data in AVA on your behalf and then send you the confirmation letter.
Alternatively, a guest UZH login can be requested via the institute's IT manager.
Once the approval process has been completed, you can download the confirmation letter as a PDF.