ERC runner-up-projects

The European Research Council (ERC) aims at supporting high quality frontier research in Europe through an open competition between the very best, creative researchers.

Being aware of the high number of excellent proposals ERC receives that remain unfunded due to budgetary constraints, FWO provides alternative funding to the five best of the unsuccessful ERC Starting and Consolidator Grant applicants, with the aim to strengthen the next ERC application.

• Invitations are expected to be sent beginning of October 2026 (Starting Grant runner-up project) and end of January 2027 (Consolidator Grant runner-up project)

• Submission deadline for the application for Starting Grant runner-up project: Tuesday 5 January 2027 at 5 p.m.

• Submission deadline for the application for Consolidator Grant runner-up project: Friday 19 March 2027 at 5 p.

• Indicative announcement of results: after 4 February 2027 (Starting Grant runner-up project) or after 13 May 2027 (Consolidator Grant runner-up project)

• Indicative start of project: 1 March 2027 (Starting Grant runner-up project) or 1 July 2027 (Consolidator Grant runner-up project)

• Duration of the project: 4 years, minimum 2 years, not renewable
• Only one application for a runner-up project can be granted per type of ERC Grant (either Starting Grant or Consolidator Grant)
• Staff and consumables:
  • Starting Grant runner-up project: This budget must be allocated to the remuneration of minimum 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) scientific staff member for 4 year and the balance to be spent on consumables and/or equipment. (€ 77,000 in total per year)
  • Consolidator Grant runner-up project: this budget must be allocated to the remuneration of minimum 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) scientific staff member for 4 years and the balance to be spent on consumables and/or equipment. (€ 100,000 in total per year)

• For an ERC runner-up project only candidates are eligible who have applied for an ERC Starting Grant or ERC Consolidator Grant with a main host institution as defined in article 7 §2 of the regulations governing fundamental research projects or in affiliation with the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology (VIB), and the application must have received an ‘A’ score in step 2 of the ERC evaluation procedure of the 2026 call, but has been denied funding by the ERC due to budgetary constraints. I.e. it is not possible to change the host institution that was included in the ERC application. Example: a submitted ERC application with for example host institution Trinity College Dublin is not eligible to apply for the ERC runner-up project.

• The ERC Starting Grant or Consolidator Grant application has to be submitted with a Flemish main host institution that is eligible for the FWO, as referred to in article 7 §2 of the regulations governing fundamental research projects. For ERC applications with VIB affiliation, the runner-up project application must be submitted with one of the main host institutions as defined in article 7 §2 of these regulations, with which the project will also be affiliated if it is awarded.

• The research will be carried out at an eligible Flemish main host institution referred to in article 7 §2.

• Applicants shall, no later than at the start of the ERC runner-up project and throughout the duration of the runner-up project, hold at least one of the appointments or research fellowships mentioned in article 10 §1-3 of the regulations.

• You agree with the Research Integrity Clause

• ERC runner-up project supervisor-spokesperson must submit an interim and final report on their scientific activities during the ERC runner-up project to the FWO. The Cross-Domain Panel (CDP) assesses the reports.

• The ERC Executive Agency (ERCEA) notifies all applicants to the ERC call of the final evaluation results.

• After notification of the ERCEA the FWO invites the candidates (expected beginning of October 2026 for Starting Grant and end of January 2027 for Consolidator Grant) to submit an application for an FWO runner-up project by e-mail on ncp_fwo@fwo.be. If the candidate declines the offer, the next candidate in the pool of step 2 not funded A candidates according to ranking range, determined according to the ERCEA evaluation procedure, will be invited.

• If the candidates do not yet have an FWO e-portal account yet, they must register in the e-portal. The processing of the registration can take up to 48 hours.

• The FWO-application must include:

  1. full ERC-Starting or Consolidator Grant proposal that was submitted for the ERC call i.e. a complete PDF file generated by the submission system including the electronic acknowledgement of receipt digitally sealed by the European Commission),

  2. the letter from the ERCEA with the final decision on the application

  3. the ERCEA Evaluation Summary Report,

  4. the application form with a description (maximum 3 pages) of the research that you wish to carry out with the FWO funding. The FWO application form is similar to the application form for FWO junior and senior research project fundamental research.

• The board of trustees of February 2027 (Starting Grant runner-up project) and of May 2027 (Consolidator Grant runner-up project) assesses the submitted applications and decides on the award.

• The final outcome of the (European) evaluation process for the ERC Starting and Consolidator Grant is followed, so the FWO does not conduct anymore an internal and external peer review.

• The results will be announced via email to the candidates (5 February 2027 (Starting Grant runner-up project) and 14 May 2027 (Consolidator Grant runner-up project) and on the FWO website via the results page (expected by the end of the relevant month).

For questions about the application form or procedure: ncp_fwo@fwo.be and +32 2 550 15 76.

For technical (IT) problems regarding e-portal and application modules send an email to the IT helpdesk: FWOhelpdesk@fwo.be.