Skip to main content
To KTH's start page

ERC-grants and support from the Research Support Office

This page will guide you through the different types of ERC funding you can apply for and also describes the support provided by the Research Support Office (RSO).

The European Research Council, ERC,  provides funding for excellent frontier research in Europe as part of the

EU Horizon Europe programme (2021–2027).  The funded projects are led by excellent researchers, both junior and more experienced ones, who have demonstrated impressive independent thought, creativity, and extraordinary scientific advancements.

An ERC grant is a milestone in your career as a researcher and it opens up all kinds of attractive opportunities:

  • Devoting up to six years to a research topic of your choice.
  • Having the freedom to recruit, fund, and lead an entire research team.
  • Maximizing citations and acknowledgements in scientific publications.
  • And for KTH’s schools, this is a way of recruiting leading international expertise.

What support can you get from RSO when applying for an ERC-grant?

  • General information meetings in connection with the publication of the ERC annual Work Programmes, as well as specific workshops for applicants linked to each particular call.
  • Host institution support letter from KTH, signed by the head of RSO, see more below.
  • Feedback on the application draft.
  • Advisory support on the rules and regulations in connection to the call.
  • Individual training for the interview in step 2 of the evaluation process.

Please get in touch with us as early as possible to get access to the support provided by us.

The types of ERC-grants available are the following ones:

  • Starting Grants StG  for researchers 2 to 7 years after finishing their PhDs, who have shown potential for leading a research group. A project can run for up to five years; the maximum grant is EUR 1.5 million.
  • Consolidator Grants CoG  for researchers 7 to 12 years after their PhDs, who have started their own research groups, and who wish to establish themselves as independent research leaders. A project can run for up to five years; the maximum grant is EUR 2 million.
  • Advanced Grants AdG  for more established senior scientists who have established themselves as international authorities in their fields and who have had substantial research output over the past decade. A project can run for up to five years; the maximum grant is EUR 2.5 million.
  • Synergy Grants SyG  enables two to four principal research applicants at any stage of their careers, along with their teams, to conduct a project that has the potential to become an international benchmark. A project can run for up to six years; the maximum grant is EUR 10 million.
  • Proof of Concept PoC  funding is available for researchers who already have one of the abovementioned grants and who wish to explore the innovative potential of that project. A project is awarded a lump sum of EUR 150.000 and runs for up to 18 months.

How do you apply for ERC-funding?

When you begin registration of your application online, enter the KTH PIC number 999990946, which will automatically generate KTH’s official data.

The KTH/Host Institution support letter

The Commitment of the Host Institution letter required by ERC is prepared and signed by RSO. Here is a step-by-step description of the process:

  1. Contact RSO to inform us of your intention to submit a proposal to the ERC. Do this as early as possible to secure the signature before the deadline.
  2. Contact your school’s financial administrator for assistance with the budget. The KTH template for EU projects should be used.
  3. Inform your Head of Department and discuss the budget and any potential co-funding needs. The Head of Department will confirm funding with your Head of School.
  4. An RSO officer will contact the Head of the School and ask for official approval certifying that the School 
    • Supports your proposal and is ready to hire you for the project's duration if approved.
    • Have sufficient financial and staff resources to carry out and administrate your project.
    • Can meet other obligations set by the the funding body regarding supporting the application and/or administrating the project.

      Please note that the above certification needs to reach RSO at least one week before the deadline to secure an official signature.
  5. A scanned copy of the letter will be sent to you via e-mail when ready, and you will have to upload it as an appendix to your application in the submission system.

For other instructions, please see the ERC-page Apply for a grant .