The European Research Council (ERC) is allocating a total of 705 million euros this year for 421 starting grants. But these grants for early-career researchers are highly sought after: a record 4,807 applications were submitted, nearly 1,000 more than last year.

With 33 grants, the Netherlands ranks fifth. Germany leads the list with 89 grants, followed by the United Kingdom (47 grants), France (38) and Switzerland (36). Among Dutch universities, researchers from TU Delft secured the most, with five grants.

At TU/e, two researchers will receive a starting grant: Sara Chiarrusso (Mathematics & Computer Science) and Julius Huijts (Applied Physics).

Success rate

The success rate of the grants this year is below 8.8 percent. That is a record low in the nearly 20-year history of the starting grants, which were launched in 2007. The ERC says the success rate was only lower in the very first round. In 2025, the success rate was 12.2 percent. There was also slightly more funding available that year.

It appears to have been a miscalculation. The ERC distributes its budget among the different grants and aims for roughly the same success rates. This time, there were suddenly quite a lot of applicants. The ERC says in a response that additional funding may be made available afterward, but it is not yet certain.

United States 

Competition for the European grants remains fierce. This year, there were also many applications from researchers based outside Europe. The ERC made additional funding available to attract top international talent. This budget was increased after President Donald Trump launched an attack on academic freedom in the United States.

Twenty-one researchers currently working outside Europe will receive a starting grant, including 20 from the United States. The funding will allow them to establish a research team at a European research institution.

The starting grants are intended for researchers who have recently earned their PhDs. The ERC also awards ‘consolidator grants’ to more experienced scientists (2 million euros) and ‘advanced grants’ to leading researchers (up to 2.5 million euros).

This article was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor.