If you are preparing an ERC Starting Grant, use the current official ERC and Funding & Tenders material as the source of truth for rules, templates, page limits and submission requirements.
Old successful proposals can be useful for understanding how researchers communicate ideas. They should not be used as a substitute for the current template because the proposal structure changed from 2026 onward.
Quick answer: what documents do you need?
For a current Starting Grant application, the main working materials are:
- ERC Work Programme 2027;
- Information for Applicants 2027;
- the call page in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal;
- Part A online administrative forms;
- Part B1 template: Part I of the Scientific Proposal + CV and Track Record;
- Part B2 template: Part II of the Scientific Proposal + Funding ID;
- Host Institution support documentation;
- PhD certificate;
- any documentation required for an eligibility extension;
- ethics or security supporting information where relevant;
- Guide for Peer Reviewers if you want to understand how the proposal will be evaluated.
The official Starting Grant page links directly to the current Work Programme, Information for Applicants, submission/evaluation rules and reviewer guidance.
Official source: ERC Starting Grant
1. ERC Work Programme 2027
The Work Programme is where you verify the formal scheme rules: eligibility windows, funding amounts, call conditions, resubmission restrictions and other programme-level requirements.
Use it when you need to answer questions such as:
- Am I eligible?
- What extensions can apply?
- What is the maximum grant amount?
- What additional funding may be requested?
- Are there restrictions based on a previous ERC result?
Do not rely on a blog post, consultant page or previous-year slide deck for these questions when the current Work Programme is available.
2. Information for Applicants 2027
This is one of the most important working documents for proposal preparation.
It explains the application components, submission requirements, panel information and other practical rules specific to the call.
Before drafting, read it once end to end. Before submission, read it again as a compliance check.
3. Part A - online administrative forms
Part A is completed in the EU submission system.
It includes administrative information and sections covering the proposal, PI, Host Institution, budget/resources, ethics and other required information.
Do not leave Part A until the final hour. The scientific narrative may be in B1 and B2, but inconsistencies between the narrative, resources and online forms create avoidable problems.
The ERC's 2026/2027 guidance clarifies that budget justification belongs in the Resources section of Part A, while Part II may provide additional explanation where needed in the methodology or work plan.
4. Part B1 - Part I + CV and Track Record
The current B1 structure contains:
- Part I of the Scientific Proposal, maximum five pages;
- Curriculum Vitae and Track Record.
Part I is the scientific case evaluated at Step 1 with the CV and Track Record. It should make the originality, major open question, objectives and overall research strategy clear.
Read: ERC Part I / B1 guide ->
Read: ERC CV and Track Record guide ->
5. Part B2 - Part II + Funding ID
For Starting Grants under the current structure, Part II is limited to seven pages.
It provides the detailed project implementation: methodology, work plan, risk assessment and mitigating measures.
The Funding ID is also included in B2 and should list the relevant current and pending funding as required by the template.
Read: ERC Part II / B2 guide ->
6. Host Institution support documentation
The Host Institution must support the application and provide the conditions required for the PI to independently lead the project if funded.
The PI does not need to already be employed by the Host Institution at submission, but the formal institutional commitment is still required.
Read: Do you need a permanent position? ->
Read: ERC Host Institution guide ->
7. PhD and eligibility-extension documentation
Starting Grant eligibility is calculated from the successful PhD defence date under the current rules.
Applicants should ensure the PhD documentation clearly supports the relevant date. If an eligibility extension is claimed, collect the supporting evidence early enough for the Host Institution and applicant to verify it before submission.
Read: ERC Starting Grant eligibility 2027 ->
8. Guide for Peer Reviewers
Applicants often read only the application instructions. The reviewer guide is also valuable because it helps you understand the evaluation context.
It should not be used to reverse-engineer a formula. Use it to check whether your proposal makes the information reviewers need easy to find and evaluate.
Read: How ERC evaluation works ->
9. Official ERC videos worth watching
The ERC currently provides short official videos covering the full applicant journey. They are useful because they explain how ERCEA itself frames the process.
Starting your ERC proposal: What successful applicants do first
Official video: https://youtu.be/9-eybNg1pd4
Use it at the beginning of preparation, then apply the Arvacore blank-page method to structure the scientific idea.
Writing a winning ERC proposal: What makes evaluators say yes
Official video: https://youtu.be/JkQxhCk8nAM
The title uses the language applicants naturally use. The important point is that no video or method guarantees funding. Use it to understand the proposal components and the questions applicants should ask themselves.
Inside the ERC evaluation process: What really gets funded
Official video: https://youtu.be/DLpTnRUiJ9s
Watch this after you have a first Part I draft and compare the proposal against the evaluation process.
Mastering the ERC interview: How to impress the panel
Official video: https://youtu.be/BRKvhxVRWxs
Use it if you reach Step 2, together with the Arvacore interview guide.
10. ERC support and contact channels
For call-specific questions that need an official answer, use the ERC/ERCEA support routes rather than relying on third-party interpretation.
The ERC currently lists a dedicated Starting Grant 2027 applicant mailbox and points applicants to their National Contact Point for personalised support.
A practical reading order
If you are new to ERC, I would use the materials in this sequence:
- ERC Starting Grant official page;
- Work Programme 2027;
- Information for Applicants 2027;
- current Part B1/B2 templates in the submission system;
- Guide for Peer Reviewers;
- official ERC applicant videos;
- Arvacore scientific-strategy resources for interpretation and proposal architecture.
Do not start by copying an old winning proposal
Previous proposals may be useful as examples of scientific communication, but they reflect another researcher, another field and sometimes another evaluation structure.
Your first task is to build the scientific argument for the current call.
Go to the ERC Start Here guide ->