Direct comparison
UKRI vs. ERC Funding Compared
UKRI vs. ERC funding compared: eligibility, grant schemes, funding rates, and UK researchers’ current access to ERC grants post-Brexit.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | UKRI | ERC |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | UK non-departmental public body; umbrella for seven UK research councils, Innovate UK, and Research England. | EU body under Horizon Europe funding investigator-driven frontier (basic) research on scientific excellence alone. |
| Eligibility basis | Grant hosted at an eligible UK research organisation; scheme-specific applicant rules vary by council. | Based on host institution location (EU Member State or Associated Country), not applicant nationality — researchers of any nationality can apply. |
| Current UK access | Domestic funder — not affected by Horizon Europe association status. | UK is a Horizon Europe Associated Country from the 2024 Work Programme onward, with full Beneficiary status — confirm against erc.europa.eu/ukri.org before a live application. |
| Grant schemes | Council-specific responsive-mode grants, fellowships, Centres for Doctoral Training, Innovate UK Smart Grants — no single unified scheme. | Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, and Synergy Grants, plus Proof of Concept for existing grantees. |
| Typical size / duration | Varies widely by council and scheme; no single standard figure. | Starting up to €1.5M/5yr; Consolidator up to €2M/5yr; Advanced up to €2.5M/5yr; Synergy up to €10M/6yr (verify current figures against the live ERC Work Programme). |
| Career-stage structure | Spans PhD studentships through established-investigator grants, organised by council/discipline rather than a strict career-stage ladder (though some schemes, e.g. Future Leaders Fellowships, are stage-specific). | Strictly banded by years since PhD: Starting (2–7 yrs), Consolidator (7–12 yrs), Advanced (established, track-record based, no fixed band). |
| Funding rate / cost model | Funds 80% of full economic cost (fEC, via TRAC methodology); institution covers the remaining 20%. | Funds up to 100% of eligible direct costs plus a flat 25% contribution to indirect costs; no equivalent institutional co-funding gap. |
| Application platform | UKRI Funding Service (funding-service.ukri.org), successor to Je-S. | EU Funding & Tenders Portal — a separate system from the UKRI Funding Service. |
| Evaluation criteria | Varies by council: typically excellence, significance/impact, and applicant/team track record via council-specific peer review panels. | Scientific excellence is the sole formal criterion, assessed by ~15-member expert panels through a multi-stage review. |
| Narrative CV format | R4RI (Resume for Research and Innovation), mandated across most schemes since 2024. | ERC’s own CV and track-record annex template, distinct from R4RI. |
Common questions
FAQ
Can UK-based researchers still apply for ERC grants?+
Yes. Following the UK’s return to Horizon Europe as an Associated Country from the 2024 Work Programme, UK-based researchers and institutions have full access to apply for and host ERC grants as Beneficiaries, on the same funding rates and conditions as an applicant based in an EU Member State. Always confirm current status against erc.europa.eu and ukri.org for the specific call, since UK–EU research association has changed more than once in recent years.
What was the Horizon Europe Guarantee scheme, and is it still relevant?+
It was a UKRI-run domestic funding scheme that paid UK-based applicants who won Horizon Europe calls, including ERC grants, during the period when the UK was not yet associated to Horizon Europe and so could not be funded directly by the European Commission. It is not needed for new ERC applications submitted since the UK’s 2024 re-association, but legacy awards made under the guarantee during the gap period continue to run under their UKRI-administered terms until completion.
Do UKRI and ERC grants use the same funding rate?+
No. UKRI funds UK research council grants at 80% of full economic cost (fEC), with the host institution expected to cover the remaining 20%. ERC grants can cover up to 100% of eligible direct costs plus a flat 25% contribution toward indirect costs, with no equivalent institutional co-funding gap.
Is an ERC grant application submitted through the UKRI Funding Service?+
No. The UKRI Funding Service only handles applications to UKRI’s own research councils and Innovate UK. ERC applications go through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, a completely separate system operated by the European Commission.
