ERC Starting Grant Call 2026 – Expression of Interest and Application process

We are currently preparing for the next ERC Starting Grant call (expected opening: summer 2026; expected deadline: October 2026) and welcome expressions of interest from prospective applicants considering affiliation with DEBES. 

Applicants wishing to apply through DEBES must first secure approval from a hosting research group. A DEBES professor must confirm that suitable lab and/or office space is available. 

Once this preliminary step has been completed, candidates are invited to formally express their interest.

Interested applicants should: 

1. Check their eligibility for the respective grant (see link below). 
2. Submit the following documents as one single PDF: 

• A motivation letter summarizing the proposed research, explaining your reasons for choosing DEBES as the hosting institution, and outlining how the proposed research aligns with and complements DEBES' existing research focus. 
• A two-page CV highlighting three major contributions and briefly justifying their choice.  

Please submit your application package by August 2, 2026 to Dr. Aynur Erdogan via head@ieu.uzh.ch

As part of the internal selection process, we plan to organize a symposium for prospective ERC Starting Grant candidates (tentatively on September 1, 2026, in Zurich). 

The internal evaluation will include: 

•     Confirmation of a hosting research group (including space and integration) 
•     Submission of application materials by August 2nd, 2026 
•     Participation in the departmental symposium on September 1st, 2026 
•     Final approval by the DEBES Assembly 

For more details, please visit: https://www.research.uzh.ch/en/funding/postdoc/ERC-Starting-Grant.html