Eligibility under Horizon Europe depends on the type of funding instrument you apply for. Below is an overview of the main categories and requirements:
ERC Grants
Who? Researchers of any nationality.
Requirements: PhD + 2–15+ years’ experience (depending on grant type).
Host: Must be hosted at an institution in an EU Member State or Associated Country.
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships
Who? Researchers with a PhD or at least 4 years of full-time research experience.
Requirements: Mobility rule – grant receivers must move to a different country than where they worked/studied in the last 3 years.
Research & Innovation Actions (RIA)
Requirements: Minimum 3 partners from 3 different EU Member States or Associated Countries.
Focus: Early-stage collaborative research.
Innovation Actions (IA)
Requirements: Minimum 3 partners from 3 different EU/Associated Countries.
Focus: Closer-to-market projects (piloting, demonstration, scale-up).
Coordination & Support Actions (CSA)
Requirements: Minimum 1 legal entity (often more).
Focus: Networking, coordination, dissemination, and policy support (no core R&D).
Twinning
Requirements: 1 coordinator in a widening country + at least 2 leading research institutions from other EU/Associated Countries.
Duration: Typically 3 years.
ERA Chairs
Requirements: Single institution in a widening country.
Must recruit an outstanding researcher from abroad to build excellence.
Teaming
Requirements: Partnership between an emerging institution in a widening country and a leading international center of excellence.
EIC Pathfinder
Requirements: Single entity or small consortium (usually 2–5 partners).
Focus: Breakthrough technologies at an early stage.
EIC Transition
Requirements: Must build on results from earlier EU-funded projects (e.g. ERC, MSCA, Pathfinder).
Focus: Technology maturation and validation in lab/real-world environment.
MSCA Doctoral Networks
Requirements: Minimum 3 partners from 3 different countries.
Must offer at least 3 PhD positions.
MSCA Staff Exchanges
Requirements: At least 4 organizations (2 sending + 2 receiving), from different countries.
Focus: Mobility and knowledge transfer for researchers and innovation staff.
In short: individuals can apply for ERC and MSCA fellowships, while institutions can join or lead collaborative, innovation, and capacity-building projects. Always check the specific call text, as details may vary.
| Instrument | Who can apply | Minimum consortium | Special requirements |
| ERC Grants | Individual researchers (any nationality) with host institution in EU/Associated Country | 1 (PI + host institution) | PhD + 2–15 years’ experience depending on grant type |
| MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships | Postdocs or researchers (PhD or 4+ years’ experience) | 1 (host + researcher, mobility required) | Mobility rule: move to a new country (last 3 years) |
| RIA (Research & Innovation Actions) | Consortium of institutions/companies | 3 partners from 3 different EU/Associated Countries | Focus on early-stage collaborative research |
| IA (Innovation Actions) | Consortium of institutions/companies | 3 partners from 3 different EU/Associated Countries | Closer-to-market focus (piloting, demonstration) |
| CSA (Coordination & Support Actions) | Institutions, networks, organisations | 1 (but often more) | Focus on networking, policy, coordination |
| Twinning | Institutions in widening countries + advanced partners | 1 widening coordinator + 2 advanced partners | Strengthening research excellence, 3 years |
| ERA Chairs | Single institution in widening country | 1 (widening country institution) | Must recruit outstanding researcher from abroad |
| Teaming | Institution in widening country + leading excellence partner | 1 widening institution + 1+ excellence partners | Capacity building in widening country |
| EIC Pathfinder | Single entity or small consortium | 1 (single entity) or 2–5 partners | Breakthrough tech, early stage research |
| EIC Transition | Entities building on prior EU-funded results | 1+ (must link to prior EU project consortium) | Based on results from ERC/MSCA/Pathfinder |
| MSCA Doctoral Networks | Consortium of institutions/universities | 3 partners from 3 countries, min. 3 PhDs | Train PhDs, structured doctoral training |
| MSCA Staff Exchanges | Institutions and organisations hosting staff exchanges | 4 organisations (2 sending + 2 receiving) | Focus on mobility & knowledge transfer |
The European Commission provides Horizon Europe funding to projects that not only push the boundaries of science and innovation, but also respect transparency, fairness, and EU values. To qualify, your proposal must meet a set of conditions:
First, who can apply? Most calls require at least three independent organisations from three different EU Member States or associated countries. Depending on the scheme, there can also be opportunities for single applicants (e.g., ERC grants or MSCA fellowships).
Second, how are proposals evaluated? Every application is assessed on three criteria: excellence of the idea, expected impact, and quality of the work plan and consortium. Only proposals that reach the required threshold on all three can be funded.
Third, what about administration and compliance? Proposals must be submitted through the Funding & Tenders Portal, following the official templates, page limits, and annex requirements. Applicants must also respect ethical standards, avoid conflicts of interest, and comply with data protection rules such as GDPR.
Fourth, the financial side. Horizon Europe provides grants covering eligible costs like personnel, travel, equipment, and subcontracting. Beneficiaries are expected to keep transparent records, avoid double funding, and report according to EU rules.
Fifth, legal and ethical obligations. Beyond formal rules, projects must align with EU values. This includes promoting gender equality, practising open science, and taking responsibility for research outcomes. Sensitive topics, such as research involving human participants, dual-use technology, or artificial intelligence require additional scrutiny and sometimes formal approval.
In short: eligibility, quality, compliance, financial transparency, and ethics are the five cornerstones of Horizon Europe funding.
| Type of Action | Funding Rate | Typical Eligible Costs Covered | Average Grant Size (per project) |
| Research & Innovation Actions (RIA) | Up to 100% of eligible costs | Personnel, travel, equipment, consumables, subcontracting, dissemination, indirect costs (25%) | €3–6 million (varies by topic) |
| Innovation Actions (IA) | Up to 70% (100% for non-profits) | Same as above, often more focused on prototyping, piloting, demonstration, or scaling activities | €5–10 million (some up to €15m) |
| Coordination & Support Actions (CSA) | Up to 100% | Networking, policy support, best practice exchange, stakeholder engagement, dissemination | €1–3 million |
| ERC Grants (individual) | Up to 100% | Investigator salary, team costs, equipment, travel, dissemination | €1.5–2.5 million (Starting/Consol.) |
| MSCA (fellowships/networks) | Fixed unit costs per researcher/month | Living allowance, mobility allowance, training, research, networking, management | €0.2–6 million (depending on scheme) |
Key points to remember