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The European Commission Horizon 2020: Excellent Science European Research Council invites proposals for its ERC-2019-StG starting grants. These support principal investigators in starting their own independent research team or programme.

Applicants may be researchers of any age or nationality, and may reside in any country at the time of the application. They must be able to demonstrate the potential for research independence and evidence of maturity, and have produced at least one important publication as main author or without the participation of their PhD supervisor. Principal investigators should have been awarded their first PhD between two and seven years prior to 1 January 2019. They must spend a minimum of 50 per cent of working time in an EU member state or associated country and a minimum of 50 per cent of their working time on the ERC project. They must be engaged at the host institution for the duration of the project. Host institutions must be established in EU members states or associated countries as a legal entity under national law, or may be an international European interest organisation, the European Commission's joint research centre, or any other entity under EU law, including public and private entities, universities, research organisations and similar undertakings.

The total budget is €580 million to fund approximately 390 grants. Each grant is worth up to €1.5m and an additional €500,000 may be requested for eligible start-up costs of moving to the EU or an associated country, the purchase of major equipment and access to large facilities. The maximum project duration is five years.