GoKawiilERC Starting Grant applications jump 62%, pushing success rate below 5%
The European Research Council received 7,710 Starting Grant proposals for 2027 funding by its October 14 deadline, up from 4,807 the previous year, while the number of available grants fell to 373 from 421 due to funding constraints. ERC president Maria Leptin said the surge is straining staff and reviewers, and the resulting success rate is expected to drop below 5%, down from 8.8% in the 2026 round.