Research Funding in Europe: Major Grants & Funding Bodies
A practical overview of European research funding — ERC grants, national funding agencies (SNSF, DFG, ANR, VR), Horizon Europe, and how to find funded positions.
How academic research is funded in Europe
European research funding comes from three main sources: EU-level programmes (principally Horizon Europe and the European Research Council), national funding agencies, and institutional budgets. Most advertised academic positions are funded through one of these channels.
Understanding the funding landscape matters because it shapes what positions exist, how long they last, and what kind of research they support. A DFG-funded postdoc in Germany and an ERC-funded postdoc at the same institution can have quite different conditions.
European Research Council (ERC) grants
The ERC is the gold standard of European research funding. It awards grants to individual researchers at any nationality, hosted at an institution in an EU or associated country. ERC grants are purely excellence-based — no topic restrictions, no consortia required.
The main grant types are: Starting Grants (2–7 years post-PhD, up to €1.5 million over 5 years), Consolidator Grants (7–12 years post-PhD, up to €2 million), and Advanced Grants (established researchers, up to €2.5 million). ERC grants typically fund multiple PhD and postdoc positions.
Success rates are around 10–15%, making them highly competitive. But ERC-funded positions offer excellent conditions: generous budgets, research freedom, and strong institutional support.
National funding agencies
Every European country has its own primary research funder:
Switzerland: SNSF (Swiss National Science Foundation) — funds project grants, fellowships, and research infrastructure. SNSF project grants are the backbone of Swiss academic research.
Germany: DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) — the largest national funder in Europe. DFG funds individual grants, collaborative research centres (SFBs), and graduate schools.
France: ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche) — funds project-based research across all disciplines. CNRS also funds permanent researcher positions.
Sweden: VR (Swedish Research Council) — the main competitive funder, alongside Wallenberg Foundations (one of Europe's largest private research funders).
Austria: FWF (Austrian Science Fund) — modelled on the SNSF, funds projects and fellowships.
Netherlands: NWO (Dutch Research Council) — funds the Veni-Vidi-Vici career grant scheme, which is particularly popular with early-career researchers.
Horizon Europe and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Horizon Europe is the EU's €95.5 billion research framework programme (2021–2027). It funds collaborative projects, research infrastructure, and mobility. For individual researchers, the most relevant part is the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships fund 1–2 year research stays at a host institution in another country. They offer a competitive living allowance (€5,080/month in 2024, adjusted by country coefficient), a mobility allowance, and research/training costs. Success rates are around 15%.
MSCA COFUND co-finances doctoral and postdoctoral programmes, effectively creating funded positions at specific institutions across Europe.
How to find funded positions
Most funded positions are advertised once the grant is awarded. The research group leader posts the opening on their university's career portal and on aggregators. This means new positions appear continuously throughout the year, not in fixed hiring cycles.
To find funded positions: check SciFind regularly for new postings in your field, set up job alerts for specific keywords or institutions, follow research groups and PIs on Twitter/X for early announcements, and check the ERC's list of recently awarded grants to identify groups that will soon be hiring. Browse all open positions or explore funding opportunities on SciFind.