Despite the UK’s departure from the European Union, UK researchers remain eligible for many of its funding steams.
Benefits of European research funding include:
- international collaboration
- multidisciplinary research
- substantial budgets
This post is designed to help you understand and access these opportunities.
HORIZON EUROPE
Horizon Europe is the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme, with a budget of €95.5 billion running until 2027.
The UK has secured association status with Horizon Europe, allowing UK-based researchers to apply for funding on equal terms with their EU counterparts.
This programme supports a wide range of research areas, from health and climate change to digital technologies and societal challenges.
Horizon Europe is organised into three ‘pillars’ that reflect funding priorities, with specific opportunities linked to each. Follow the links below for more information.
Pillar 1 Excellent Science
- European Research Council (grants for investigator-driven frontier research across all fields and career stages)
- Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (support for researcher mobility, training and career development – includes the flagship MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships)
- Research Infrastructures (opportunities to enhance the potential of infrastructures supporting research and innovation)
Pillar 2 Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness (collaborative research) clusters
- Health
- Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
- Civil Security for Society
- Digital, Industry and Space
- Climate, Energy and Mobility
- Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Pillar 3 Innovative Europe
- European Innovation Council (promotes breakthrough innovation with scale-up potential)
- European Innovation Ecosystems (acts in synergy with the European Innovation Council to support the scaling up of companies, encourage innovation and stimulate cooperation among national, regional and local innovation actors)
- European Institute of Innovation and Technology (nurtures entrepreneurial talent and supports new ideas)
An additional specific objective is captured under the heading ‘Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area’:
- Widening participation and spreading excellence
- Reforming and enhancing the European Research and Innovation System
The EU Funding and Tenders Portal is the place to find partners and view calls for proposals (see also the general overview at the bottom of this page for more information).
EUROPEAN COOPERATION IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (COST)
COST is an intergovernmental framework that promotes collaborative, interdisciplinary research across Europe and beyond. It funds research networks called COST Actions. These bring together researchers, innovators and other professionals including industry specialists to collaborate on research topics for a period of four years.
The funding a COST Action receives covers the expenses of networking activities rather than research. These could include:
- organising meetings, workshops and conferences
- communication and dissemination activities
- virtual networking tools
An estimated €125,000 is made available for a COST Action in its first year and an average of €150,000 per year for the other 3 years.
These research networks are different to many other EU funded projects because it is possible to join and participate in a COST Action once it has started, even if you were not involved at proposal stage.
Participation in COST Actions can also improve your chances of securing Horizon Europe funding, with a success rate more than triple the average success rates for these programmes.
Read more about COST Action networking activities. You can also watch the short animation below to find out why you should join an existing COST Action or propose your own research network.
UK PARTICIPATION IN OTHER EU PROGRAMMES
The UK is considered a non-associated third country in all other EU programmes.
This includes Erasmus+, Euratom, Digital Europe, the Single Market Programme, LIFE, Creative Europe, EU4Health, the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme, the European Defence Fund and many others. The full list of EU funding programmes is available here.
UK organisations may participate in calls for proposals under these programmes only if the respective programme’s legal basis allows for this (they typically don’t). Call documents will normally list the countries which are eligible to participate in projects and receive funding.
Any participation of UK organisations in projects funded by these programmes can vary from call to call, so it is important to always consult the relevant call documents (e.g. some calls under Digital Europe, the European Defence Fund and other programmes can be restricted).
TIPS FOR UK ACADEMICS APPLYING FOR EUROPEAN FUNDING
Build networks and strong consortia: Partner with academics at institutions in EU member states to increase competitiveness.
Stay informed: Register for updates such as thematic newsletters linked to Horizon Europe’s funding pillars.
Focus on impact: Highlight how your research aligns with EU priorities and delivers tangible benefits.