Excellent Science
Pillar 1 includes both basic and applied research: European Research Council (ERC), Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions (MSCA) and Research Infrastructures.
Information on the specific requirements on inclusion of sex- and gender perspectives for EU funding

European Research Council (ERC)
The European Research Council enables a researcher to freely choose a research project where both basic and applied research are possible. The project should have high-risk high gain and it is possible to include doctoral students, postdocs, senior researchers and other functions (e.g. technicians and analysts) in the project.
ERC: European Research Council | (europa.eu)
Five calls are included in ERC:
- Starting Grant: 2-7 years after PhD graduation. Max 1,5 billion euro.
- Consolidator Grant: 7-12 years after PhD graduation. Max 2 billion euro.
- Advanced Grant: Internationally recognized researchers with at least 10 publications in the last 10 years as well as have been senior author in internationally recognized journals. Max 2,5 billion euro.
- Synergy Grant: Two to four senior researchers, collaborating in a research group. Max 10 billion euro.
- Proof of Concept: Enables commercialization of research results, from projects already funded by ERC. Max 150 000 euro.
Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions (MSCA)
Within Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), the European Commission announces calls aimed to create new networks that serve as doctoral schools and to support researchers' career development and mobility.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (europa.eu)
MSCA includes:
- MSCA Doctoral Networks. For established researchers in all disciplines who want to coordinate or be part of an international consortium with partners from at least three countries, who together organize doctoral schools. The projects can maximum be 48 months and the recruited doctoral students are financed at a maximum of 36 months (for Joint Doctorate projects: up to 5 years, and the duration of Joint Doctorate fellowships can be up to 48 months).
- MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships. For researchers in all disciplines at postdoctoral level. The grant proposal is written together with a supervisor at the host university. The applicant must not have resided or had his principal employment in the country where the host university is located, for more than 12 months in the last 3 years (different rules apply for Global Fellowship). The applicant must have a PhD - or has successfully completed his or her dissertation – no later than 8 years counted to call deadline. Funded projects are 12-36 months.
MSCA proposal workshop
Research Support at Uppsala University offers a targeted workshop for applicants to MSCA postdoctoral fellowships.
Research Infrastructures
Research infrastructures include facilities, databases, services and knowledge that support the global challenges of the calls in Horizon Europe.