European Union Announces New Research Opportunities for 2026 and 2027

The European Union flagship Horizon Europe funding program for science and innovation has announced the main Work Program for 2026-2027, investing over $16.4 billion in 2025 for research and innovation priorities that will drive the green and digital transitions, and support global talent. The program introduces new cross-disciplinary calls and topics, expands the Choose Europe initiative, and simplifies the funding application and participation. The first calls for proposals are now open, and more will be launched throughout the year.

Seize the opportunity to get international exposure and test your ideas and research in a collaborative community!

Get international experience and advance your research career in Europe

• Apply before April 16 for Marie Skłodowska Curie Staff Exchanges 2026, promoting innovative international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration through staff exchanges.
• Apply by January 13 for the European Research Council Consolidator Grant of up to $2.3 million, supporting excellent principal investigators who are consolidating their own independent research teams or programs.
• Apply from May 2026 for the $3 million European Research Council Advanced Grant, supporting leading principal investigators who seek long-term funding to pursue a ground-breaking, ambitious project.
• Apply to one of the 8,000 research job offers on EURAXESS or one of the 76 National and Regional funding schemes.

Collaboration opportunities with Europe for researchers based in the U.S.

Researchers based in the U.S. are welcome to join the majority of Horizon Europe consortia on a self-funded basis. The EU has made participation very easy: U.S. participants can join as an Associated Partner and do not sign a grant agreement.

Joining a Horizon Europe consortium has considerable advantages. It provides access to the best research groups in Europe, in a privileged and secure environment, enabling you to advance your research faster. 

The first calls for proposals under Work Program 2026-2027 are now open on the dedicated Funding and Tenders portal, and more calls will be released later in the year. They are structured around six priority areas that fall under Horizon Europe’s second pillar plus Research Infrastructures:

• Research Infrastructures: improving transnational access and training.
• Health: strengthening public health and healthcare resilience, leveraging biotechnology and Artificial Intelligence, developing critical medicines.
• Culture, Creativity & Inclusive Society: enhancing democratic governance and shaping social, economic, technological, and cultural transformations.
• Civil Security for Society: responding to rapidly changing threats and domestic security challenges.
• Digital, Industry and Space: digital technologies, high-performance computing, AI, robotics, critical space technologies, the net-zero industry and the circular economy.
• Climate, Energy, and Mobility: accelerating the twin green and digital transitions and the associated transformation of our economy, industry, and society.
• Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment: reducing environmental degradation, halt and reverse the decline of biodiversity, better manage natural resources, and meet the EU’s climate objectives.

How can you participate?

• Screen the calls for funding in the Work Program above by clicking on the area of interest (Health, Climate, etc.) and retrieve them in the Funding and Tenders Portal, also accessible via mobile app.
• On the Portal, explore the list of possible partners under each call for proposals or make your own announcement by clicking on the ‘Partner Search Announcements’ link on the page.
• Each cluster will arrange Information and Brokerage Days for upcoming calls, providing opportunities to discuss and refine your project ideas with potential partners, build collaborations, and join consortia. Please check this website for upcoming and past events.

Do not forget to reach out directly to your European peers and ask whether you can join their consortium if they plan to submit a proposal.

Get inspired

• Explore this world map to see who is already participating in Horizon Europe.
• You can also use the CORDIS database to find other researchers working in your research field.

Get the information you need

• Check here our short guide to help you getting started.
• For detailed questions - reach out to the Research Enquiry Service or the U.S. National Contact Point for Horizon Europe - the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA).
• EURAXESS in North America shares all jobs opportunities under Horizon Europe and can also provide you with further guidance. Sign up to their Newsletter!

The European Union is a global leader in science and innovation. With academic freedom, reliable funding, and a culture of international collaboration, it offers an ideal environment for researchers to advance their careers.