If you are interested in finding calls within the EU, the most effective way is to use the Funding & Tenders Portal. Here you can filter out calls from the programmes you are interested in, see current deadlines, and read descriptions of the requirements placed on you as an applicant. This is also where you apply for and manage your grants.
Go to the Funding & Tenders portal
EU funding opportunities
To give you an idea of the many funding opportunities available, we have nevertheless listed brief information about the EU's various programmes, and seed money intended to help you on the way.
Planning grants
The idea of planning grants is to help you as a researcher lay the foundation for a larger EU application in the future. The money can, for example, be used to test ideas, develop new tools, network with other researchers or external actors, carry out surveys or arrange events.
Horizon Europe
Horizon Europe succeeds Horizon 2020 as the EU's framework programme for research and innovation. It runs until 2027 and has a budget of just over 95 billion euros.
The overall purpose of the programme is to strengthen the EU's scientific and technological base, for example by developing solutions that can contribute to the green and digital transition. It also aims to facilitate collaboration and promote the EU's competitiveness, growth and job creation.
Horizon Europe has three main areas, pillars, from which projects can receive funding:
Excellent Science
The first pillar emphasizes open research, with the aim of strengthening and expanding competence in the EU's scientific sphere.
It includes:
• The European Research Council (ERC)
The ERC promotes research of the highest quality in all scientific fields. It supports cutting-edge research, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary projects and groundbreaking ideas initiated by researchers themselves.
Read more about the ERC
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
The MSCA offers support for mobility, education, career development and knowledge exchange for researchers of all academic ages, as well as for other staff working with research and innovation.
For those of you who want to do your postdoc in Europe or welcome an international research talent at your department, we have listed some tips regarding the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA PF).
Tips regarding MSCA PF
The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships Handbook 2023
Read more about the MSCA
• Research Infrastructures
This part of the pillar strives to provide Europe's researchers with access to world-class sustainable research infrastructure. Therefore, the programme offers financing for everything from modern facilities to services, as well as their operation and availability.
Read more about Research Infrastructures
Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
The second pillar highlights the crucial role of industry in achieving the Horizon Europe's overall objectives. Here, efforts made should support the EU's technological and industrial capacity to meet the global challenges, among other things by promoting important enabling technologies and collaboration between different actors.
The calls within pillar two are divided into six different subject areas, clusters, and you apply for funding together with others as a consortium. Click on the link for each cluster to read more about work programmes, calls, budgets and deadlines.
- 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
Joint Research Centre
Pillar two also covers activities carried out by the Joint Research Centre (JRC). The JRC supports EU decision-making through independent and evidence-based scientific advice.
Read more about the JRC
Missions
EU Missions are a novelty in the Horizon Europe framework programme. Through these targeted research and innovation assignments, the EU aims to bring concrete solutions to some of our greatest societal challenges.
The five mission areas are:
- Adaptation to climate change, including societal transformation
- Cancer
- Soil health and food
- Climate-neutral and smart cities
- Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters
Each mission will operate as a portfolio of actions – such as research projects, policy measures or even legislative initiatives – to achieve a measurable goal that could not be achieved through individual actions. What they all have in common is that they aim to provide tangible benefits to people in Europe and to engage Europeans in their design, implementation and monitoring.
Read more about EU Missions
Read the entire work programme for 2023–2204
European Partnerships
European Partnerships is a collective name for various collaborations between the European Commission, the member states and associated countries, business, foundations and other stakeholders. By bringing private and public partners together, they help to avoid duplication of investment and to reduce the fragmentation of the research and innovation landscape in the EU.
Read more about European Partnerships
Innovative Europe
The third pillar has the task of stimulating market-creating breakthroughs and ecosystems that facilitate innovation.
This includes:
• The European Innovation Council (EIC)
The EIC is an important part of pillar three. This new EU body provides support for game changing innovations, and strives to help researchers and innovators create the markets of the future, mobilize private funding and expand.
The council also has complementary instruments that can be used to bridge the gap between idea and market. Most interesting for you as a university researcher is probably Pathfinder, which supports projects in the phase from early technology to proof of concept.
Read more about the EIC
• The European Innovation Ecosystems (EIE)
The EIE works to improve the overall ecosystem for innovation in Europe by connecting actors at local, regional and national level, and by supporting cross-border innovation programmes.
Read more about the EIE
• The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
The EIT's role is to bring actors in research, education and business together, so that they can work towards common goals and promote Europe's innovation and competitiveness.
The Institute supports long-term, dynamic and cross-border partnerships between businesses, research centres and universities. These are called Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KIC's). They contribute to:
• develop innovative products and services related to global challenges, such as climate change, healthy living and active ageing
• start new companies
• train a new generation of entrepreneurs
Read more about the EIT
Horizon Europe's foundation
The three pillars rest on a horizontal, cross-cutting area called Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area. This consists of two parts. The first focuses on measures to widen participation and spread excellence so that the entire EU, not least countries that are lagging behind, can build capacity in research and innovation. The second aims to reform and enhance the European R&D system.
Read the entire work programme for 2023–2024
Horizon Europe also includes:
The European Defence Fund (EDF)
The European Defense Fund is a specific programme that supports collaborative projects in defense research. The idea is to contribute to the development of key products, technologies and supply chains that can ensure Europe's security and defense.
Read more about the EDF
The Euratom Research and Training Programme
This complementary funding programme covers research, education and innovation in areas such as nuclear safety, radiation protection, radioactive waste management and fusion energy.
Read more about the Euroatom Research and Training Programme
EU4Health
The EU4Health programme was created as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of improving the EU's preparedness for similar crises in the future. All calls and tenders within the programme are managed by HaDEA, the European Health and Digital Agency, which works to promote stronger, more resilient and accessible healthcare systems in the EU.
Read more about EU4Health and HaDEA
Collaboration programmes
To promote a harmonious development of the EU as a whole, socially as well as economically, the European Commission also supports a range of collaboration programmes. These programmes are prepared by each member state and/or region, and are financed either by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) or other parts of the Cohesion policy.
Regional programmes – Sweden
European Social Fund Plus (ESF+)
The fund finances various national, regional and local projects that contribute to employment and skills development, as well as structural reforms.
Upper Norrland
The fund invests in regional growth and employment in Upper Norrland, and is based on the region's strategies and priorities for how the region should develop.
National programme – Sweden
National regional fund programme
The programme helps to identify and enable synergies between regional, national and European policies to promote smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
Information in Swedish.
Territorial cooperation programmes
Kolarctic CBC Programme
This programme strives to promote economic and social development in the northern parts of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia. Among other things, by addressing common challenges in environment, public health, safety and mobility.
Becomes Interreg NEXT Kolarctic 2021–2027.
The contact person in Sweden works at the County Administrative Board of Norrbotten County.
ESPON (co-financed by ERDF)
This cooperation programme supports efforts to increase the effectiveness of EU Cohesion Policy within the European Structural and Investment Funds. It also promotes work on national and regional territorial development strategies for more effective decision-making processes in Europe and EU Member States.
The contact person in Sweden works at the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth.
URBACT
The aim is for cities to work together to solve urban problems and share their experiences for a sustainable urban development.
The contact person in Sweden works at the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth.
Interreg
Interreg Europe
An interregional cooperation programme that covers all EU countries, as well as Norway, the UK and Switzerland. Interreg Europe offers opportunities for regional and local public authorities across Europe to share ideas and experience on public policy in practice, therefore improving strategies for their citizens and communities.
Interreg Baltic Sea Region
This programme is a source of EU funding for those with smart ideas to shape the region. It supports partners from nine countries from around the Baltic Sea in putting innovative, water-smart and climate-neutral solutions into practice. The objective is to make the region attractive to live, work and invest in.
Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic
With the aim of achieving sustainable development, this transnational collaboration programme focuses on common issues such as low population density, low accessibility, low economic diversity, abundant natural resources, and high impact of climate change.
Interreg Sweden-Norway
This programme promotes cross-border cooperation in order to create conditions for an economically strong region with an attractive living environment.
Information in Swedish.
Interreg Aurora
This is a brand new programme for cross-border cooperation between the northernmost parts of Europe and Sápmi. The aim is to find common solutions in priority areas such as business, research and innovation, sustainable development, education, energy, environment and transport.
Curious about more Interreg programmes?
You can find them all through Interreg's portal.