Six top tips for succeeding with Horizon Europe funding applications

This summary was written by Clare McVicker and Maria Magdalena Razalan, PhD from Academy of Medical Sciences and Mehwaesh Islam and myself on behalf of Association of Medical Research Charities , originally appeared on the AMS website 19 December 2024. It summarised top tips from an event we organised and delivered jointly to support and promote applications to Horizon Europe Pillar 2, following the UK's Association.

The UK’s association with the Horizon Europe funding programme opens exciting opportunities for researchers looking to engage in collaborative research.

Here are the key tips for developing successful Horizon Europe applications following a recent webinar hosted by the Academy of Medical Sciences and Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) and kindly funded by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology.?

Horizon Europe’s Pillar 2 aims to address global challenges and European industrial competitiveness and represents a major opportunity for clinical and health researchers through its ‘health cluster’. The cluster, which has a substantial €8.2bn budget, supports projects that improve and protect citizens’ health across all ages, from disease prevention to public health system enhancement. Projects typically require at least three partners and run for two to five years, with a strong emphasis on cross-sectoral, multidisciplinary approaches.?

The current work programme spans six key areas: staying healthy in a changing society, living in health-promoting environments, tackling diseases, ensuring access to innovative healthcare, unlocking the potential of new tools and technologies, and maintaining a competitive health industry. This breadth allows researchers to address both immediate healthcare challenges and longer-term societal impacts.??

1. Consider the opportunity

UK researchers can fully participate in and coordinate Horizon Europe projects. Whether you’re looking for personal funding through the European Research Council (part of Pillar 1) or collaborative opportunities through Pillar 2’s health cluster, take time to explore the programme’s diverse funding landscape. Medical research charities offer a unique perspective as research funders, collaborators and patient advocates – consider how these roles may strengthen your application.?

2. Get support early

Don’t go it alone. Multiple resources exist to support your application, including:?

• The UK Research Office provides detailed guidance and factsheets.?

• The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers strategic support.?

• Universities UK International can help with partnership development.?

• Your institution’s research office provides valuable expertise in managing European grants.

3.?Understand the assessment criteria

Horizon Europe applications have distinct features that differ from other funding sources. Success requires careful attention to:?

• All sections of the application, including non-research components.?

• Explicit reference to cross-cutting elements – like gender dimensions and open source.?

• Making applications accessible to diverse reviewer panels.?

• Clear risk assessment and mitigation strategies.?

• Strong preliminary data to support ambitious, high-risk research.?

• Comprehensive cost justification.?

• Strategic inclusion of partners from smaller European countries, where appropriate.?

?4. Build strong partnerships

The best collaborations leverage each partner’s strengths and create multidirectional benefits, so we recommend:?

• Attending international research meetings and conferences to build networks.?

• Listening to potential partners’ priorities and research interests.?

• Ensuring balanced contributions and clear deliverables for all partners, especially with small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).?

5. Project management matters

Identify a skilled coordinator who can:?

• Bring partners together effectively during application development.?

• Manage the project once it’s funded, handling all the administrative requirements.?

It’s worth noting that this role doesn’t necessarily need to be the most senior researcher on the project.?

6. Be bold

Remember that Horizon Europe encourages ambitious research and previous awardees often cite these grants as career-defining opportunities. The funding available can be substantial, and successfully managing a European grant can lead to further opportunities. The programme supports both common and rare disease research – so don’t let complex application processes deter you from applying.?

For more information, visit the UK Horizon Europe Hub, contact your institution’s European office or reach out to the National Contact Points for specific guidance on different funding streams.??

With the UK once again associated with Horizon Europe, there’s never been a better time to engage with European research opportunities. While developing applications requires significant effort, the potential benefits for your research and career make it a worthwhile investment.??

Apply now to round two of the Horizon Europe Pump Priming Collaboration scheme.?Offered by the Academy of Medical Sciences in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering, The Royal Society and the British Academy, and with generous funding from Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the call is focused solely on Pillar 2 of Horizon Europe. ?

The ‘Horizon Europe participation webinar with AMRC’ was co-chaired by Professor Tom Solomon CBE FMedSci, Vice-President (International) of the Academy of Medical Sciences and Nicola Perrin MBE, CEO of the AMRC. Our thanks to the event speakers, including Georgina Drury (UK Research Office), Professor Spiros Denaxas (UCL), Dajana Dzanovic (Universities UK International), Professor Petter Brodin (Imperial College London), Professor Catriona Waitt (University of Liverpool), Professor Colin Dayan (University of Cardiff), Georgia Sturt (Bowel Research UK) and Elaine Davies (Kidney Research UK).