UK participation in Horizon Europe

Find out more about participating in Horizon Europe and the UK Government's previous Horizon Europe Guarantee.

Overview

UCL researchers now have full access to the world’s largest research collaboration programme, Horizon Europe, following the UK's official re-entry on 1 January 2024. Principal Investigators should continue to apply to take part in projects under the Horizon programme, with the certainty that the UK will be participating as a fully associated member for the remaining life of the programme to 2027. All awarded Horizon Europe projects will be funded for their full duration, even if this extends beyond 2027.

This means that UCL researchers can fully participate in the Horizon Europe programme on the same terms as researchers from other associated countries, including leading consortia, for calls in the 2024 Work Programmes and onwards. For projects awarded under the 2023 Work Programmes and earlier, the European Commission will continue to administer transitional arrangements and the UK will continue to provide funding under the Horizon Europe Guarantee scheme.

For further information and to access specialist, dedicated support with both proposal development and project management under Horizon Europe, read our Frequently Asked Questions below and/or contact the relevant member of the European Research and Innovation Office (ERIO) team.

Support for UCL researchers

Who to contact

UCL colleagues and external collaborators with queries or seeking advice regarding the UK's participation in the programme can contact the European Research and Innovation Office team for further information and support.

• Horizon Europe/Guarantee, awards, “in-flight” applications, and planned applications (ERC, MSCA and collaborative): Giles Machell
• Horizon Europe Collaborative proposal development support, as well as clinical matters: Dr Juliet A. Ellis
• Horizon Europe projects where UCL is the Coordinator and where ERIO Project Management support is provided: Ilaria Marsili
• Intellectual Property, IPR protection, project exploitation & impact, and personal data protection matters: Martin Scott
• Other queries: Kimberly Cornfield

Horizon Europe weekly drop-in sessions

Weekly Horizon Europe online drop-in sessions are held every Friday by the European Research and Innovation Office team from 14:00-15:00 (London time) to discuss any questions related to UCL's participation in Horizon Europe and the Horizon Europe Guarantee.

You do not have to be a grant holder to participate, and the sessions are open to both UCL colleagues and external collaborators anywhere in the world.

The drop-in sessions are held on Microsoft Teams and there is no need to register in advance. You can join a session using the button below, and please feel free to join at any point during the session. Contact us should you have any questions or technical issues, or would like to arrange a specific discussion with ERIO at a different time or day.

Join a Horizon Europe drop-in session on Teams

Frequently Asked Questions 

How does the deal on the UK's association to Horizon Europe impact proposals currently in development and successful applications?

Following the announced deal between the European Commission and the UK on the UK's association to Horizon Europe:

• UCL researchers should continue to apply to all Horizon Europe calls, as full beneficiaries with a complete request for EU funding, i.e. applying as a fully-fledged project partner
• Successful awards under calls in 2024 (and later) Work Programmes will be funded from the Horizon Europe budget under the terms of the UK's association to the programme. UCL will receive European Union (EU) funding as would any partner established in an EU Member State
• Successful awards under previous years' work programmes will have had their Horizon Europe awards registered for funding via the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) underwrite with the support of the ERIO team. The UKRI funding amount will match that requested in the Horizon Europe proposal.

I am a UCL academic can I apply for Horizon Europe funding, and can I coordinate a collaborative project?

We encourage UCL researchers to apply to all Horizon Europe calls of interest. UK organisations have the right to participate in proposals targeting all Horizon Europe calls. Any limited exceptions, such as those related to sensitive EU matters, will be clearly indicated.

Funding awarded under calls in 2023 (and earlier) Work Programmes remains secure under the terms of the Horizon Europe Guarantee. The UK Government has stressed that UK researchers should continue to apply for funding as normal for any remaining such calls.

Funding awarded under calls in 2024 (and later) Work Programmes will be funded from the Horizon Europe budget under the terms of the UK's association to the programme. UCL will receive EU funding as would any partner in an EU Member State.

Regarding coordinating collaborative project proposals, UCL researchers wishing to lead on such projects are encouraged to do so and should contact ERIO's European Project Management team for advice at the earliest feasible stage.

Should UCL be included in a collaborative proposal as a 'Beneficiary' or an 'Associated Partner'?

When participating in proposals targeting Horizon Europe collaborative funding, UCL should always be included as a “Beneficiary” requesting full EU funding budget at the time of proposal submission to the European Commission. UCL will then remain as full "Beneficiary" and be funded as normal by the EU, the same as would a participant from an EU Member State.

In collaborative proposals, does the UK count towards the minimum eligibility criteria of having three Beneficiaries from three Member States/Associated Countries?

Yes, unless there are bespoke criteria to the contrary, which will be clearly set out in the call.

I have a Horizon 2020 funded grant; will my funding continue to come from the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme? 

Yes, UK participants in Horizon 2020 will continue to receive EU grant funding for the lifetime of individual Horizon 2020 projects. UCL colleagues can therefore continue to participate in and lead their Horizon 2020 projects.

What will replace Horizon Europe funding should the UK not associate?

The UK's association is effective as of 1st of January 2024, and so the need for a replacement programme has been obviated.

Did the support package announced by the UK Government in November 2022 mean less money for the Horizon Europe guarantee?

No. This funding was in addition to and complemented the UK Government’s Horizon Europe guarantee. While the Horizon Europe guarantee provided funding for successful UK Horizon Europe applicants, the £484 million announced in November 2022 provided additional support for the UK R&D sector while association was being negotiated.

What support is available for researchers at UCL?

The European Research and Innovation Office team provides dedicated support for UCL researchers.

We encourage all recent Horizon Europe grantees, as well as those with in-flight applications, and planned applications, to continue liaising with their assigned member of the European Research and Innovation Office team to discuss the administration of their grants, and support in the application process. 

If you have not already been in touch with the European Research and Innovation team and are a Horizon Europe grantee, applicant or planned applicant, please email Kimberly Cornfield (k.cornfield@ucl.ac.uk), Assistant Director (Project Development and Management) and Head of European Research and Innovation.

UCL Horizon Europe Drop-in Sessions 
Weekly Horizon Europe online drop-in sessions are being held every Friday to discuss any questions related to UCL's participation in Horizon Europe and the Horizon Europe Guarantee. Please see more detailed information at the top of this page.

Useful links

• UK Research Office’s (UKRO) Factsheet on UK Participation in EU Programmes for Research, Innovation and Higher Education
• UKRI Horizon Europe Guarantee Guidance

Previous updates

Horizon Europe Guarantee update: 8 June 2023

The UK Government has announced a further extension to the Horizon Europe Guarantee scheme. The guarantee will be in place to cover all Horizon Europe calls that close on or before 30 September 2023. Eligible, successful applicants to Horizon Europe will receive the full value of their funding at their UK host institution for the lifetime of their grant. As of April 2023, UKRI has issued grants worth more than £1.05billion under the scheme, which was launched in November 2021. Read the full update on UCL Staff News.

We continue to encourage UCL academics to apply for Horizon Europe calls in 2023, including those with deadlines beyond September. UCL should be included as full beneficiary because the UK remains eligible to apply, as stated in the European Commission’s Q&A on UK participation in Horizon Europe. For further information and support, contact the relevant member of the ERIO team.

Horizon Europe Guarantee update: 6 March 2023

The UK Government has announced a further extension to the Horizon Europe Guarantee scheme. The guarantee will be in place to cover all Horizon Europe calls that close on or before 30 June 2023. Eligible, successful applicants to Horizon Europe will receive the full value of their funding at their UK host institution for the lifetime of their grant. As of February 2023 UKRI has issued grants worth more than £882 million under the scheme, which was launched in November 2021. Read the full update on UCL Staff News.

Horizon Europe Guarantee update: 28 February 2023

Following the UK Government and European Commission's joint announcement of a deal on revisions to the Northern Ireland Protocol, dubbed the "Windsor Framework", we expect the path to be cleared for the resumption of talks on the UK’s association to Horizon Europe. Read the full update on UCL Staff News.

In the meantime, it is “business as usual”: UCL researchers are encouraged to continue to apply to Horizon Europe calls. The UK remains eligible to apply, as stated in the European Commission’s Q&A on UK participation in Horizon Europe, and funding for UK applicants is secured by the UK Government’s Horizon Europe Guarantee.

Despite the challenges, UCL colleagues continue to do well in Horizon Europe competitions, with a rising number of applications in 2022 (versus 2021) and success rates higher than Horizon 2020.

Any UCL colleagues or European collaborators with immediate questions on Horizon Europe proposals currently in development, or the UK’s Horizon Europe Guarantee, are encouraged to contact the ERIO team or attend one of the weekly Horizon Europe drop-in sessions. The link to the drop-in sessions, as well as a set of updated FAQs on Horizon Europe funding, are available below.

Horizon Europe Guarantee update: 12 January 2023

The UK Government has announced a further extension to the Horizon Europe Guarantee scheme, supporting UK applicants to the EU's research & innovation funding programme. The guarantee now covers all Horizon Europe calls that close on or before 31 March 2023. Read the full update on UCL Staff News.

Horizon Europe Guarantee update: 19 December 2022

The government has announced an extension to the support provided to UK Horizon Europe applicants under the Guarantee programme. The extension will ensure that eligible, successful UK applicants will continue to be guaranteed funding, supporting them to continue their important work in research and innovation. The guarantee will be in place to cover all Horizon Europe calls that close on or before 31 March 2023. Eligible, successful applicants to Horizon Europe will receive the full value of their funding at their UK host institution for the lifetime of their grant. We continue to encourage UCL academics to apply for calls in 2023, with UCL as full beneficiary, as the UK remains eligible to apply, as stated in the European Commission’s Q&A on UK participation in Horizon Europe (pdf).

Horizon Europe Guarantee update: 1 December 2022

The European Commission (EC) has made available the draft 2023-2024 Horizon Europe Work Programmes, which are expected to be officially adopted and published shortly. Please visit the EC’s official Horizon Europe website to view and download the Work Programmes.

Read the full update, including information on the £9.5 million UCL has received from the Government to mitigate the impact of delays to UK association, on UCL Staff News.

Horizon Europe Guarantee update: 1 September 2022

The UK Government has confirmed that it will continue to fund, through its Horizon Europe Guarantee, all successful UK applications for Horizon Europe funding if delays to association impact access to funding, covering all Horizon Europe calls that close on or before 31 December 2022 (now 31 March 2023). The funding will be delivered through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and for information on the practicalities of this please see the UKRI Horizon Europe Guarantee Guidance.

The UK Government has also published its plans for transitional measures to protect and stabilise the higher education sector, should the UK be unable to associate to Horizon Europe, Copernicus and Euratom. The government also committed to funding UK participants in collaborative consortia where the participation of non-EU, non-associated ‘third countries’ is possible, and where grant agreements are to be signed before 31 March 2025.