EU FUNDING · CUT-OFF CALENDAR
EIC Accelerator and EU funding cut-off dates
The next EU-level dates for the EIC Accelerator, EIC STEP Scale-Up and Eurostars, in one place. Each date is re-checked every day against the official programme page, and this page is rebuilt from those checks: the date of the last check is shown above the table. National and regional calls are deliberately not listed.
Next dates
| Date | Programme | What happens | Who it is for | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verified on the official page: 5 November 2026 | EIC STEP Scale-Up | Cut-off (batch), 17:00 CET | Scale-ups seeking pure equity investment from EUR 10 to 30 million | eic.ec.europa.eu |
| Verified on the official page: 25 October 2026 | Eurostars | Call 12 opens | Consortia led by an R&D-performing SME, with a partner in another Eurostars country | eurekanetwork.org |
| Verified on the official page: 5 November 2026 | EIC Accelerator | Full application cut-off, 17:00 Brussels time | Startups and SMEs with a deep-tech innovation at TRL 5 or above; the full application needs an approved short proposal | eic.ec.europa.eu |
| Verified on the official page: 25 October 2026 | Eurostars | Call 12 closes, 14:00 CET | Consortia led by an R&D-performing SME, with a partner in another Eurostars country | eurekanetwork.org |
| Verified on the official page: 5 November 2026 | EIC Accelerator | Full application cut-off, 17:00 Brussels time | Startups and SMEs with a deep-tech innovation at TRL 5 or above; the full application needs an approved short proposal | eic.ec.europa.eu |
| Verified on the official page: 5 November 2026 | EIC Accelerator | Full application cut-off, 17:00 Brussels time | Startups and SMEs with a deep-tech innovation at TRL 5 or above; the full application needs an approved short proposal | eic.ec.europa.eu |
| Verified on the official page: 5 November 2026 | EIC Accelerator | Full application cut-off, 17:00 Brussels time | Startups and SMEs with a deep-tech innovation at TRL 5 or above; the full application needs an approved short proposal | eic.ec.europa.eu |
The full 2027 EIC schedule
These are the dates set in the EIC Work Programme 2027, adopted on 5 November 2026. The table at the top and the calendar feed list only dates that also pass the daily check on an official web page. So far that covers the Accelerator cut-offs: the others are written in the PDF and will move up when they appear on the official pages.
| Programme | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EIC Accelerator | 20 January, 17 March, 1 September, 4 November 2027 | Full application cut-offs, 17:00 Brussels time. Short proposals: any time, evaluated on the first Tuesday of each month. |
| EIC STEP Scale-Up | 25 November 2026, then 28 January, 29 April, 6 September, 24 November 2027 | Continuously open call, evaluated in batches. Equity only, EUR 10 to 30 million. The fourth batch will not take place if the budget is fully allocated by the third. |
| EIC STEP Defence Scale-Up | 1 June 2027 | Single batch. Equity only, EUR 10 to 30 million, for critical defence technologies. |
| EIC Pathfinder Open | Stage 1: 25 February 2027. Stage 2: 16 September 2027 | Opens 25 November 2026. Consortia only. Stage 2 is by invitation after Stage 1. |
| EIC Pathfinder Challenges | 29 September 2027 | Opens 27 May 2027. |
| EIC Transition | 16 September 2027 | Opens 30 April 2027. The call text says 16 September, the summary table in the same document says 14 September: confirm on the Funding & Tenders Portal once the call opens. |
| EIC Advanced Innovation Challenges | 15 June 2027 | Stage 2 only, restricted to projects funded in Stage 1. Not open to new applicants. |
| Eurostars | Call 12: 17 December 2026 to 4 March 2027 | National funding rules apply on top of the common call. |
For what else changes in the programme, read EIC Work Programme 2027: what changes for applicants. Applying to the EIC Accelerator? The EIC Accelerator application guide explains what to submit at each step, and the readiness check tells you in a few minutes whether the next cut-off is realistic.
How these dates are checked
Each day an automated check re-reads the official page behind each date and looks for that exact date still written on it.
A date is published only if it was found on the official page within the 14 days before the last update, and a date no longer found there is removed at the next update. This page is static: it is only as fresh as the "Last check" date shown above the table. Nothing here is estimated or copied from third-party sites.
Limit: the check confirms the date is still written on the official page. It does not replace reading the call document, which is where eligibility, budget and submission rules live.
What is not here yet
EIC dates that so far appear only in the work programme PDF are in the schedule above, not in the checked table or the calendar feed. Horizon Europe Pillar II deadlines are set topic by topic, so they are not a calendar: use the EU Funding & Tenders Portal search, or read how the programmes compare.
Questions
How do I add these deadlines to my calendar?
Subscribe to https://ipernovation.eu/eu-funding-deadlines.ics rather than downloading it, so updates reach you. Google Calendar: Other calendars, From URL. Outlook: Add calendar, Subscribe from web. Apple Calendar: File, New Calendar Subscription.
Why are national and regional calls not listed?
Because they change within weeks, and a list that goes stale is worse than no list. EU-level cut-offs are fixed in the work programmes and call announcements months ahead, which is what makes a small, reliable calendar possible.
Is a cut-off the same as my proposal deadline?
Not always. For the EIC Accelerator, the full application cut-off only applies once your short proposal has been approved. Eurostars applications follow national rules on top of the common call. Always read the official call document.
What are the EIC Accelerator cut-off dates in 2027?
The EIC Work Programme 2027 sets four full-application cut-offs: 20 January, 17 March, 1 September and 4 November 2027, at 17:00 Brussels time. There is no cut-off between 17 March and 1 September. Short proposals can be submitted at any time, and a full application needs an approved short proposal first.
Can the 2027 EIC dates still change?
Yes. The EIC Work Programme 2027 was adopted on 5 November 2026, but the Commission may delay a cut-off by up to two months and may open a call up to one month earlier or later. Always confirm the date on the official call page before you plan around it.
A date is the easy part. A fundable proposal is the hard part.
The EIC Fit Assessment checks whether the next cut-off is realistic for your project, from inside the evaluation criteria, and gives you a written verdict for €450. Not sure yet? A free 15-minute call is enough to see which tool fits.