Estonian Research Council

Funds national Estonian research through grants that strengthen education institutions and innovation-linked scientific work.

The Estonian Research Council (ETAg) is Estonia's national research funding agency, established on 1 March 2012 and operating under the Ministry of Education and Research. It supports national research and innovation policy across research funding, international cooperation, research information systems, science communication, quality assessment, research culture development, and data analysis.

Its funding mix is built around competitive grants and international co-funding. The core personal research suite covers PRG team grants, PSG starting grants, and PUTJD postdoctoral grants, while Mobilitas 3.0 provides EUR 36.4 million for researcher mobility, ERC support, MSCA-linked incoming posts, and ERA-NET or partnership co-funding. The sector mix spans AI, biotech, materials, medtech, robotics, and quantum, and ETAg also backs bilateral calls such as EIG CONCERT-Japan and the 2026 AI-powered robotics call, which is capped at EUR 300,000 per Estonian partner.

The council is the national contact point for Estonian beneficiaries in transnational schemes, so applications generally run through ETIS or the relevant call portal and are reviewed through expert panels. The strongest fit is for university-based researchers and research organisations in Estonia that need peer-reviewed support for original research, mobility, or international collaboration. Its English-language summaries make the call structure easier to follow even when the full guidelines are posted in Estonian.