The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships are a fully funded research fellowship financed by the European Commission under Horizon Europe. The scheme supports postdoctoral researchers who hold a PhD to carry out an independent research project at a host organisation in Europe or, for one strand, partly outside Europe, with the aim of strengthening their skills through international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility. There are 2 strands: European Postdoctoral Fellowships, open to researchers of any nationality hosted in an EU Member State or Associated Country, and Global Postdoctoral Fellowships, open to European nationals or long-term residents, which include an outgoing phase of 12 to 24 months in a non-European country followed by a mandatory 12-month return phase in Europe. Funding covers a living allowance, a mobility allowance, a family allowance where applicable, plus research, training, networking and management costs paid to the host. All research fields are eligible. The 2025 call had an indicative budget of around EUR 274.63 million; for the 2026 cycle, applications typically open in spring and the deadline falls in mid-September, with results around the following February. Applications must be submitted jointly by the researcher and host through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Because the budget, allowance rates and exact dates are set per call, confirm the current-cycle figures and deadline on the official MSCA call page before you apply.
Applications are submitted jointly by the researcher and the host institution through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal during the annual call window.
Special provisions apply to researchers reintegrating into Europe, those displaced by conflict, and those returning after a career break. Global Postdoctoral Fellowships require a mandatory 12-month return phase in Europe after the outgoing phase.
Any nationality (European Postdoctoral Fellowships), EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries
Proposals are evaluated by independent expert reviewers against 3 award criteria: excellence (quality and credibility of the research and the researcher's potential), impact (contribution to the researcher's career and to wider impact), and quality and efficiency of the implementation. Proposals are scored and ranked, and fellowships are awarded to the highest-ranked proposals within the available budget for each panel.
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are the European Union's flagship funding programme for doctoral and postdoctoral training, run by the European Commission under Horizon Europe. MSCA supports researchers of all nationalities and disciplines through international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility, and has funded tens of thousands of researchers across Europe and beyond.
Answers below are best-effort estimates from the most recent application cycle. Values marked ~ or (est.) may shift year-to-year — confirm specifics on the official scholarship page.
They are funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe programme, through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions.
European Postdoctoral Fellowships (host in an EU/Associated Country, any nationality) and Global Postdoctoral Fellowships (European nationals/long-term residents, with a phase outside Europe).
Yes. You must hold a PhD by the call deadline; the date of your successful defence is what counts.
You must not have lived or done your main activity in the host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the deadline.
All research fields are eligible; researchers from any discipline can apply with an appropriate host and project.
A living allowance, mobility allowance, family allowance (if applicable), and research, training, networking, management and indirect costs paid to the host.
It is roughly €5,000 per month (est.) before country correction and deductions. Confirm the exact current rate on the official MSCA page.
For the 2026 cycle the deadline is expected around 9 September 2026, with the call opening in spring. Confirm the exact date on the call page.
Applications are submitted jointly by you and your host institution through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal during the call window.
Yes. There are special provisions for researchers reintegrating into Europe, those displaced by conflict, and those returning after a career break.
It includes an outgoing phase of 12 to 24 months outside Europe followed by a mandatory 12-month return phase in Europe.
Results are typically announced around February following the September deadline, with grant signing and project start a couple of months later.