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Home› Scholarships› European Union (Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries)
🇪🇺
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
by European Commission · Any eligible university, research institution, or private-sector organisation in the EU or Horizon Europe Associated Countries
🕐 Last updated: September 18, 2026
🏆 Fully Funded 🔴 Active / Annual Call Cycle 🎓 Doctoral (Doctoral Networks), Postdoctoral (Postdoctoral Fellowships), Staff Exchanges 🌍 European Union (Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries) 📌 Fellowship / Research Grant
75%
Match
50%
Win Rate
7/10
Effort
10/10
Reward
30-45 hrs
Time Needed
Award
Living allowance of 6,350 Euros/month (Postdoctoral Fellowships) or 4,250 Euros/month (Doctoral Networks) before country correction coefficient, plus a 710 Euro/month mobility allowance and a 660 Euro/month family allowance where applicable
Duration
Doctoral Networks: 36-48 months per recruited researcher; Postdoctoral Fellowships: 12-24 months (European track), plus a mandatory 12-month return phase for the Global track
Deadline
Doctoral Networks: 24 November 2026, 17:00 Brussels time; Postdoctoral Fellowships: 9 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time (2026 call)
Level
Doctoral (Doctoral Networks), Postdoctoral (Postdoctoral Fellowships), Staff Exchanges
Acceptance
—
Difficulty
Very High
Quick Summary

For students aiming to study in European Union (Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries), Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) is a fully funded scholarship from European Commission. The award covers Living allowance of 6,350 Euros/month (Postdoctoral Fellowships) or 4,250 Euros/month (Doctoral Networks) before country correction coefficient, plus a 710 Euro/month mobility allowance and a 660 Euro/month family allowance where applicable and is open to doctoral (doctoral networks), postdoctoral (postdoctoral fellowships), staff exchanges students studying all research fields, following a bottom-up, researcher-proposed approach. The scholarship runs for doctoral networks: 36-48 months per recruited researcher; postdoctoral fellowships: 12-24 months (european track), plus a mandatory 12-month return phase for the global track. Eligibility is generally based on european Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality holding a PhD, while Global Postdoctoral Fellowships are restricted to European nationals or long-term residents and require a mandatory outgoing phase of 12-24 months outside Europe followed by a 12-month return phase. All applicants must satisfy the MSCA mobility rule, which disqualifies candidates who spent more than 12 months in the host country during the 36 months before the call deadline. The application deadline is Doctoral Networks: 24 November 2026, 17:00 Brussels time; Postdoctoral Fellowships: 9 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time (2026 call). Competition for this scholarship varies year to year, so early preparation of required documents is recommended.

✨ Should I Apply for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)?
Instant AI-powered application intelligence
75%
Eligibility Match
50%
Win Probability
7/10
Difficulty
10/10
Reward Score
30-45 hrs
Time Required
9.6% for the 2025 Postdoctoral Fellowships call (1,610 of 16,836 eligible applications funded)
Competition
🌍 Overview
💰
Award Amount
Living allowance of 6,350 Euros/month (Postdoctoral Fellowships) or 4,250 Euros/month (Doctoral Networks) before country correction coefficient, plus a 710 Euro/month mobility allowance and a 660 Euro/month family allowance where applicable
⏳
Duration
Doctoral Networks: 36-48 months per recruited researcher; Postdoctoral Fellowships: 12-24 months (European track), plus a mandatory 12-month return phase for the Global track
📅
Deadline
Doctoral Networks: 24 November 2026, 17:00 Brussels time; Postdoctoral Fellowships: 9 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time (2026 call)
🌎
Fields
All research fields, following a bottom-up, researcher-proposed approach
🏆
Awards/Year
Approximately 1,600 Postdoctoral Fellowships expected from the 2026 call; Doctoral Networks fund cohorts of doctoral candidates across multi-partner consortia
🌏
Study Country
European Union (Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries)
🏛️
Provider
European Commission
📊
Acceptance
—
Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions is the European Union's Horizon Europe funding programme for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, structured around Doctoral Networks, Postdoctoral Fellowships, and Staff Exchanges. In 2026, the programme marks its 30th anniversary and is allocating over 1.25 billion Euros across its actions, including a 593.03 million Euro Doctoral Networks call and an approximately 399 million Euro Postdoctoral Fellowships call.
👥 Who Should Apply
European Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality holding a PhD, while Global Postdoctoral Fellowships are restricted to European nationals or long-term residents and require a mandatory outgoing phase of 12-24 months outside Europe followed by a 12-month return phase. All applicants must satisfy the MSCA mobility rule, which disqualifies candidates who spent more than 12 months in the host country during the 36 months before the call deadline.
🏛️ Host University
Any eligible university, research institution, or private-sector organisation in the EU or Horizon Europe Associated Countries
🤝 Sponsor
European Research Executive Agency (REA), European Commission
🌎 Fields of Study
All research fields, following a bottom-up, researcher-proposed approach
✨ Key Benefits
Fellows are employed under a standard employment contract with full social security coverage, and receive a living allowance adjusted by a country correction coefficient reflecting the cost of living in the host country. On top of personal allowances, host institutions receive separate funding for research costs, training, networking activities, and management overheads.
🎯 Target Students
Researchers of any nationality, including doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers
🏷 Tags
Research PhD Postdoc Europe Horizon Europe Mobility MSCA
📊 Statistics & Competitiveness
17,066 applications received for the 2025 Postdoctoral Fellowships call, the highest ever recorded for a single Horizon Europe/Horizon 2020 funding action
Applicants Last Year
1,610 projects funded in the 2025 Postdoctoral Fellowships call (1,446 European plus 164 Global), representing nearly 80 nationalities across 45 countries
Winners
—
Acceptance Rate
9.6% for the 2025 Postdoctoral Fellowships call (1,610 of 16,836 eligible applications funded)
Competition Level
Win Probability
50%
Match Score
75%
Competition
50%
💸 Funding Breakdown
Tuition
—
Living Stipend
6,350 Euros/month for Postdoctoral Fellowships; 4,250 Euros/month for Doctoral Networks, both before country correction coefficient adjustment
Total Award
Living allowance of 6,350 Euros/month (Postdoctoral Fellowships) or 4,250 Euros/month (Doctoral Networks) before country correction coefficient, plus a 710 Euro/month mobility allowance and a 660 Euro/month family allowance where applicable
✈️ Travel: Yes (710 Euro/month mobility allowance) 🏠 Accommodation: No 💊 Health Insurance: Yes (as part of the standard employment contract and mandatory social security contributions under the grant agreement) 🔄 Renewable: No 💳 App Fee: None
🏠 Living Stipend
6,350 Euros/month for Postdoctoral Fellowships; 4,250 Euros/month for Doctoral Networks, both before country correction coefficient adjustment
🏡 Accommodation
No
✈️ Travel Allowance
Yes (710 Euro/month mobility allowance)
💊 Health Insurance
Yes (as part of the standard employment contract and mandatory social security contributions under the grant agreement)
🎁 Other Benefits
660 Euro/month family allowance where applicable, plus separate institutional funding for research, training, networking, and management/indirect costs paid directly to the host organisation
🔄 Renewable
No
✅ Eligibility Requirements
🌍 Eligible Nationalities
Researchers of any nationality; Doctoral Network candidates must not yet hold a doctoral degree, and Postdoctoral Fellowship applicants must hold a PhD; both must comply with the mobility rule of not having resided or worked in the host country for more than 12 of the preceding 36 months
🎓 Academic Level
Doctoral (Doctoral Networks), Postdoctoral (Postdoctoral Fellowships), Staff Exchanges
💼 Work Experience
Doctoral Networks: none required (must not hold a doctorate); Postdoctoral Fellowships: applicants must hold a PhD
🏆 Leadership
Preferred
💰 Financial Need
No
🎯 Target Students
Researchers of any nationality, including doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers
📝 Application Requirements
Essay / SOP
Yes (detailed research proposal covering…
Rec Letters
2 letters
Interview
Check website
Application Fee
None
Documents Required
  • Academic Transcripts
  • Passport / National ID
  • Recommendation Letters
  • CV / Resume
  • Personal Statement / Essays
📋 Application Process
Structure the research proposal around the three official evaluation sections used by MSCA reviewers, Excellence, Impact, and Implementation, since these map directly to how applications are scored. Contact and secure agreement from a host supervisor well ahead of the deadline, since the proposal must be co-developed with the receiving institution before submission.
💡 Insider Tip: Verify eligibility against the mobility rule early, as the 12-months-in-36 residency restriction is a common and automatic cause of disqualification. For Postdoctoral Fellowships, decide between the European and Global tracks early, since the Global track requires a mandatory return phase to Europe and is restricted by nationality or long-term residency status.
🗾️ Application Roadmap
1
Research eligibility and gather requirements
Start Early
2
Collect all required documents
Start Early
3
Request recommendation letters early
4
Write compelling essays and personal statement
⚠ High Risk Stage
5
Submit complete application before deadline
6
Await shortlisting and attend interview if required
⚠ High Risk Stage
📅 Key Dates & Timeline
📅 Opens
Doctoral Networks: 28 May 2026; Postdoctoral Fellowships: 9 April 2026
⏰ Deadline
Doctoral Networks: 24 November 2026, 17:00 Brussels time; Postdoctoral Fellowships: 9 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time (2026 call)
🎤 Interview
Check website
🎓 Study Starts
September/October
Doctoral Networks: 28 May 2026; Postdoctoral Fellowships: 9 April 2026
Applications Open
Gather documents and begin essays
Doctoral Networks: 24 November 2026, 17:00 Brussels time; Postdoctoral Fellowships: 9 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time (2026 call)
Application Deadline
Submit complete application - no late entries
Check website
Shortlisting and Interview
Selected candidates invited for interview
After results
Award Announced
Successful applicants notified
September/October
Studies Begin
Commence degree at host institution
⚖️ Selection Process
📋 Selection Criteria
Excellence, Impact, Quality and Efficiency of Implementation
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
European Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality holding a PhD, while Global Postdoctoral Fellowships are restricted to European nationals or long-term residents and require a mandatory outgoing phase of 12-24 months outside Europe followed by a 12-month return phase. All applicants must satisfy the MSCA mobility rule, which disqualifies candidates who spent more than 12 months in the host country during the 36 months before the call deadline.
Fellows are employed under a standard employment contract with full social security coverage, and receive a living allowance adjusted by a country correction coefficient reflecting the cost of living in the host country. On top of personal allowances, host institutions receive separate funding for research costs, training, networking activities, and management overheads. It is a fully funded scholarship.
The deadline is Doctoral Networks: 24 November 2026, 17:00 Brussels time; Postdoctoral Fellowships: 9 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time (2026 call). Always verify with the official website as dates may change annually.
Competition level: 9.6% for the 2025 Postdoctoral Fellowships call (1,610 of 16,836 eligible applications funded). Acceptance rate: Varies. Strong academic record and clear motivation are essential.
No
Typically required: academic transcripts, passport, Check website, 2 letters recommendation letters, CV, personal statement/motivation letter. Check official website for the complete list.
🌎 Official Information
🕐 Last updated: September 18, 2026
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