The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 call is now open, offering researchers a major opportunity to advance their careers through international mobility, advanced training, and interdisciplinary research. The call opened on 9 April 2026, has an indicative budget of €399.05 million, and closes on 9 September 2026.
The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are among Europe’s most competitive research mobility grants, designed to support excellent postdoctoral researchers who want to strengthen their careers in another country, discipline, or sector. They are open to researchers of any nationality under the European Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme, while Global Postdoctoral Fellowships are reserved for EU and Horizon Europe Associated Country nationals or long-term residents.
In the 2026 call, the European Commission continues to use the fellowships to attract top research talent, boost international collaboration, and support career development across academic and non-academic settings. The programme is part of the wider Horizon Europe framework and remains a flagship funding scheme for postdoctoral researchers worldwide.
Key dates
The official 2026 call timeline is as follows:
- Call launch: Today, 9 April 2026
- Application deadline: 9 September 2026
- Results notification: 9 February 2027
- Grant agreement signature: 9 May 2027
- First EU-funded projects start: To be confirmed
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 Funding at a Glance
The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 call has an indicative budget of €399.05 million. The programme funds the full fellowship period and also covers research, training, networking, and management costs, along with allowances for the recruited researcher.
The EU support typically includes:
- Living allowance.
- Mobility allowance.
- Family allowance, where applicable.
- Long-term leave allowance, where applicable.
- Special needs support, where applicable.
Fellowship types
There are two main types of MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships:
European Postdoctoral Fellowships
These fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality who want to move within Europe or come to Europe from another part of the world. The fellowship lasts from 12 to 24 months and must take place in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.
Global Postdoctoral Fellowships
These are open to nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries. They include an outgoing phase of 12 to 24 months in a non-associated third country, followed by a mandatory 12-month return phase in Europe.
Who can apply for the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026
Applicants must hold a PhD by the application deadline. Researchers who have defended their thesis but have not yet formally received the degree may still be eligible.
Applicants must also meet the mobility rule, meaning they must not have lived or carried out their main activity in the host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the deadline. In addition, candidates can have a maximum of eight years of research experience from the date of their PhD award, though some career breaks and non-research periods are excluded from that calculation.
From 2026, resubmission restrictions apply for applications that scored below 80% in the previous year.
How to apply for the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026
Applications are prepared jointly by the researcher and a host organisation, which can be a university, research institute, business, SME, or other eligible organisation based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.
The process generally involves:
- Finding a host organisation.
- Developing the research proposal together.
- Completing the application through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.
- Submitting before 9 September 2026.
The host organisation is responsible for submitting the application on behalf of the researcher.
Evaluation and success tips
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are highly competitive, so applicants should focus on research excellence, training quality, and the impact of the project. Strong applications clearly show how the fellowship will improve the researcher’s skills, career prospects, and international mobility.
A competitive proposal usually highlights:
- A clear and original research question.
- A strong fit between the researcher, supervisor, and host institution.
- Training that adds real career value.
- A credible plan for dissemination and impact.
- A well-structured secondment or non-academic component, if relevant.
Why this call matters
The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are important because they help researchers build international careers while strengthening cooperation between universities, research institutions, industry, and other sectors. The programme supports both incoming talent to Europe and outward mobility through the Global Fellowship track.
For early-career researchers, the fellowship can be a major CV boost, especially because it combines funding, training, and institutional support in a highly respected European scheme.
How much funding is available?
The indicative budget for the 2026 call is €399.05 million.
More information on the official call : https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/whats-new/news/msca-opens-eu399-million-call-for-postdoctoral-fellowships
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