The 2026 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships are now open, offering €399.05 million in funding to support researchers worldwide.
These prestigious fellowships provide advanced training, international mobility, and career development opportunities for PhD holders across all disciplines.
Key Details at a Glance
- Programme: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026
- Funding: €399.05 million
- Deadline: 9 September 2026
- Launch Date: 9 April 2026
- Projects Funded: ~1,600 expected
- Duration:
- European Fellowships: Up to 24 months
- Global Fellowships: 12–24 months + 12-month return phase in Europe
- Fields: All disciplines (including Euratom research)
- Eligibility: PhD holders with up to 8 years of research experience
About the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships
The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are among Europe’s most competitive research funding programmes. They support researchers in gaining new skills, expanding networks, and advancing careers through international, interdisciplinary, and inter-sectoral mobility.
Fellows work with leading institutions worldwide and benefit from strong research collaboration and mentorship.
Types of Fellowships
1. European Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Open to researchers of any nationality
- Hosted in EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries
- Duration: Up to 24 months
2. Global Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Open to EU nationals or long-term residents
- Research conducted in a third country (12–24 months)
- Includes a mandatory 12-month return phase in Europe
Additional Opportunity: Non-Academic Placement
Fellows can request an additional 6-month placement in a non-academic organisation (e.g., industry, NGOs, public sector) in Europe, helping bridge research and real-world application.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Hold a PhD at the time of application
- Have a maximum of 8 years of research experience post-PhD
- Apply jointly with a host organisation and supervisor
Eligible host organisations include:
- Universities
- Research institutes
- Companies and SMEs
- Government or public institutions
- NGOs, hospitals, museums, and other organisations
For Global Fellowships, applicants must also secure a host organisation in a third country.
Who Should Apply?
The programme is open to:
- Researchers from any country
- Those seeking to restart their careers
- Researchers displaced by conflict
- Researchers aiming to reintegrate into Europe
Conditions for researchers and organisations
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to postdoctoral researchers from all over the world, of any nationality and at any career stage, with a maximum of 8 years of research experience after their PhD.
Some exceptions and specific conditions apply, for instance for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships and Euratom research.
Researchers must develop an application with their prospective supervisor and apply together with their future host organisation, which can be
- a university
- a research institution or facility
- a company, small or medium-sized enterprise
- a government, public institution, or body
- a museum, hospital, or NGO
- any other organisation
based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe associated country.
Researchers applying to Global Fellowships will need to seek the commitment of an organisation based in a third country, as they will carry out their research there for a period of between 12 and 24 months.
The call is open to researchers wishing to reintegrate in Europe, to those displaced by conflict, as well as to researchers with high potential who are seeking to restart their careers.
ERA Fellowships (Additional Funding Opportunity)
Applicants to European Fellowships hosted in “widening countries” can opt into ERA Fellowships.
- Around 40 additional fellowships available
- Targeted at excellent applicants not funded due to budget limits
- Find the eligible host countries for ERA Fellowships.
Indicative Timeline
- 9 April 2026: Call opens
- 9 September 2026: Application deadline
- February 2027: Results announced (TBC)
- Feb–May 2027: Grant agreements signed
- May 2027: Projects begin
Why Apply for MSCA Fellowships?
- Access world-class research environments
- Gain international experience
- Strengthen your academic and non-academic career prospects
- Build global networks and collaborations
- Enhance your research impact and visibility
30 Years of MSCA Excellence
2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the MSCA programme.
Since 1996, MSCA has:
- Supported 150,000+ researchers
- Contributed to 23 Nobel Prize winners
- Strengthened global research collaboration and mobility
How to Apply
Applicants must develop a proposal jointly with their host institution and supervisor.
Start early and ensure your proposal demonstrates:
- Strong research excellence
- Clear impact
- Quality training and supervision
Find out more and apply
The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 represent one of the best-funded and most prestigious opportunities for early-career researchers globally. With nearly 1,600 projects expected to be funded, this is a major opportunity to advance your research career on an international stage.
