This batch of calls spans instruments relevant to researchers at different career stages, from those considering doctoral training through to those consolidating an independent research programme. Whether you are shaping a research vision or scanning the horizon for structured training opportunities, each call rewards careful preparation well ahead of the deadline.
Of the five calls below, three are applied for by institutions or consortia, with individual positions recruited after the grant is awarded, and two are applied for directly by the individual researcher, together with a host organisation.
Who applies. The individual researcher applies directly, together with a chosen host organisation.
The ERC Consolidator Grant targets principal investigators who are building on demonstrated research independence and consolidating their own team or programme. It offers funding for up to 60 months, with the possibility of requesting additional funding for costs that are necessary to carry out the proposed work. For early-career researchers approaching this career stage, it represents a significant opportunity to establish a sustained, ambitious line of inquiry.
Preparation step. Draft a research proposal that foregrounds both the originality of your scientific question and the evidence of your growing independence; if you anticipate needing the additional funding described in the call, prepare a clear justification linking those extra costs to specific elements of the proposed work.
Who applies. Institutions or consortia apply. Individual positions are recruited openly after the grant is awarded.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND for doctoral programmes channels co-financing to organisations that run structured doctoral training, aiming to deepen the skill sets of doctoral candidates through international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary exposure. Because the grant is awarded to participating organisations rather than to individual candidates, the positions it creates will be advertised separately once funding is secured. This makes it a call worth tracking if you are seeking a doctoral place embedded in a programme designed to broaden research and transferable competences.
Preparation step
Identify research organisations and universities that have previously participated in this instrument and monitor their recruitment pages, since funded programmes will open competitive vacancy calls for doctoral candidates after the grant is in place.
Who applies. Institutions or consortia apply. Individual positions are recruited openly after the grant is awarded.
This Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND call, branded Choose Europe for Science, supports postdoctoral programmes that aim to offer concrete career prospects and increased stability to researchers. It also encourages participating organisations to align their human resources practices with the European Charter for Researchers and the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. For postdoctoral researchers, the positions generated through this instrument tend to come with structured career development and improved working conditions.
Preparation step
Keep a shortlist of organisations known to operate under this instrument and set alerts for their postdoctoral recruitment announcements, which will appear after the grant has been awarded and the programme is operational.
Who applies. The individual researcher applies directly, together with a chosen host organisation.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships allow a researcher to propose a research project carried out at a host organisation, with the goal of expanding both research expertise and transferable competences. The call emphasises international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary dimensions of the fellowship experience. It is designed for postdoctoral researchers who want to deepen their profile while contributing to the host organisation's research environment and global visibility.
Preparation step
Begin by identifying a prospective host organisation whose research strengths complement your project idea, then open a conversation with a potential supervisor early enough to co-develop the proposal; before investing significant effort, verify the mobility rule and all eligibility conditions on the official topic page.
Who applies. Institutions or consortia apply. Individual positions are recruited openly after the grant is awarded.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks fund consortia of organisations that jointly design and deliver doctoral training programmes, with an emphasis on cooperation across sectors and disciplines. The call highlights outcomes such as new knowledge that can be converted into products and services, alongside improved networking and communication skills for doctoral candidates. Positions within these networks are filled through open recruitment after the consortium secures its grant.
Preparation step
Research which consortia and partner organisations are active in this instrument by reviewing past funded projects, then follow those groups closely for vacancy announcements that will be published once the new round of grants is awarded and recruitment begins.
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions has released an interactive publication showcasing more than 100 success stories and testimonials from funded researchers. Readers can browse by country or institution, making it a useful resource for doctoral candidates curious about how past fellows have benefited from the programme.
An article published via Horizon Magazine traces three decades of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, which have supported over 150,000 researchers since 1996, including 25 Nobel laureates. The programme has grown from funding around 800 researchers per year to approximately 8,000 annually, with companies making up nearly half of participating organisations. For early-career researchers, this piece illustrates the programme's scale and its bridging role between academia, industry, and international collaboration.
The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Georg Nagel, a former Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions fellow, for discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics, while the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics went to Francis Halzen, who supervised an MSCA-funded project on neutrino astronomy. These awards underscore the long-term impact that Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions funding can have on research careers, offering a compelling case for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers considering the programme.
The European Commission has announced an additional 210 million euro top-up for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, targeting both Postdoctoral Fellowships and Doctoral Networks. The increase responds to record demand; the 2026 Postdoctoral Fellowships call attracted 21,627 applications, the highest ever for any EU research funding action in over 40 years. With more than 1.3 billion euro foreseen for the programme in 2027, this boost is directly relevant to doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers planning upcoming applications.
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions has published a document highlighting cancer research funded through the programme under its 2021 to 2027 budget of 6.6 billion euro. Because the programme supports bottom-up, researcher-driven projects across all fields, this resource may be especially useful for doctoral and early-career researchers working in oncology or related disciplines who want to see how their area fits within the funding landscape.