This is the edition of 26 September 2026. The dates and statuses below are as they stood on that day and may have changed since. Read the current edition.
European research funding offers doctoral candidates and early-career researchers a range of pathways for training, mobility, and independent inquiry. Keeping a close watch on these calls, understanding their distinct purposes, and building a profile that speaks to their criteria can make a real difference when opportunities open.
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.
MSCA Doctoral Networks 2026
Open, closes 24 November 2026. MSCA Doctoral Networks.
Who applies. Institutions or consortia apply. Individual positions are recruited openly after the grant is awarded.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks bring together universities, research institutes, and non-academic partners to design and deliver structured doctoral training across sectors and disciplines. For a doctoral candidate, the positions created by funded networks offer a chance to develop research competences within an internationally connected environment. The programme explicitly targets improved career prospects within and outside academia, and it emphasises knowledge transfer between sectors. Understanding how these networks are built helps you identify the kinds of host groups and consortia most likely to recruit in your field.
Preparation step. Map the research groups, universities, and non-academic organisations in your field that have previously participated in or coordinated Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks, then follow their news channels and vacancy pages so you are well positioned to respond when funded positions are advertised after grants are awarded.
Official topic page: HORIZON-MSCA-2026-DN-01-01
ERC Consolidator Grant
Open, closes 12 January 2027. ERC Consolidator Grant.
Who applies. The individual researcher applies directly, together with a chosen host organisation.
The ERC Consolidator Grant is designed for researchers who have already demonstrated independence and are building or consolidating their own research programme. The call supports a five-year period of work and allows for substantial additional funding when the proposed research requires it. For an early-career researcher approaching this stage, it represents a structured opportunity to establish a longer-term scientific agenda on your own terms. The requirement to show evidence of research independence means that building a coherent publication and project record well before the deadline is essential.
Preparation step. Draft a concise outline of the independent research programme you would propose, identify a prospective host organisation whose environment fits that programme, and open a conversation with relevant research office contacts there well ahead of the submission period.
Official topic page: ERC-2027-COG
MSCA COFUND 2027
Opens 8 December 2026, closes 6 April 2027. MSCA COFUND (doctoral programmes).
Who applies. Institutions or consortia apply. Individual positions are recruited openly after the grant is awarded.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND for doctoral programmes co-funds national or institutional doctoral schemes, broadening their reach and enriching their training offer through international and inter-sectoral experience. The expected outcomes for supported doctoral candidates include a deeper and more diverse set of research-related and transferable skills, as well as enhanced networking capacities. For a prospective doctoral applicant, programmes funded through this instrument can offer a well-supported entry point into a research career with strong institutional backing. Knowing which organisations are pursuing or have received COFUND funding helps you identify programmes worth monitoring.
Preparation step. Research universities and research institutes in your field that have previously run or expressed interest in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND doctoral programmes, and track their doctoral school announcements so you are ready to apply for recruited positions once a funded programme opens its calls.
Official topic page: HORIZON-MSCA-2027-COFUND-01-01
MSCA Choose Europe for Science 2027
Opens 8 December 2026, closes 6 April 2027. MSCA COFUND (postdoctoral programmes).
Who applies. Institutions or consortia apply. Individual positions are recruited openly after the grant is awarded.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Choose Europe for Science targets postdoctoral programmes and places particular emphasis on career stability, greater researcher autonomy, and alignment with the European Charter for Researchers and the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. The call also references the Council Recommendation on attracting and retaining research and innovation talent in Europe, signalling a policy commitment to making European research environments more sustainable for postdoctoral researchers. For an early-career researcher thinking about where to build the next phase of their career, organisations funded through this instrument are committing to improved human resources practices and clearer career progression pathways. Identifying those organisations in advance puts you in a strong position when postdoctoral vacancies are advertised.
Preparation step. Look into which research organisations in your field are actively working to align their researcher career frameworks with the European Charter for Researchers, since these are the institutions most likely to seek COFUND postdoctoral programme funding and subsequently advertise positions; add them to a regular monitoring list.
Official topic page: HORIZON-MSCA-2027-COFUND-02-01
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027
Opens 7 April 2027, closes 8 September 2027. MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships.
Who applies. The individual researcher applies directly, together with a chosen host organisation.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships support researchers in developing a broader set of skills and approaches through international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary experience. The call is framed around improving long-term employability within academia and beyond, and it also expects host organisations to align working conditions with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers. This makes it a meaningful option for a postdoctoral researcher who wants to pursue a defined research project while also investing in professional development. Because the fellowship involves a direct proposal from the researcher together with a host organisation, early preparation of your research idea and early contact with potential hosts are both important.
Preparation step. Before investing significant time in a proposal, verify the mobility rule and all eligibility conditions on the official topic page, then begin identifying prospective host organisations whose research environment matches your project idea and reach out to relevant group leaders to explore their interest in hosting.
Official topic page: HORIZON-MSCA-2027-PF-01-01
Deadlines, statuses, and call identifiers are drawn from the
EU Funding and Tenders Portal and were verified against it on the date shown above. Confirm each call's current status on its own topic page before you rely on it. These calls close at 17:00 Brussels time on their stated deadline. Clau is a free companion for doctoral candidates and early-career researchers that helps with the project text and application materials behind calls like these.