This is the edition of 14 October 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 cycles reward early preparation, and the calls gathered here span a range of Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions instruments alongside an ERC Consolidator Grant, giving doctoral candidates and early-career researchers a clear view of what is on the horizon. Knowing the landscape well in advance means you can shape your research profile, build the right relationships, and time your moves strategically.
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. When funded, these networks advertise open doctoral positions that candidates can apply for through competitive recruitment. The programmes are specifically designed to build research skills alongside transferable competences, with the explicit goal of broadening career prospects inside and outside academia. Keeping track of which consortia are active in your field positions you to respond quickly when vacancies are published.
Preparation step. Map the research groups and organisations in your field that have previously coordinated or participated in Doctoral Networks, follow their news channels and vacancy pages, and begin strengthening the profile elements, such as publications, conference contributions, and cross-sector experience, that will make you a competitive candidate when recruited positions are eventually advertised.
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 are at the stage of consolidating an independent research programme and can demonstrate evidence of research independence. The grant supports a sustained period of work and can include funding for building or expanding a research team, which means awarded projects often create postdoctoral and doctoral positions. Understanding the scope and expectations of this instrument helps early-career researchers both plan their own long-term trajectory and identify active ERC grantees whose teams may be hiring.
Preparation step. Draft a one-page outline of the independent research programme you are developing, identify two or three potential host institutions where your programme would fit intellectually, and open an exploratory conversation with a prospective host well before the submission window, since the proposal requires demonstrating an established research identity that takes time to document.
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 existing or new doctoral schemes at participating organisations, helping those organisations raise the quality and international reach of their training. The expected outcomes for doctoral candidates include a broader set of research and transferable competences developed through international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary exposure. Because funding flows to institutions rather than individuals at this stage, the positions that result are advertised later through the host organisation's own recruitment processes. Tracking which institutions are pursuing COFUND funding in your area gives you advance notice of where competitive doctoral vacancies may open.
Preparation step. Identify universities and research institutes in your field that have a track record of running internationally oriented doctoral programmes, subscribe to their doctoral school newsletters and HR vacancy feeds, and note when their programmes carry COFUND co-funding so you can prioritise those applications once positions are announced.
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 is a COFUND instrument aimed at postdoctoral programmes, with an explicit focus on concrete career prospects, increased career stability, and greater researcher autonomy. A distinctive feature of this call is its alignment with the European Charter for Researchers and the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, signalling that funded programmes are expected to adopt progressive recruitment and career development practices. The call also references the Council Recommendation on attracting and retaining research talent in Europe, which suggests the programmes will be designed with longer-term retention in mind. Monitoring which organisations secure this funding will help you identify postdoctoral environments committed to structured career support.
Preparation step. Research organisations in your discipline that have previously run COFUND postdoctoral programmes or that publicly align their HR practices with the European Charter for Researchers, add them to a watchlist, and prepare a concise research statement that you can adapt quickly when funded programmes open their postdoctoral recruitment rounds.
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 individual researchers in designing and carrying out their own project at a host organisation, with outcomes that include broadening research and transferable competences through international and inter-sectoral experience. The call explicitly names enhanced networking and communication capacities, as well as alignment of working conditions with the European Charter for Researchers, as expected results. Because the researcher drives the proposal together with a chosen host, this instrument rewards a well-developed research idea and a strong relationship with a prospective supervisor. Verify the mobility rule and all eligibility conditions on the official topic page before investing significant preparation time.
Preparation step. Begin developing a focused research proposal narrative around a question that is distinctly yours, reach out to a potential host organisation whose expertise complements your project, and establish contact with the relevant supervisor early so that the scientific fit and hosting commitment can be reflected clearly in the proposal.
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.