This is the edition of 22 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 move on long horizons, and knowing what is on the calendar well before deadlines arrive gives researchers and research communities the space to plan seriously. This radar covers Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions instruments alongside an ERC Consolidator Grant call, spanning doctoral training, postdoctoral development, and the consolidation of an independent research programme.
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 prospective doctoral candidate, a funded network represents a pathway into a research environment shaped by inter-sectoral collaboration and international mobility. The expected outcomes described for supported candidates include the development of skills that extend well beyond a single disciplinary specialisation. Positions within these networks are advertised openly after grants are awarded, making it worthwhile to track which research groups are active in this instrument.
Preparation step. Identify research groups and departments in your field that have previously coordinated or participated in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks, follow their announcements, and strengthen the profile elements (publications, conference contributions, language skills) that make you a competitive candidate for the doctoral vacancies these networks will advertise once funded.
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 supports researchers who are at the stage of consolidating an independent research programme and can demonstrate evidence of research independence. The grant covers a five-year period and allows for substantial funding of the proposed research, including the possibility of requesting additional support for specific cost categories when justified. For an early-career researcher approaching this career stage, understanding the scope and expectations of this instrument is essential for planning a competitive proposal. The call is directed at Principal Investigators, so it rewards those who have already begun building a distinct research identity.
Preparation step. Draft a concise outline of the independent research programme you would propose, identify a prospective host organisation whose environment supports that programme, and open a conversation with the relevant research office early enough to allow time for institutional endorsement and proposal development.
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 new or existing doctoral schemes at participating organisations, with the aim of enhancing the quality and sustainability of research training. The expected outcomes for supported candidates include a broader set of research-related competences and exposure to international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary environments. For a prospective doctoral candidate, a COFUND-supported programme can offer a well-structured training environment backed by European co-funding. Positions within these programmes are recruited after the grant is awarded, so the relevant action for candidates is to monitor host organisations rather than engage with the proposal itself.
Preparation step. Research universities and institutes in your field that run doctoral programmes with a track record of European co-funding, subscribe to their vacancy channels, and use the intervening period to develop the research experience and references that will strengthen a future application to the positions they advertise.
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 focused on postdoctoral programmes, with a particular emphasis on career stability and the alignment of research employment practices with the European Charter for Researchers and related European frameworks for attracting and retaining research talent. The expected outcomes for supported researchers include concrete career prospects and a deeper, more diverse set of academic and transferable competences. This instrument also connects to broader European policy goals around making Europe an attractive destination for researchers at the postdoctoral stage. Fellowships within funded programmes will be advertised by participating organisations after grants are awarded.
Preparation step. Look into which organisations in your field are engaged with the European Charter for Researchers and related research assessment reform initiatives, as these are the kinds of institutions likely to build COFUND postdoctoral programmes around this call, and position your postdoctoral profile accordingly while monitoring their vacancy announcements.
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 postdoctoral researchers in developing their skills and broadening their research experience through a fellowship at a host organisation. The expected outcomes include an expanded set of research and transferable competences, exposure to new approaches forged through international and inter-sectoral experience, and stronger communication capacities with both scientific and public audiences. Host organisations are expected to align working conditions with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers. This is a researcher-driven instrument, meaning the project concept and the choice of host are central to a successful proposal.
Preparation step. Before investing significant time in a proposal, verify the mobility rule and all eligibility conditions on the official topic page; then begin shaping a research project concept that reflects your own intellectual agenda and identifies a host organisation whose expertise and research environment genuinely complement it.
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.