This is the edition of 25 October 2026. The dates and statuses below are as they stood on that day and may have changed since. Read the current edition.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions remain a central pillar of European research training and career development funding, spanning doctoral education and postdoctoral mobility across disciplines and sectors. Whether you are mapping out a doctoral path or planning your first postdoctoral move, understanding the landscape of these calls helps you act at the right moment with the right preparation.
Of the three calls below, two are applied for by institutions or consortia, with individual positions recruited after the grant is awarded, and one is 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 are designed to strengthen doctoral training at the European level by bringing together universities, research institutes, and non-academic partners in shared supervisory and research programmes. The expected outcomes for doctoral candidates include broadened research competences, stronger networking capacities, and improved prospects for careers across sectors. For the organisations involved, the programme aims to raise the quality and sustainability of doctoral education while deepening cross-sector and cross-disciplinary knowledge exchange. Understanding how these networks are structured helps doctoral candidates identify the kinds of collaborative environments they may eventually be recruited into.
Preparation step. Map the research groups and university consortia in your field that have previously coordinated or participated in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks, then follow their announcements closely so you are well positioned when funded projects open recruitment for doctoral candidates after grants are awarded.
Official topic page: HORIZON-MSCA-2026-DN-01-01
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 supports doctoral programmes that co-fund fellowships through a combination of European and institutional resources, with the aim of producing graduates who have navigated international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary research environments. Candidates who eventually enter these programmes can expect training designed to build a broader and more varied set of research-related competences alongside stronger communication skills with both scientific and public audiences. The call also emphasises the global attractiveness and visibility of participating organisations, which can shape the long-term reputation value of a doctorate earned within a funded programme. Knowing which institutions are pursuing COFUND funding helps you identify where competitive doctoral vacancies are likely to appear once grants are secured.
Preparation step. Research institutions and national funding bodies in your target country or discipline that have run COFUND doctoral programmes before, reach out to relevant graduate school coordinators to express your interest, and set up alerts for the open fellowship calls they will advertise once a new grant is in place.
Official topic page: HORIZON-MSCA-2027-COFUND-01-01
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 allow postdoctoral researchers to design and carry out a project in partnership with a host organisation, with outcomes focused on expanding research and transferable skills, deepening experience across international and inter-sectoral contexts, and strengthening communication with both peers and broader audiences. The call also expects participating organisations to align working conditions with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers, which has practical implications for the quality of the fellowship environment. This makes it worth examining not only the research fit of a prospective host but also how that host engages with researcher rights and career development. Because the fellowship is researcher-driven, the quality of your project outline and the strength of your relationship with a prospective host are central to a competitive proposal.
Preparation step. Draft an outline of the research project you would propose, identify a prospective host organisation whose ongoing work complements your plan, and open a conversation with a potential supervisor well before the deadline so you have time to refine the proposal together. Verify the mobility rule and all eligibility conditions on the official topic page before investing significant preparation time.
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.