This is the edition of 27 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 spans a wide range of career stages, from doctoral training through to the consolidation of an independent research programme, and understanding which instrument fits which moment in a career is the first step toward a well-timed application. This radar brings together calls from Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and the European Research Council so that doctoral candidates and early-career researchers can plan their trajectories with a clearer picture of what is on the horizon.
Of the four calls below, two 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.
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 team or programme. It offers substantial funding for a five-year period, with the possibility of requesting additional support for costs that are necessary to carry out the proposed work. For an early-career researcher approaching this stage, understanding the grant's scope and the evidence of independence it requires is essential for planning the transition from postdoctoral work to group leadership. Mapping your current research trajectory against what the scheme expects can help you identify gaps to address before the window opens.
Preparation step. Draft a one-page narrative describing the independent research programme you would propose, noting where you already have evidence of independence and where that evidence still needs to be built, so you can use the period before the deadline to strengthen your track record deliberately.
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 funds institutions and consortia to create or expand doctoral training schemes that offer candidates an internationally and inter-sectorally enriched research environment. The expected outcomes for doctoral candidates include a broader skills base and stronger networking and communication capacities with both scientific peers and the wider public. Because grants are awarded to institutions rather than individuals, the positions that result will be advertised through open vacancy calls after funding is secured, often well after the institutional deadline has passed. Knowing which research groups and universities are active in this instrument puts you in a strong position to spot and respond to those vacancies when they appear.
Preparation step. Identify research groups and doctoral schools in your field that have previously run Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND doctoral programmes, follow their news channels and vacancy pages, and build your profile in ways that align with the international and interdisciplinary character these programmes prioritise.
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 researchers through institutionally run programmes that are explicitly aligned with the European Charter for Researchers and the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, signalling a commitment to transparent and fair career progression practices. The expected outcomes for researchers include concrete career prospects, greater autonomy, and a deeper and more varied set of academic and transferable competences. Positions funded through this scheme will only be advertised after the institutional grant has been awarded, so the practical move for a postdoctoral researcher is to monitor the organisations likely to receive funding. Institutions that already align their human resources practices with the European Charter are the most natural candidates to apply for and receive this type of funding.
Preparation step. Research which universities and research institutes in your field have adopted the HR Excellence in Research Award or similar Charter-aligned practices, since these are the organisations most likely to develop a Choose Europe for Science programme, and begin cultivating connections with their postdoctoral offices well ahead of any 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 allow researchers to design and submit their own project proposal together with a host organisation, making the research agenda genuinely the fellow's own. The scheme aims to broaden fellows' research and transferable skills, open up new approaches to research and innovation through cross-border and cross-sector experience, and strengthen their capacity to communicate with both specialist and general audiences. Host organisations are also expected to align working conditions with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers, which matters for the quality of the environment you would be entering. Before investing significant time in a proposal, verify the mobility rule and all eligibility conditions on the official topic page.
Preparation step. Begin a conversation with a prospective host organisation whose research environment complements your own expertise, and use that dialogue to sketch a project outline that reflects both your scientific goals and the inter-sectoral or international dimension the fellowship description emphasises.
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.