Doctoral funding radar ·
Doctoral and Early-Career Research Funding Calls Worth Preparing For
This batch of calls spans instruments that fund doctoral training, postdoctoral research, and independent investigator programmes under the European research framework. Whether you are scoping out where structured doctoral positions may emerge or preparing a fellowship proposal of your own, each call rewards careful, early groundwork and a clear research vision.
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.
ERC Consolidator Grant
ERC Consolidator Grant
Open Closes on 74 days left
Who applies. The individual researcher applies directly, together with a chosen host organisation.
The ERC Consolidator Grant targets principal investigators who are building on an established track record of independent research. For early-career researchers who have moved past the postdoctoral stage and are shaping their own team or programme, this instrument offers substantial funding over a five-year period, with the possibility of requesting additional resources when justified by the proposed work.
Preparation step. Draft a concise case for why your research programme requires the scale and duration this grant provides, and identify which cost categories might warrant a request for additional funding; ground that justification in concrete methodological or infrastructural needs rather than generic ambitions.
MSCA COFUND (doctoral programmes)
MSCA COFUND 2027
Opens on Closes on 158 days left
Who applies. Institutions or consortia apply. Individual positions are recruited openly after the grant is awarded.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND for doctoral programmes channels co-financing to organisations that run structured doctoral training. These programmes are designed to deepen candidates' research competences while broadening their transferable skills through international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary exposure. For doctoral candidates, the positions that eventually result from funded projects can offer a rich training environment with enhanced networking opportunities.
Preparation step. Identify research organisations and universities that have previously coordinated or participated in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND doctoral programmes, bookmark their vacancy pages, and begin strengthening the parts of your profile (publications, interdisciplinary experience, outreach) that these programmes typically value when they later advertise recruited positions.
MSCA COFUND (postdoctoral programmes)
MSCA Choose Europe for Science 2027
Opens on Closes on 158 days left
Who applies. Institutions or consortia apply. Individual positions are recruited openly after the grant is awarded.
This Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND call focuses on postdoctoral programmes under the Choose Europe for Science strand, aiming to improve career stability and autonomy for researchers while aligning participating organisations with the European Charter for Researchers and the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. For postdoctoral researchers, funded programmes under this call can offer structured career development within institutions committed to transparent recruitment and progression practices.
Preparation step. Start tracking organisations that have a history with this instrument or have publicly committed to the European Charter for Researchers, since these are likely candidates to coordinate future programmes; when such programmes are awarded and advertise openings, a tailored application that speaks to career autonomy and alignment with reformed assessment principles will be well positioned.
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027
Opens on Closes on 313 days left
Who applies. The individual researcher applies directly, together with a chosen host organisation.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships let a researcher propose an individual project carried out at a host organisation, with the explicit goal of expanding both research expertise and transferable competences. The call emphasises international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary dimensions, making it well suited for postdoctoral researchers who want to pivot into a new environment or deepen a cross-disciplinary line of inquiry.
Preparation step. Before investing significant preparation time, verify the mobility rule and all eligibility conditions on the official topic page; then approach a prospective supervisor at a host organisation whose expertise complements your proposed project, and co-develop a training and research plan that credibly integrates the international or inter-sectoral dimension the call highlights.
MSCA Doctoral Networks
MSCA Doctoral Networks 2027
Opens on Closes on 389 days left
Who applies. Institutions or consortia apply. Individual positions are recruited openly after the grant is awarded.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks fund consortia of organisations that jointly design and deliver doctoral training, with an emphasis on cooperation across sectors and disciplines. The resulting projects create funded doctoral positions that expose candidates to multiple institutional environments, equipping them with skills valued both inside and outside academia.
Preparation step. Monitor research groups and industry partners that have previously participated in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks, especially those whose thematic focus aligns with your interests; once new networks are awarded, they will publish open calls for doctoral candidates, and having a clear research profile and evidence of cross-disciplinary curiosity will help you stand out in those recruitment rounds.