The calls below span Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions instruments at different stages, from doctoral training consortia to individual postdoctoral fellowships, giving researchers and institutions a range of entry points into European research funding. Some are open and some forthcoming, so planning ahead is essential for anyone building a competitive profile or application.
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 Sklodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks bring together universities, research institutes, and non-academic partners to design and deliver structured doctoral training across disciplines and sectors. The programme is built around expanding the research and transferable competences of doctoral candidates while deepening cooperation and knowledge transfer among the participating organisations. For a prospective doctoral researcher, the funded positions that emerge from awarded networks represent structured, internationally embedded training opportunities. Understanding which consortia are active in your field positions you well for the recruitment calls those networks will open once their grants are confirmed.
Preparation step. Map the research groups and institutions in your field that have previously participated in Doctoral Networks consortia, follow their announcements and vacancy pages, and work on strengthening your research profile and publication record so you are a competitive candidate when recruited positions are advertised after the grant is 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 Sklodowska-Curie Actions COFUND for doctoral programmes co-funds existing or new doctoral schemes at participating organisations, extending their reach and international character. The expected outcomes for supported candidates include a broader and more varied set of research competences and improved career prospects across both academic and non-academic paths. Because the funding flows through institutions rather than directly to individuals, the doctoral positions created will be advertised by those institutions after the grant is awarded. Keeping track of which organisations are building or expanding COFUND doctoral programmes in your area gives you advance notice of where strong opportunities will appear.
Preparation step. Identify universities and research centres in your field that run internationally oriented doctoral programmes, subscribe to their news channels and vacancy boards, and prepare a clear research statement and CV so you can respond quickly when COFUND-supported positions are opened for recruitment.
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 Sklodowska-Curie Actions Choose Europe for Science is a COFUND instrument aimed at postdoctoral programmes, with a particular emphasis on career stability and greater researcher autonomy. The call also expects participating organisations to align their human resources and recruitment practices with the European Charter for Researchers and related European frameworks for attracting and retaining research talent. For an early-career researcher, this signals that funded fellowships within awarded programmes will be embedded in institutions committed to transparent and supportive career development. Monitoring which organisations secure this funding will help you identify environments that are actively investing in postdoctoral career structures.
Preparation step. Research institutions in your discipline that are already aligned with the European Charter for Researchers principles, note which ones are likely to apply under this instrument, and build connections with potential supervisors or programme coordinators so you are well placed when postdoctoral recruitment opens under awarded grants.
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 Sklodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships are one of the instruments where an individual researcher applies directly, together with a chosen host organisation and supervisor, making this a genuinely personal application rather than an institutional one. The fellowship is designed to broaden research and transferable competences through international and inter-sectoral experience, and the expected outcomes include stronger networking and communication capacities alongside improved career prospects. The call also expects host organisations to align working conditions with the European Charter for Researchers, which has practical implications for the quality of the research environment you would enter. Because you shape the proposal yourself, early preparation and a well-developed research idea are central to a strong submission.
Preparation step. Draft an outline of the research project you would pursue, identify a prospective host organisation and supervisor whose work complements your own, open a conversation with that supervisor well before the submission period, and verify all eligibility conditions including the mobility rule on the official topic page before investing significant time in the full application.
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. All calls close at 17:00 Brussels time on their stated deadline, and readers should confirm the exact cutoff and any updates on each call's own topic page. 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.