What should you know about the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships?

The European Commission promotes excellent researchers and their innovative approaches within the framework programme "Horizon Europe", which runs until 2027. Part of this programme are the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships for individual research projects. The focus is on postdocs who can already demonstrate first academic achievements and have potential for excellent research.

Corner stones of the MSCA PF funding:

• The postdoctoral researchers implement their individual projects and at the same time acquire new professional skills for their future career through advanced training.
• For the MSCA European Postdoctoral Fellowships the funding is provided for a duration of 12 to 24 months, and for MSCA Global Postdoctoral Fellowships for 24 to 36 months.
• International, interdisciplinary and intersectoral mobility is of central importance.
• All disciplines are eligible to apply for Postdoctoral Fellowships, including the research areas covered by the Euratom Research and Training Program.
• The programme also encourages researchers to work on research and innovation projects in the non-academic sector.
• It is open to postdoctoral researchers world-wide, including EU nationals who wish to return to Europe, those who have been displaced by conflict, as well as to those with high potential and seeking to re-enter the academic sector.
• Applications are made jointly by the researcher and a host in the academic or non-academic sector. The final application should be submitted by the host institution.

There are two funding lines:

• European Postdoctoral Fellowships
  These grants are open to researchers moving within Europe or coming to Europe from another part of the world to pursue their research career. These fellowships take place in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country and can last between one and two years. Researchers of any nationality can apply.
  Further information on this funding line can be found on the website of the National Contact Point
• Global Postdoctoral Fellowships
  These grants fund the mobility of researchers to a destination outside Europe. The fellowship lasts between two and three years, of which the first one to two years will be spent in a non-EU or associated country, followed by a mandatory return phase of one year to an organisation based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. Only nationals or long-term residents of the EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries can apply.
  Further information on this funding line on the website of the National Contact Point

Researchers interested in the MSCA PF should:

• hold a PhD degree at the time of the deadline for applications. Applicants who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree are also considered eligible to apply;
• have a maximum of eight years’ experience in research, from the date of the award of their PhD degree. Years of experience outside research and career breaks (e.g. parental leaves) will not count towards the above maximum, nor will years of experience in research in non-EU or associated countries for nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries who wish to reintegrate to Europe;
• comply with mobility rules: the researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, study, etc.) in the country of the host institution (for European Postdoctoral Fellowships), or the host organisation for the outgoing phase (for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline.
• As of 2022, resubmission restrictions will apply for applications that received a score below 70% the previous year.

The application is made jointly by the researcher and the host institution. The final application should be submitted by the host institution.

• Funded researchers are employed by the host institution for the total period of the fellowship.
• The EU provides support for the researcher in the form of living allowance, mobility allowance, and, if applicable, family, long-term leave and special needs allowances. In addition, funding is provided for research, training and networking activities, as well as administrative and indirect costs. Find further information on research funding here (pages 117-119 & pages 140-141 which provide additional information on how the EU supports researchers with grants for living expenses, mobility allowances, family allowances if applicable, long-term leave allowances, and allowances for special needs.)

• The fellowships may also include short-term secondments anywhere in the world (except during the return phase of a Global Fellowship).
• Researchers can receive additional support at the end of the project in order to carry out a placement of up to six months in a non-academic organisation based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.

Further information from the National Contact Point MSC.