Application Deadline: 9 September 2026
LOCATION: Europe
Postdoctoral Fellowships offer researchers holding a PhD the opportunity to acquire new skills through advanced training and international, interdisciplinary, and inter-sectoral mobility. The 2026 call for the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships is open as of 9 April 2026. The call will close on 9 September 2026 and is expected to fund nearly 1600 projects.
ELIGIBILITY:
The call is open to applications in any scientific field, including Euratom research.
Fellowships include:
European Postdoctoral Fellowships, open to researchers of any nationality to carry out a personalised project in the European Union (EU) or countries associated to Horizon Europe for up to 24 months
Global Postdoctoral Fellowships, open to EU and Horizon Europe-associated countries nationals or long-term residents wishing to work with organisations in third countries for a period of 12 to 24 months, before returning to Europe for 12 months
The scheme encourages researchers to gain experience beyond academia by giving them the opportunity to request an additional six months at the end of their fellowship to undertake a placement in a non-academic organisation in Europe.
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to postdoctoral researchers from all over the world, of any nationality and at any career stage, with a maximum of 8 years of research experience after their PhD.
Some exceptions and specific conditions apply, for instance, for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships and Euratom research.
Researchers must develop an application with their prospective supervisor and apply together with their future host organisation, which can be
A university
A research institution or facility
A company, small or medium-sized enterprise
A government, public institution, or body
A museum, hospital, or NGO
Any other organisation
Based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe associated country.
Researchers applying to Global Fellowships will need to seek the commitment of an organisation based in a third country, as they will carry out their research there for a period of between 12 and 24 months.
The call is open to researchers wishing to reintegrate in Europe, to those displaced by conflict, and as well to researchers with high potential who are seeking to restart their careers.
ERA Fellowships: Researchers applying for a standard European Fellowship with a host organisation in a “widening country” and outermost regions (i.e. less advanced countries in terms of R&I performance in Horizon Europe) can opt in to be considered for the ERA Fellowships call.
Around 40 ERA Fellowships will be awarded to excellent applicants who were not selected under the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships call due to budget constraints. Find the eligible host countries for ERA Fellowships.
BENEFIT:
With a budget of €399.05 million, the grants target researchers holding a PhD and aim to help them acquire new skills, develop their careers, and gain international, interdisciplinary, and inter-sectoral experience by working in another country.
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