MSCA - Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN)
The MSCA – Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN) is part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme. 5 different types of grants are available in the MSCA programme, aiming to set up different types of training networks or training programmes. Other grants fund fellowships or events to increase the popularity of science in society.
What are Doctoral Networks?
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN) are EU-funded programs designed to implement doctoral programmes and support structured PhD training across Europe and beyond through collaborative research and innovation projects. These networks bring together a diverse network of organisations from different sectors and disciplines, including: universities, research institutions, research centres, research infrastructures, private sector entities (including SMEs), and other socio-economic actors. Their goal is to implement high-quality, international, and intersectoral doctoral education programs that foster collaboration between academia and industry.
MSCA-DN overview
Grant amount: Varies depending on location and project duration
Total budget in 2025: €597.8 million
Funding rate: 100%
Call opens: May 28th, 2025
Call deadline: November 25th, 2025
Project duration: up to four years (five for Joint Doctorates)
What is the goal of MSCA-DN?
The primary goal of MSCA Doctoral Networks is to train the next generation of creative, innovative, and resilient researchers. The program aims to:
- Equip researchers with research-related skills and transferable competences, enhancing their career development and long-term employability in both academic and non-academic sectors.
- Foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and the ability to convert ideas into practical applications with economic and societal benefits.
- Promote mobility and exposure to different sectors and knowledge transfer through international, intersectoral, and interdisciplinary collaboration across borders and exposure to varied environments.
- Improve the quality and attractiveness of research careers in Europe through better working and employment conditions, aiming to employ researchers who can create new knowledge and drive impact in society.
Who can apply to MSCA-DN?
Applications to the MSCA-DN program must come from international consortia that include:
- At least three independent legal entities, each established in a different EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country, with one located in an EU Member State.
- Additional partners from any country in the world, including those outside the EU and Horizon Europe association.
These consortia should reflect collaboration between different sectors and disciplines, ensuring meaningful exposure across borders for doctoral candidates.
What does MSCA-DN funding cover?
MSCA Doctoral Networks provide funding for any field of research and innovation and can run for up to four years (five years for Joint Doctorates). Fellowships for individual researchers typically last 3 to 36 months (up to 48 months for Joint Doctorates). Each beneficiary must employ researchers by recruiting at least one doctoral candidate, who may also undertake secondments anywhere in the world to gain complementary skills and exposure to different sectors and contexts.
The EU funding covers:
- Living allowance
- Mobility allowance
- Additional allowances (e.g. family, long-term leave, or special needs) where applicable
- Research, training, and networking activities
- Management and indirect costs
What are the expected outcomes of Doctoral Networks?
Proposals under this Action should contribute to the following expected outcomes:
- Benefits for both Doctoral Candidates and Participating Organisations
- Train creative, entrepreneurial, innovative and resilient doctoral candidates (DCs) able to face current and future challenges; convert knowledge and ideas into products and services and achieve sustainable economic and social benefit
- Offer training in research-related skills and competences for innovation and long-term employability
- Expose the DCs to academic and non-academic sectors for developing transferable skills
- Enhance cooperation and knowledge transfer between sectors and disciplines
- Strengthen Europe’s human capital base in R&I through highly-skilled doctoral candidates
- Improve attractiveness of researchers’ careers in Europe notably through better working and employment condition
- Enhance talent and knowledge circulation across the R&I landscape through inter-sectoral, interdisciplinary and international mobility
How to apply
The European Commission provides a guide to prepare for your application.
More information on the application process.
More about this call: HORIZON-MSCA-2025-DN-01-01
About MSCA
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Programme offers five different types of grants aiming to strengthen Europe’s research activities and innovation capacity by investing in researchers’ long-term careers. The programme, part of Horizon Europe, aims to set up different types of training networks (MSCA-DN) or training programmes (MSCA-COFUND), while other grants fund fellowships (MSCA-PF) and events (MSCA-NIGHT) to increase the popularity of science in society.
More MSCA grants or visit the website
About Catalyze
At Catalyze we commit ourselves to accelerate innovations that have a positive impact on the world. We are the driving force for innovations across the fields of Life Sciences and Sustainability. Our offering of strategic consulting services, funding consulting, project management and more, deliver impactful expertise for all development stages. With a proven track record and the highest quality and success rate in the industry, we aim to be the consulting partner of choice to drive the success of meaningful innovation projects.
