MSCA Funding 2026–2027: Grants, Deadlines & Eligibility | Catalyze

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are the European Union’s reference programme for doctoral education and postdoctoral training under Horizon Europe. MSCA supports researchers and research-performing organisations through international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility, training and collaboration. The current MSCA portfolio includes Doctoral Networks, Postdoctoral Fellowships, Staff Exchanges, COFUND, MSCA and Citizens, and the Choose Europe for Science initiative. 

What is the goal of the MSCA Work Programme

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Programme aims to enhance the skills of researchers or scientific staff at different stages of their career and support their career development in science. It also promotes international mobility and cooperation, because researchers often need to travel towards another country to gain skills or exchange knowledge. In addition, the programme equips researchers with inter-sectoral exposure, through which it also supports collaborative research projects.

The goal of the Marie Curie calls is to achieve a lasting impact on higher education institutions, research centres and non-academic organisations. The current MSCA portfolio includes Doctoral Networks, Postdoctoral Fellowships, Staff Exchanges, COFUND, MSCA and Citizens, and the Choose Europe for Science initiative. The 2026–2027 MSCA Work Programme has an estimated budget of approximately €1.20 billion in 2026 and €1.18 billion in 2027.

MSCA funding opportunities

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) offer a range of funding opportunities for researchers and research-performing organisations, supporting doctoral and postdoctoral training, international and inter-sectoral mobility, research collaboration and public engagement.

The 2026 calls remain open for MSCA Doctoral Networks.

MSCA Doctoral Networks (DN)

The MSCA-DN grant aims to train a new generation of creative, entrepreneurial and innovative early-stage researchers. Through this training the scheme supports the response to current and future challenges, helping researchers convert knowledge and ideas into products and services for social and economic benefit.

Subsidy: Varies depending on location and project duration

2026 call deadline: 24 Nov 2026;

2027 call: opens 26 May 2027, deadline: 23 November 2027 

Scope: The MSCA-DN scheme aims to train a new generation of creative, entrepreneurial and innovative early-stage researchers. Through this training the scheme supports the response to current and future challenges, helping researchers convert knowledge and ideas into products and services for social and economic benefit.

More about this grant

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship (PF)

Through MSCA-PF individual, trans-national fellowships are awarded to the best or most promising researchers of any nationality, who will be employed in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries. The postdoctoral training programmes take the form of European Fellowships or Global Fellowships. European Fellowships are held in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries and are open to researchers either coming to Europe from any country worldwide or moving within Europe.

Subsidy: Varies depending on location and project duration

2027 call: Opens on 7 April 2027; deadline: 8 September 2027

More about this grant or visit the website

MSCA Staff Exchanges (SE)

The MSCA-SE scheme promotes international and cross-sector collaboration through exchanging research and innovation staff, and sharing knowledge and ideas from research to market (and vice-versa). As a result, the scheme fosters a shared culture of research and innovation that welcomes and rewards creativity and entrepreneurship. This helps to turn creative ideas into innovative products, services or processes.

2027 call: 15 December 2026, deadline: 15 April 2027

Scope: The MSCA-SE scheme promotes international and cross-sector collaboration through exchanging research and innovation staff, and sharing knowledge and ideas from research to market (and vice-versa). As a result, the scheme fosters a shared culture of research and innovation that welcomes and rewards creativity and entrepreneurship. This helps to turn creative ideas into innovative products, services or processes.

More about this grant or visit the website

Co-funding of regional, national and international programmes (COFUND)

The MSCA-COFUND scheme aims to co-fund new or existing regional, national, and international programmes, which provide international, intersectoral and interdisciplinary training. Alongside, MSCA-COFUND also facilitates transnational mobility for researchers at all career stages. In addition, MSCA-COFUND supports doctoral programmes for PhD candidates, as well as fellowship programmes for experienced researchers.

Subsidy: max €10,000,000

2027 call: Opens on 8 December 2026, deadline: 6 April 2027

More about this grant or visit the website

MSCA and Citizens 2027: European Researchers’ Night and Researchers at Schools

The MSCA and Citizens action brings research and researchers closer to the public, particularly families, pupils and students. The 2027 call will support two consecutive editions of the European Researchers’ Night and Researchers at Schools activities in 2028 and 2029. The call is expected to open on 9 March 2027 and close on 8 June 2027, with an indicative total budget of €15.71 million.

European Researchers’ Nights are public events dedicated to bringing researchers closer to the public, which showcase the diversity of research and highlight its impact on our daily lives. Through these events the MSCA-NIGHT scheme also aims to motivate young people to embark on research careers. The events provide an important platform to promote how researchers contribute to our society by displaying their work in an interactive and engaging forum.

Subsidy: €100,000-300,000 per project

2027 call: 9 March 2027, deadline: 8 June 2027

More about this grant or visit the website

MSCA Choose Europe for Science

The MSCA Choose Europe for Science action aims to make research careers in Europe more attractive by offering postdoctoral researchers excellent working conditions and longer-term career prospects. Academic and non-academic organisations recruit postdoctoral researchers and provide employment and training, while committing to continued employment during a beneficiary-funded phase.

Subsidy: Maximum EU contribution of €5,000,000 per beneficiary. The total indicative budget for the 2027 call is €51.25 million.

Deadline: 6 April 2027 (call opens 8 December 2026).

Scope: Choose Europe for Science supports organisations in recruiting at least three postdoctoral researchers and providing them with more stable, attractive research careers. Researchers are supported through an initial EU-funded phase followed by a phase fully funded by the beneficiary, with both phases contributing to their longer-term career prospects and employability.

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