Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA PF)

1. Overview

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are one of the most important European funding schemes for early-career researchers. They fund international mobility and research training across all disciplines, with strong emphasis on research independence and interdisciplinarity. MSCA application is usually co-designed with your host, therefore establishing contacts early is crucial. MSCA has two Postdoctoral Fellowships tracks:

European Postdoctoral Fellowships

Duration: 12–24 months
Open to researchers of any nationality
Goal: come to Europe from any country in the world or move within Europe
Language: English
Disciplines: all fields
Eligibility: no more than 8 years of postdoctoral research experience
Deadline: September (annually)

Global Postdoctoral Fellowships:

Duration: 24–36 months
Open to European nationals or long-term residents
Goal: international mobility, within and beyond Europe;
- an outgoing phase of minimum 12 and maximum 24 months in a non-associated Third Country
- a mandatory 12-month return phase to a host organisation based in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country
Language: English
Disciplines: all fields
Eligibility: no more than 8 years of postdoctoral research experience
Deadline: September (annually)

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships official page

Approximate timeline:

Call opens: April/May
Deadline: September (annual)
Evaluation: autumn–winter
Results: February–April next year
Start date: usually 6–9 months after acceptance

Approximate success rate: 10% (10,000–17,000 applications annually)

2. Eligibility

Applicants must hold a PhD at deadline (or be close to completion) and no more than eight years of postdoctoral experience. MSCA has a strong mobility rule: you must not have lived or worked in potential host country for more than 12 months in last 36 months. Your chosen host institution must be in the European Union or an associated third country.

3. Deadlines and alternative funding

Researchers should be aware that many host institutions set internal deadlines several months before the official MSCA submission deadline. These internal deadlines allow institutions to review proposals, arrange supervisory support, and provide feedback on applications. For example, some institutions may require an expression of interest or draft proposal as early as May (e.g. EUI), even though the European Commission deadline is typically in September. Applicants are therefore strongly encouraged to contact prospective host institutions well in advance and inquire about any internal procedures or deadlines.

Additionally, applicants who receive a high evaluation score but are not funded may be awarded a Seal of Excellence, which recognises the quality of the proposal and can facilitate access to alternative funding opportunities. Several countries and regions have established funding schemes that support Seal of Excellence holders, although availability varies considerably across Europe. Researchers are, therefore, encouraged to ask prospective host institutions whether their country or region participates in Seal of Excellence support schemes and what opportunities may be available if the proposal is not funded through MSCA.

4. Timeline or when to start preparing

12–18 months before deadline

identify 2–3 potential host institutions
search for supervisors with strong EU funding track record
send initial contact emails with:
- short CV
- 1–2 page concept note
start refining research idea into MSCA format (training + mobility + impact logic)

6–12 months before deadline

confirm host agreement (informal first, then formal support)
develop proposal structure together
align project with host research agenda
identify training components (methods, labs, networks, secondments)
Check potential host-institution's internal deadlines for pre-selection

3–6 months before deadline

full draft proposal
iterative feedback with host
refine “Excellence / Impact / Implementation” sections
prepare CV and track record section in MSCA format

5. Host institution strategy

Strong relationship with a mentor in a host institution is essential for the MSCA scheme. Ideal hosts have prior MSCA fellows, are active in Horizon Europe and/or are willing to co-write proposal with you. Contact your host before the call opens. Your first contact with a potential mentor should include:

short research idea (not yet a full proposal)
CV

6. Strategy tips

Success in MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships is strongly shaped by the quality of the match between the applicant and the host institution, and in many cases this alignment is decisive for competitiveness. The project itself needs to go beyond a purely research-driven proposal and clearly demonstrate both a training dimension and a mobility rationale, showing how the fellowship will contribute to the applicant’s skills development, career progression, and exposure to new academic environments.

In the social sciences and humanities in particular, interdisciplinary framing often strengthens an application by situating the research within broader debates and methodological approaches, which reviewers tend to value as evidence of originality and relevance. At the same time, successful proposals balance a credible and well-developed implementation plan with a clear theoretical or conceptual contribution, ensuring that feasibility and intellectual advancement are treated with equal importance. Even when a project addresses global questions, it is essential to articulate a clear European added value, whether through institutional collaboration, comparative perspectives, or relevance to European research agendas and policy contexts.

Finally, applicants need to structure their proposals in line with the MSCA evaluation criteria: Excellence, Impact, and Implementation. Reviewers assess applications explicitly through this framework, and strong proposals integrate all three dimensions coherently rather than treating them as separate or secondary considerations.