MSCA Postdoctoral EU Fellowship 2026

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA-PF) 2026 is the European Union’s flagship postdoctoral programme, offering approximately 1,600 fully funded fellowships worth €399 million in total to PhD holders of any nationality worldwide. The living allowance is approximately €6,000 per month (adjusted by country coefficient), plus a mobility allowance of €710 per month, a family allowance of €660 per month where applicable, and €1,000 per month in research and training costs. Fellowships last 12 to 24 months (European Fellowship) or up to 36 months including an outgoing phase abroad (Global Fellowship). The call opened on 9 April 2026. The deadline is 9 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. There is no application fee.

If you hold a PhD and want to conduct fully funded postdoctoral research at a leading European university or research institution with one of the most generous monthly packages available in global academia, complete freedom of discipline, and eligibility regardless of your nationality, the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship 2026 is the single most important opportunity open to early-career researchers worldwide right now. Use Our Free Scholarship Calculator.

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Key Details at a Glance

Detail	Information
Programme	MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 (HORIZON-MSCA-2026-PF-01)
Funder	European Commission (Horizon Europe)
Total Budget	€399.05 million
Fellowships Awarded	Approximately 1,600
Living Allowance	~€6,000/month (adjusted by country coefficient)
Mobility Allowance	€710/month
Family Allowance	€660/month (where applicable)
Research and Training Costs	€1,000/month (paid to host institution)
Duration	12 to 24 months (European) / up to 36 months (Global)
Eligible Disciplines	All – no restrictions
Eligible Nationalities	Any country worldwide
Call Opened	9 April 2026
Deadline	9 September 2026, 17:00 Brussels time
Application Fee	None
Results	February 2027
Projects Start	May 2027

What Is the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship?

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions are the European Union’s premier programme for researcher mobility and training, operating under the Horizon Europe framework. Named after the Nobel Prize-winning physicist and chemist Marie Skłodowska-Curie, the MSCA have been the backbone of European research mobility since 1996. In 2026, the programme celebrates its 30th anniversary — and this year’s postdoctoral call represents the largest single investment in individual researcher mobility in the EU’s history at €399 million.

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship specifically supports experienced postdoctoral researchers who want to advance their careers through international mobility, acquire new skills, work in new disciplines or sectors, and conduct research that contributes to the European Research Area. Unlike most competitive fellowships, MSCA-PF has no disciplinary restriction whatsoever. Researchers in chemistry, political science, ecology, machine learning, history, biomedical engineering, sociology, and every other field compete within their own evaluation panels.

The programme is managed by the European Research Executive Agency (REA) and evaluated by independent international expert panels across eight disciplines: Chemistry (CHE), Economic Sciences (ECO), Information Science and Engineering (ENG), Environment and Geosciences (ENV), Life Sciences (LIF), Mathematics (MAT), Physics (PHY), and Social Sciences and Humanities (SOC).

Financial Package: What You Actually Receive

The MSCA-PF financial package is structured as a grant to the host institution, which then employs the fellow under a standard employment contract. This means fellows receive a salary with all associated employment rights, not a stipend, not a scholarship payment, but an employment contract with full social security, pension contributions, and labour law protections.

Living allowance forms the core of the salary. The base rate is approximately €5,440 per month before the country coefficient is applied. Every EU member state and Horizon Europe associated country has a country correction coefficient (CCC) reflecting the local cost of living. For example, Denmark applies a coefficient of 132.8%, making the living allowance approximately €7,224 per month before tax. For Germany, it is approximately 106%, France approximately 101%, the Netherlands approximately 109%, UK approximately 141.7% for MSCA purposes. The effective gross monthly salary from the living allowance alone typically ranges from approximately €5,500 to €8,500, depending on the host country.

Mobility allowance of €710 per month is paid on top of the living allowance to cover relocation and mobility costs. This is not adjusted by country coefficient.

Family allowance of €660 per month is paid to fellows who have dependent children or a partner, regardless of whether the family relocates with the fellow.

Research and training costs of €1,000 per month are paid to the host institution, not the fellow directly, to cover costs associated with the research project: consumables, equipment, conference fees, fieldwork travel, and training activities.

After all mandatory deductions, income tax and social security contributions under the host country’s national law, the net take-home pay varies by country but is typically sufficient to live comfortably in any European city, including high-cost locations like Zurich, Amsterdam, and London.

Two Fellowship Types: European and Global

European Postdoctoral Fellowship (EF)

The standard route. You are hosted by an organisation in an EU member state or a Horizon Europe associated country for 12 to 24 months. You conduct your research there full-time. The fellowship may include a secondment of up to 6 months at a partner organisation in another country, including a non-academic organisation or an organisation in a third country.

Eligibility note: For European Fellowships, you must not have resided or carried out your main activity in the host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the deadline (9 September 2023 to 9 September 2026). This is the mobility rule — it is strictly enforced.

Global Postdoctoral Fellowship (GF)

The less well-known but highly strategic route for Global South researchers. A Global Fellowship has two phases:

The outgoing phase (12 to 24 months): you spend this time at a host organisation outside Europe in any country worldwide, including the US, Canada, Japan, Australia, India, or any other country.

The mandatory return phase (12 months): you return to a host institution in an EU member state or associated country.

The full Global Fellowship is funded for the entire duration – both the outgoing phase abroad and the return phase in Europe.

For researchers from the Global South, the Global Fellowship is particularly strategic: you can spend up to two years at a world-leading institution in your region or any other non-EU country, then return to Europe for the final year while remaining an MSCA fellow throughout. The financial package applies for the entire period.

Eligibility Requirements

PhD requirement: You must hold a PhD at the time of the application deadline (9 September 2026). Applicants who have successfully defended their thesis but not yet formally received the degree certificate are also eligible.

Experience cap: You must have a maximum of 8 years of full-time equivalent research experience from the date your PhD was awarded. Years spent outside research, career breaks, parental leave, clinical training, and other documented interruptions are excluded from this calculation. The MSCA self-assessment tool at the official portal helps you calculate your eligibility.

Mobility rule (European Fellowship): You must not have resided or carried out your main activity in the host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the deadline. For Global Fellowships, the mobility rule applies to the return phase country, not the outgoing phase country.

Nationality: Open to researchers of any nationality worldwide. There are no country restrictions on who can apply.

Resubmission rule: Proposals submitted to MSCA-PF 2025 that received a score below 70% cannot be resubmitted in 2026. Proposals that scored 70% or above but were not funded may be resubmitted.

How to Apply: The 6-Step Process

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship application is submitted jointly by the researcher and the host organisation through the European Commission’s Funding and Tenders Opportunities Portal.

Step 1: Find a host organisation and supervisor. This is the most critical and most time-consuming step. You must identify a university, research institute, company, or other organisation in an EU member state or Horizon Europe associated country (for European Fellowships) that agrees to host your fellowship. The supervisor at this host institution co-develops the research proposal with you. Without a confirmed host and supervisor, you cannot submit. Start this process immediately — the September deadline is closer than it appears.

Step 2: Design your research project. The MSCA proposal is a research proposal, not a CV or personal statement. It consists of three sections evaluated on Excellence (50%), Impact (30%), and Quality and Efficiency of Implementation (20%). The excellence section covers the quality of your research design, your methodology, and the originality of your proposed work. The impact section addresses how your research will benefit your career and broader society. The implementation section covers the feasibility of your project management plan, timeline, and resources.

Step 3: Create an EU Login account. Register at the Funding and Tenders Opportunities Portal (Click Here). Your host institution will submit the proposal but you need your own EU Login to access the proposal template and track your application.

Step 4: Prepare the proposal. The MSCA Guide for Applicants and the proposal template are available on the portal. The proposal uses a standard European Commission template. Each section has a strict page limit — exceeding page limits results in automatic rejection. Attend an MSCA National Contact Point information session in your host country if possible.

Step 5: Submit through the host institution. The Research Executive Agency prefers the host organisation (not the fellow) to submit the final proposal through the portal. Coordinate closely with your host institution’s research grants office — many institutions have internal deadlines 4 to 6 weeks before the September 9 external deadline.

Step 6: Submit before 9 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time. This deadline is absolute. The portal closes exactly at this time and no late submissions are accepted under any circumstances.

Official Portal: ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal

Success Rate and the Seal of Excellence

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship is highly competitive. In 2025, approximately 17,000 proposals were submitted for 1,610 fellowships, with an overall success rate of approximately 9.6%. This varies significantly by panel: some panels are more oversubscribed than others.

Proposals that score above the quality threshold but cannot be funded due to budget constraints receive an MSCA Seal of Excellence, an EU quality certification that confirms the proposal met MSCA standards. The Seal of Excellence is a powerful credential in its own right: many EU member states, regions, and universities have dedicated national funding schemes specifically designed to fund Seal of Excellence holders who were not funded by the main MSCA-PF call. If you receive a Seal of Excellence, you are not simply “unsuccessful”; you have a certified EU-standard research proposal that can unlock alternative funding streams across Europe.

Why the MSCA Fellowship Is Critical for Global South Researchers

The structural reality of research careers in the Global South is that many talented researchers lack access to the international networks, institutional affiliations, and publication platforms that define career advancement in global academia. A single MSCA fellowship changes this structural position completely.

Working for 12 to 24 months as a Marie Curie Fellow at a European university places you permanently within the EU research ecosystem, with co-authored publications from a European institution, supervisory relationships that foster ongoing collaboration, and an institutional affiliation that is immediately legible to funding bodies, journals, and hiring committees worldwide.

The Global Fellowship is even more powerful for researchers who want to maintain connections to their home region: spend your outgoing phase at an institution in your own country or region, conduct the research that matters to your community, and return to Europe for the final year. The entire fellowship is fully funded throughout.

The acceptance rate data confirms real access: the programme consistently funds researchers from nearly 80 nationalities. This is not a European-only programme that happens to accept international applications. It is a genuinely global fellowship that happens to be funded by the EU.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship open to researchers from India, Nigeria, Brazil, or other Global South countries?

Yes. The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship is open to researchers of any nationality worldwide. There are no country restrictions. Researchers from every Global South country are eligible provided they meet the PhD and experience requirements and comply with the mobility rule for their chosen host country.

What is the mobility rule and how does it affect my application?

For European Fellowships, you must not have resided or carried out your main activity in your chosen host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the deadline. This means if you have lived in Germany for more than 12 months since September 2023, you cannot apply for a European Fellowship hosted in Germany. You can, however, apply with a host in France, the Netherlands, or any other European country where you have not been resident. For Global Fellowships, the mobility rule applies to the return phase country, not the outgoing country.

How much will I actually take home each month?

The gross living allowance of approximately €6,000 per month (before country coefficient) is subject to income tax and social security contributions under the laws of the host country. Net take-home pay varies significantly by country. In Germany, the net is approximately €3,800 to €4,200. In the Netherlands approximately €3,900 to €4,300. In Denmark the gross is higher (coefficient 132.8%) but income tax is also higher. The mobility allowance of €710 is paid on top and may be subject to less deduction depending on its classification under national law.

What is the difference between a European Fellowship and a Global Fellowship?

A European Fellowship is hosted entirely in Europe for 12 to 24 months. A Global Fellowship has an outgoing phase of 12 to 24 months at an institution outside Europe followed by a mandatory 12-month return phase at a European institution. The Global Fellowship funds both phases in full.

Can I apply without already having a host institution?

No. A confirmed host organisation and supervisor are required to submit an MSCA proposal. The proposal is a joint document. You cannot apply alone without a host.

What is the Seal of Excellence and is it useful?

The Seal of Excellence is awarded to proposals that meet MSCA quality thresholds but cannot be funded within the available budget. It certifies EU-level research quality and unlocks dedicated national and regional funding schemes across many EU member states. Receiving a Seal of Excellence is a valuable outcome, even without MSCA funding, and you should pursue the national complementary programmes immediately upon notification.

Final Checklist Before You Apply

Confirm you hold a PhD (or will have successfully defended by 9 September 2026)
Calculate your years of research experience using the MSCA self-assessment tool
Identify a host institution and supervisor in Europe and confirm their agreement to host you
Verify you comply with the mobility rule for your chosen host country
Create an EU Login account at the Funding and Tenders Portal
Download the MSCA Guide for Applicants and proposal template from the portal
Check your host institution’s internal deadline, which is typically 4 to 6 weeks before 9 September
Submit before 9 September 2026 at 17:00 Brussels time
Apply at: Click Here

Last updated: June 2026. Budget figures, allowance rates, and timeline dates are based on the HORIZON-MSCA-2026-PF-01 call documentation current at the time of writing. Always verify current rates and requirements on the official MSCA and Funding and Tenders portal pages before submitting. Use Our Free Scholarship Calculator.