Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) 2026

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are research training and career-development programmes funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe. They support researchers at different career stages, especially doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers, and are widely used by universities, research institutes, companies, and non-academic partners across Europe and beyond.

MSCA is known for promoting international, interdisciplinary, and inter-sectoral mobility. Depending on the scheme, funding may support doctoral networks, postdoctoral fellowships, and other structured training or staff-mobility activities. Reference postings show MSCA-funded opportunities in many fields, including engineering, computer science, law, health sciences, materials science, life sciences, and humanities, confirming that the programme is open to all research disciplines.

Funding usually covers the researcher through an employment-based package that may include salary or living allowance, mobility support, possible family allowance, and funding for research, training, networking, conference travel, and secondments. Some projects or doctoral networks may also provide additional institutional support, career development activities, and access to health or social benefits through the host organisation.

Eligibility depends on the specific MSCA scheme. For Postdoctoral Fellowships, applicants normally need a PhD, must comply with mobility rules, and usually must have no more than 8 years of research experience after the PhD at the call deadline, with some exceptions under programme rules. For doctoral positions funded through MSCA Doctoral Networks or COFUND programmes, applicants are generally expected not to already hold a PhD and must also satisfy mobility requirements.

MSCA opportunities are hosted in many countries, especially across Europe, with some schemes also allowing an outgoing phase outside Europe and a return phase to a European host. Applications are typically made either through a specific host institution recruiting for an MSCA-funded position or, for fellowship schemes, jointly with a host organisation through the official EU Funding & Tenders system.