This article provides guidance for organisations wishing to apply to the MSCA Choose Europe for Science scheme. If you are a researcher looking for vacancies or funding supported by MSCA, check our How to Apply guidance.
The call is open and will close on 3 December 2025.
If you are considering applying for MSCA Choose Europe for Science, here are some useful tips and guidance to start preparing your proposal.
6 steps to prepare your application |
Step 1: Get familiar with how funding works
Have a look at the Choose Europe for Science page and key resources for an introduction to the scheme’s features.
Consult the MSCA Work Programme and annexes for all details about the call.
The Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal is the one-stop-shop for future applicants, offering useful resources such as
- the Guide for Applicants is the best starting point for any organisation interested in the scheme
- proposal templates and application forms, evaluation forms and evaluation criteria, and many other resources.
Co-funding modalities
Note that the Choose Europe for Science 2025 call uses a different co-funding model than the standard MSCA COFUND action. Project funding is divided into a first EU-funded phase (24 or 36 months), where a Choose Europe for Science allowance is provided, and a second phase (24 months) in which beneficiaries are fully responsible for sourcing the necessary funding.
The Choose Europe for Science allowance is an EU contribution that can be used to support any cost items of the programme during the first phase (for the researcher and/or institution).
Applicants are responsible for topping-up EU funding with their own or external complementary funds to implement the programme.
Individual cost items of the proposal may be fully or partially funded through other resources including EU programmes other than Horizon 2020 or Horizon Europe.
Step 2: Make sure your organisation can apply
Applicants
MSCA Choose Europe for Science is a “mono-beneficiary” action. This means that only one organisation based in the EU or a country associated to Horizon Europe applies.
Any type of organisation that can recruit researchers can apply to Choose Europe for Science, including
- higher education institutions
- research institutions and infrastructures
- private sector organisations, including industry, businesses, and small and medium-sized enterprises
- public sector organisations, including national, regional, and local governments, agencies, and museums
- other socio-economic actors including NGOs, think-tanks, charities, etc.
The beneficiary must recruit and host the researchers.
Associated partners
- train researchers or host them for short secondments
- can be established anywhere in the world, and be from any socioeconomic sector
- do not employ researchers
- do charge costs nor claim contributions
If you are not sure about your country’s status, have a look at the list of participating countries to Horizon Europe.
If your organisation is taking part in an EU-funded programme for the first time, you will need to register your organisation and get a participant identification code (PIC) number to participate in this call.
Researchers
MSCA Choose Europe for Science programmes will need to recruit at least 3 researchers who
- must have a PhD by the vacancy notice deadline
- can be of any nationality
- must comply with the “mobility rule”: they must not have lived or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary or implementing partner for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the vacancy notice deadline
- must not already be permanently employed at the beneficiary institution, but may be temporarily employed given they adhere to the mobility rule
- can carry out secondments at associated partners
Limitations on the researchers' origin and destination should be avoided.
Step 3: Find the best partners to prepare your proposal
MSCA Choose Europe for Science programmes are implemented by a single beneficiary that is responsible for recruiting and hosting the researchers, in conjunction or not with other organisations (associated partners) that can train researchers or host them during the short secondments.
To apply you will need to prepare a proposal (with potential associated partners, if applicable) following some minimum requirements (see specific conditions in the MSCA Work Programme).
You could start by exploring the existing links that your department and organisations have with institutions around Europe and worldwide.
You can also use this call to explore new collaborations and expand your networks.
The following resources may help you find new partners to work with and advertise your organisation.
- MSCA Matchmaking platform
- Funding and tender opportunities portal (see “Partner Search Announcements”)
- If you are looking for partners beyond academia or seeking advice for research-business collaboration, reach out to the European Enterprise Network’s contact points
If you are still uncertain about the eligibility of your project, MSCA National Contact Points can help you go through the criteria.
Step 4: Start drafting your application
To apply successfully, you must know the award criteria and call requirements
- award criteria and budget structure (MSCA Work Programme, p. 67 to 70 and 148 to 155)
- the MSCA Financial Guide offers general guidance on the management and implementation of MSCA projects
- the Horizon Europe Programme Guide offers more guidance on specific aspects evaluated under the award criteria and evaluation process such as
- Gender dimension and inclusiveness (p. 16-20)
- Dissemination and exploitation of research (p. 31-39)
- Open science (p. 40-55)
- you can also watch evaluators’ briefing videos, including on
Core aspects
All future Choose Europe for Science projects will be required to address these core aspects in their proposal.
Evaluation, selection and recruitment of researchers
The selection procedure for candidates must be open, transparent, merit-based, impartial and fair as set out in the European Charter for Researchers.
There can be no pre-selection, including from supervisors.
Applicants may contact a supervisor during the application process, but any suggestion of preselection is to be avoided.
A rationale for the contact should be included (e.g. it should be limited to scientific advice, to discuss the research being proposed, information about expertise/infrastructure available).
Supervisor should not be involved in drafting the proposal.
No approval (from either the proposed supervisor/host organisation) should be required as part of the submission process.
Supervisors shall have no role in the selection/recruitment process or decision making.
There must be substantial involvement of independent evaluators, from outside the partnership, with no conflict of interest, at all stages of the evaluation process and for all submitted applications. The selection committees in charge of selecting the candidates must include independent experts from outside the beneficiary and partnership.
The selection must be done on international peer-review, including evaluators based in other countries than those of the participating organisations. These evaluators must be involved in the evaluation process as well as in the selection committees.
Vacancy notices must be widely advertised through open calls, including on the EURAXESS website, and must include the minimum gross salary offered to the researcher in both project phases.
Research and training activities
Projects should provide opportunities for researchers to build autonomy and develop their career towards concrete prospects through training in both research-specific skills and transferable ones.
Career progression
The beneficiary must link the Choose Europe for Science programme to opportunities offered following the fellowship. These opportunities must include concrete and attractive long-term career prospects, such as pathways towards open-ended contracts. These can be subject to assessment and evaluation, but must be a fair, equal, inclusive, transparent and structured, in line with the European Charter for Researchers.
A career development plan for each recruited researcher must be developed and maintained in order to map their research objectives, and their career development needs towards the concrete prospects offered by the beneficiary.
Step 5: Check your application with your peers
If you want to receive feedback on your draft and get advice you can reach out to
- the MSCA National Contact Point in your country
- your organisation, which may also have resources to verify and submit your application
Step 6: Submit your application
The 2025 call for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Choose Europe for Science is open as of 1 October 2025 and will close on 3 December 2025, 17.00, CET.
During this period, you can prepare and send your application and learn more about the submission process on the call page on the Funding and Tenders Opportunities Portal and through the portal’s online manual.
Become familiar with the Electronic Submission Service, which is the online system you must use to submit proposals.
Submit your proposal as early as possible before the deadline expires to avoid last-minute problems. You can update, download, or withdraw your proposal up until the deadline.
You can see an overview of the evaluation process on the European Research Executive Agency’s website.