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Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Developing talents, advancing research

How to apply

This page will guide you through the main steps to apply for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) funding. Here, you will learn

  • which is the best type of funding for you to apply for
  • how to apply
  • how to find a job (for individuals)
  • where to find more information and guidance

For more detail on the types of applicants eligible for each of the MSCA, and to check the specific conditions of each call on the MSCA Work Programme, visit the About MSCA page.

Apply as an organisation

As an organisation or consortium of organisations, you can submit an application to an open call for Doctoral Networks, Postdoctoral Fellowships, Staff Exchanges, COFUND or MSCA and Citizens. Below you will find the main steps you should follow throughout the process.

Before the publication of the call

  1. Find out which action and call is suitable for your organisation or consortium.
  2. Find partners you would like to work with and advertise your organisation as a possible partner for the call of your interest. This information is available in the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal through the “Partner Search” function. For MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships, find researchers interested in developing an application with your organisation by posting hosting offers on Euraxess and other major job portals.
  3. Sign in to the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal. To register for an account or to use your existing account, follow the link to the EU Login account page.
  4. You need to register your organisation to participate in a proposal or call. Follow the link to register your organisation to get a PIC number.
  5. Get further guidance on participation when you contact the National Contact Point in your country. Follow the link to contact the MSCA NCPs.

Once the call is open

  1. When the call is announced on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal, you should carefully read the guidance documents posted. Some of the key documents are 
  2. Contact your partners to gather all the details you need for the application.
  3. Start writing your proposal and fill in all the administrative forms and annexes. You can allow your partners to contribute.
  4. Become familiar with the Electronic Submission Service, which is the online system you must use to submit proposals.
  5. Submit your proposal as early as possible before the deadline expires to avoid last-minute submission problems. You will get an ‘acknowledgement of receipt’ e-mail for each submission.

After the deadline

  1. The European Research Executive Agency (REA) will check whether your proposal meets the call’s eligibility criteria.
  2. All eligible proposals are evaluated by external experts.
  3. You will receive further information as your proposal progresses through the evaluation.
  4. You will receive an email to inform you when the evaluation results are ready. You can check them through the ‘My area’ tab in the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal.

If your proposal is successful, you will be invited to sign a grant agreement with the EU.

Apply for postdoctoral funding and positions

Apply for MSCA postdoctoral vacancies

If you are an individual researcher looking for a postdoctoral position funded by the MSCA, take a look at the list of vacancies published on EURAXESS, the EU's portal for researchers.

This list is updated on a daily basis. You will find the full requirements of the position you are interested in and be able to apply directly to the institution or project of your choice.

EURAXESS provides a range of services to professional researchers including thousands of job postings in and outside of the EU. The portal is more than just a jobs service. You can find advice about visas, pensions, taxation, recognition of qualifications and other issues related to working as a researcher abroad. Detailed country-by-country contact information is available through the National Portals section.

MSCA National Contact Points in your future host country can also help you navigate through the application process and participation rules.

Apply to MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships

If you are an experienced researcher interested in developing your own research project, you can apply for Postdoctoral Fellowships. You will need to develop an application jointly with your chosen host organisation and submit it to the next call for Postdoctoral Fellowships published on the Funding and Tenders Opportunities Portal.

Below you will find the basic steps you should follow throughout the process.

  1. Find out which type of Postdoctoral Fellowships is suitable to your project: European Postdoctoral Fellowships or Global Postdoctoral Fellowships
  2. Check carefully the requirements to make sure you are eligible to apply. The following documents, available for each call on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal and the website of the European Research Executive Agency (REA), are key to learn more.
  3. Find a host organisation. Euraxess publishes hosting offers (expressions of interest) from research institutions interested in supporting your application to the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships calls. Offers are often in very concrete fields of research proposed by the host organisation. In many cases, you will be in contact with a supervisor to develop your application.
  4. Get familiar with the application process and the required documents and forms. Hosting organisations and their research offices will often offer you training and guidance to prepare a successful research proposal and submit it. A number of online portals and regular webinars also offer specific guidance on how to prepare and submit your proposal.
  5. Get further guidance on participation through the National Contact Point in your country. Follow the link to contact the MSCA NCPs.

Apply for MSCA PhD vacancies

If you are an individual researcher looking for a PhD position funded by the MSCA, take a look at the list of vacancies published on EURAXESS, which is updated daily.

EURAXESS is the EU's portal for researchers. You will find the full requirements of the position you are interested in and be able to apply directly to the institution or project of your choice.

EURAXESS provides a range of services to professional researchers including thousands of job postings in and outside of the EU. The portal is more than just a jobs service. As a future researcher you can find advice about visas, pensions, taxation, recognition of qualifications and other issues related to working as a researcher abroad. Detailed country-by-country contact information is available through the National Portals section.

MSCA National Contact Points in your future host country can also help you navigate through the application process and participation rules.