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Postdoctoral Fellowships

The information provided on this page is a summary of the main rules and requirements for Postdoctoral Fellowships (PFs) and who can apply for them.

Objective of Postdoctoral Fellowships

The objective of PFs is to support researchers’ careers and foster excellence in research. The Postdoctoral Fellowships action targets researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers. PFs help researchers gain experience in other countries, disciplines and non-academic sectors.

Types of Postdoctoral Fellowship

There are 2 types of Postdoctoral Fellowships:

  1. European Postdoctoral Fellowships. They are open to researchers moving within Europe or coming to Europe from another part of the world to pursue their research career. These fellowships take place in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country and can last between 1 and 2 years. Researchers of any nationality can apply.
  2. Global Postdoctoral Fellowships. They fund the mobility of researchers outside Europe. The fellowship lasts between 2 to 3 years, of which the first 1 to 2 years will be spent in a non-associated Third Country, followed by a mandatory return phase of 1 year to an organisation based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. Only nationals or long-term residents of the EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries can apply.

Both types of fellowships may also include short-term secondments anywhere in the world during the fellowship (except during the return phase of a Global Fellowship).

In an effort to build bridges between the academic and non-academic sector, researchers can receive additional support to carry out a placement of up to 6 months in a non-academic organisation based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. This placement needs to take place at the end of their fellowship.

For Postdoctoral Fellowships in research areas covered by the Euratom Research and Training Programme, researchers need to be nationals or long-term residents of an EU Member State or a Euratom Associated Country. The beneficiary organisation recruiting the researcher also needs to be established in an EU Member State or Euratom Associated Country.

Who can apply for Postdoctoral Fellowships?

Interested researchers submit an application together with a host organisation, which can be a university, research institution, business, SME or other organisation based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. All disciplines are eligible for Postdoctoral Fellowships, including research areas covered by the Euratom Research and Training Programme.

Researchers interested in PFs

  • should have a PhD degree at the time of the deadline for applications. Applicants who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will also be considered eligible to apply
  • must have a maximum of eight years experience in research, from the date of the award of their PhD degree, years of experience outside research and career breaks will not count towards the above maximum, nor will years of experience in research in third countries, for nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries who wish to reintegrate to Europe
  • should comply with mobility rules: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the beneficiary (for European Postdoctoral Fellowships), or the host organisation for the outgoing phase (for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline

As from 2022, resubmission restrictions will apply for applications that received a score below 70% the previous year.

Seals of Excellence will be awarded to applications with a total score equal to or higher than 85%, but which cannot be funded due to lack of budget available under the call.

What does the funding cover?

The beneficiary receiving EU funding needs to recruit the researcher for the total period of the fellowship.

The EU provides support for the recruited researcher in the form of

  • a living allowance
  • a mobility allowance
  • if applicable, family, long-term leave and special needs allowances

In addition, funding is provided for

  • research, training and networking activities
  • management and indirect costs

How to apply?

Researchers: prepare an application with a host organisation of your choice

If you are an experienced researcher interested in developing your own research project you can apply for Postdoctoral Fellowships.

Application process

You will need to

To find a host organisation

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. You will need to check carefully the requirements to make sure you are eligible to apply.

Relevant documents and information

All relevant documents are available for each call on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal, including

For more information on the application and evaluation process and contact points for further guidance

Organisations: attract experienced researchers and prepare an application

As an organisation based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country you can develop an application jointly with an experienced researcher for MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships funding.

Application process

To attract the most talented researchers you can post hosting offers on Euraxess and other major job portals, gaining access to a pool of international minds and high potentials interested in applying with your organisation.

As the host organisation you will be responsible for submitting the application to MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships on behalf of the researcher.

The completed proposal, including all annexes

  • can be submitted at any time from the opening date of the chosen call
  • should be submitted by the specified submission deadline of the chosen call

If the submitted proposal is retained for funding, your organisation will be in charge of

  • recruiting
  • supervising
  • hosting
  • training
  • where appropriate, seconding the researcher

Applicants can

Relevant documents and information

All relevant documents are available on the dedicated call page on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal, including

For more information on the application and evaluation process and contact points for further guidance