Commission invests close to €400 million for postdoctoral researchers

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

Today, the European Commission opens the 2026 call for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships, with a budget of €399.05 million. These fellowships support researchers holding a PhD to carry out their research activities abroad and acquire new skills in different disciplines and sectors. Researchers will benefit by working with leading scientific teams, contributing to the EU’s competitiveness through their cutting-edge research. Applications are open as of today and will close on 9 September 2026.

Since its creation in 1996, more than 150,000 researchers have participated in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, including 23 Nobel laureates, highlighting its long-standing contribution to scientific excellence and international cooperation.

The call is part of over€1.25 billion earmarked for the MSCA in 2026 under the Horizon Europe 2021-2027 to foster excellence in research as highlighted in the ‘Choose Europe’ initiative. Through this funding, the MSCA will continue to support research through doctoral and postdoctoral programmes, research fellowships, and collaborative research and innovation projects.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “Europe’s future is built on knowledge, discovery and talent. For 30 years, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions have empowered researchers to push the boundaries of science and to turn ideas into progress for society. Today, we are renewing that commitment. To researchers around the world, our message is clear: bring your ambition, bring your talent — Europe is your place to innovate and to thrive.”

Building on the programme’s legacy, the anniversary will be celebrated throughout 2026 under the motto ‘30 years of curiosity that changes the world‘, highlighting the programme’s achievements and impact on research careers. Stories, milestones and highlights are already featured on a dedicated anniversary webpage, alongside contributions from the MSCA community, including an interview with Prof. Dr. Hélène Langevin-Joliot, granddaughter of Marie Skłodowska-Curie, among other activities.

Investing in researchers’ training and career development

In addition to the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships call, the Commission will launch two MSCA calls later in 2026 to support researchers’ training and strengthen research careers in Europe:

• MSCA Doctoral Networks (28 May – 24 November 2026): €593.03 million to recruit and train doctoral candidates in academia and other sectors, including industry, businesses and public administrations. The scheme also includes Joint Doctorates and Industrial Doctorates, equipping researchers with a broad set of transferable skills and enhancing their career prospects.
• MSCA Choose Europe for Science(8 December 2026 – 6 April 2027): €51.25 million to increase the attractiveness of European research careers by addressing precarity and offering excellent working conditions, turning the challenge of brain drain in the research and innovation sector into brain gain. It will support projects in which academic and non-academic organisations recruit and co-fund postdoctoral researchers with a vision to employment beyond the project period. The upcoming call follows the 2025 pilot action, the results of which will be published in the coming weeks.

 Two other MSCA 2026 calls were already launched late last year:

• MSCA Staff Exchanges(closes on 16 April 2026): €97.92 million to fund collaborative research and innovation projects, fostering international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary exchanges and knowledge sharing at all stages of the innovation chain.
• MSCA COFUND(closed on 8 April 2026): €105.46 million to help organisations create or enhance their own doctoral training and postdoctoral fellowship programmes. The aim is to attract and recruit talented researchers, developing their skills and advancing their careers.

Background

From pioneering European research fellowships in the 1990s to shaping research careers today, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions has grown into the European Union’s flagship programme for researcher’s training, mobility and career development – open to all disciplines and sectors. It attracts global talent, strengthens links with industry and non-academic actors, and contributes to a more integrated European Research Area.

For more information

More information on the MSCA 2026 calls

Learn more about the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Work Programme 2026-2027

30 years of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Factsheet: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions 2021-2027 – 30 years of EU support to researchers’ skills and career development