Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are the European Union's flagship programme for doctoral training, postdoctoral research, and researcher mobility. Operating under Pillar I (Excellent Science) of Horizon Europe, MSCA funds the training, career development, and cross-border movement of researchers at all career stages, as established by Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 2021/695. With a budget of approximately EUR 6.6 billion for 2021-2027, MSCA has supported over 150,000 researchers since its inception, fostering international and intersectoral mobility as the foundation of a dynamic European research ecosystem.

How It Works

MSCA operates through five distinct action types, each targeting a specific research career stage and mobility objective:

1. Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN). Doctoral Networks fund training programmes for doctoral candidates, implemented by a partnership of at least three organizations from three different countries. Each network recruits 3-15 doctoral candidates (or more for larger networks) who undertake their PhD research within the network, benefiting from structured training, secondments between institutions, and exposure to both academic and non-academic sectors.

Doctoral candidates in MSCA-DN are recruited through open, transparent, merit-based calls published on the EURAXESS portal. They must satisfy the mobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the country of their host institution for more than 12 months in the 36 months preceding their recruitment date. Candidates must be early-stage researchers — at the time of recruitment, they must not yet have been awarded a doctoral degree.

Each doctoral candidate receives a living allowance of approximately EUR 3,400/month (adjusted by a country correction coefficient), a mobility allowance of EUR 600/month, and, if eligible, a family allowance of EUR 660/month. The host institution receives additional unit costs for research, training, and management (approximately EUR 1,000/month for research/training and EUR 1,200/month for management and overheads). Total funding per researcher-month is approximately EUR 5,900 before country correction.

Doctoral Networks run for 48 months (the project) with individual researcher contracts typically lasting 3-36 months (with a minimum of 3 months).

2. Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF). Individual fellowships for experienced researchers (holders of a doctoral degree or with at least four years of full-time research experience) who wish to conduct research at a host institution in a different country. Fellowships are evaluated on the quality of the researcher, the research project, and the training and career development plan.

Fellowships come in two types: European Fellowships (12-24 months at a host in an EU or Associated Country) and Global Fellowships (12-24 months at a host in a third country, followed by a mandatory 12-month return phase at a European institution). The mobility rule applies: the researcher must not have resided in the country of the European host for more than 12 months in the 36 months prior to the call deadline.

Postdoctoral Fellows receive unit costs similar to Doctoral Network candidates but at higher rates reflecting their career stage: living allowance of approximately EUR 5,080/month (country-corrected), mobility allowance of EUR 600/month, and family allowance of EUR 660/month.

3. Staff Exchanges (MSCA-SE). Staff Exchanges fund secondments of research and innovation staff between organizations in different countries and sectors. Unlike DN and PF, Staff Exchanges are open to researchers at all career levels, including technical and administrative staff. The programme supports secondments of 1-12 months between academic and non-academic organizations (intersectoral) and between organizations in different countries (international). The mandatory element is cross-sector or cross-country mobility (or both). Funding is provided as a unit cost of EUR 2,300/month per secondment.

4. COFUND (MSCA-COFUND). COFUND co-finances existing or new doctoral programmes and fellowship schemes at national or regional level. Organizations propose structured training programmes, and MSCA provides co-funding for the researcher allowances. This enables national bodies to align their fellowship programmes with MSCA standards (international mobility, intersectoral exposure, structured training). COFUND projects must recruit at least 30 researchers.

5. MSCA and Citizens (formerly Researchers' Night). This action funds public engagement events held annually across Europe (and beyond), bringing researchers and the public together through interactive exhibitions, experiments, and discussions. While not a research funding instrument per se, it promotes public understanding of research and the researcher profession.

Legal Framework

Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 2021/695 establishes MSCA within Pillar I of Horizon Europe. The regulation specifies that MSCA shall support training and career development of researchers through international and intersectoral mobility, and shall be open to researchers at all career stages.

The Horizon Europe Work Programme (Part 3: Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions) published biennially provides the specific call topics, budgets, evaluation criteria, and eligibility conditions for each MSCA action type. The work programme is the primary reference for applicants.

The MSCA Model Grant Agreement specifies the unit cost rates, the mobility rule implementation, the eligibility conditions for researchers, and the reporting requirements. The unit cost funding model is a distinctive feature of MSCA: rather than reimbursing actual costs, MSCA pays fixed amounts per researcher-month for defined cost categories (living allowance, mobility, family, research/training/management). This simplifies financial management considerably.

The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers are referenced in MSCA as guiding documents for the treatment and recruitment of funded researchers. Compliance with the Charter and Code is an eligibility condition.

The evaluation criteria for MSCA follow the standard three-criteria model (Excellence, Impact, Implementation) but with adapted sub-criteria:

Excellence assesses the quality of the research/training programme, the novelty and ambition of the research project, and the quality of supervision and training arrangements.
Impact assesses the career development potential for the researcher(s), the contribution to structuring doctoral/postdoctoral training, and the outreach and dissemination strategy.
Implementation assesses the work plan, institutional environment, management arrangements, and recruitment strategy.

Practical Examples

Example 1: Doctoral Network in Quantum Computing. A consortium of four universities (in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Denmark) and three technology companies establishes a Doctoral Network recruiting 12 doctoral candidates. Each candidate spends the majority of their PhD at one of the universities but undertakes a 6-month secondment at one of the industrial partners, working on applied quantum algorithm development. The network provides joint training events (workshops, summer schools, transferable skills courses) and each candidate presents at the annual network conference. Total funding: approximately EUR 3.5 million over 48 months.

Example 2: Postdoctoral Fellowship in Climate Science. A Brazilian postdoctoral researcher with a PhD in atmospheric science applies for a European Postdoctoral Fellowship at a Nordic climate research institute. The 24-month fellowship involves developing new climate models incorporating ocean-atmosphere feedback mechanisms. The researcher receives EUR 5,080/month (country-corrected for the host country) plus mobility and family allowances. The fellowship includes a secondment at a national meteorological service to ensure operational relevance.

Example 3: Staff Exchange Between University and Industry. A university biomedical engineering department and a medical device company in different countries establish a Staff Exchange project. Over 48 months, 20 secondments take place: university researchers spend 3-6 months at the company learning about regulatory requirements and product development, while company engineers spend 3-6 months at the university accessing advanced analytical equipment and expertise. Total funding: approximately EUR 600,000 based on unit costs per secondment-month.

Key Considerations for Suppliers

MSCA is relevant for companies, not just universities. While MSCA is primarily associated with academic institutions, companies (including SMEs) play an increasingly important role as partners. In Doctoral Networks, companies provide industrial secondments that give PhD candidates hands-on industry experience. In Staff Exchanges, companies send and receive staff for knowledge exchange. In Postdoctoral Fellowships, companies can host fellows (particularly for Global Fellowship return phases or European Fellowships). Participating in MSCA gives companies access to top research talent, cutting-edge knowledge, and the MSCA network.

Understand the mobility rule thoroughly. The mobility rule is strictly enforced and is the most common cause of researcher ineligibility. For Doctoral Networks and Postdoctoral Fellowships, the researcher must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the country of the host institution for more than 12 months in the 36 months preceding recruitment (DN) or the call deadline (PF). This means a German national working at a German university cannot be hosted by another German institution — they must move to a different country. Plan your researcher recruitment strategy accordingly.

Use the unit cost model strategically. MSCA unit costs provide guaranteed funding per researcher-month. If your organization's actual costs for hosting a researcher are lower than the unit cost rates (particularly in countries with lower cost of living), the surplus can cover additional research expenses, equipment, or institutional overhead. If your costs are higher (particularly in expensive cities), you may need to supplement MSCA funding from institutional resources.

Invest in structured training. MSCA evaluators place high value on the quality and structure of the training programme. A Doctoral Network proposal that simply assigns researchers to supervisors and hopes for the best will score poorly. Successful proposals demonstrate: a structured training curriculum (courses, workshops, summer schools), a supervision plan with regular reviews, transferable skills training (communication, entrepreneurship, ethics), and exposure to both academic and non-academic environments.

Track MSCA alumni. Researchers funded through MSCA often become highly mobile, internationally networked professionals. They may become future collaborators, clients, or employees. Maintaining relationships with MSCA alumni builds a valuable network for future research partnerships, innovation projects, and talent recruitment.

Horizon Europe — The overarching EU R&I programme within which MSCA operates as a Pillar I instrument.
Grant — MSCA fellowships and networks are implemented as EU grants with unit cost funding.
Funding Programme — MSCA is one of several funding instruments under Horizon Europe.
ERC — The European Research Council, the other major Pillar I instrument, funding individual investigator grants.
Evaluation Criteria — MSCA proposals are evaluated against Excellence, Impact, and Implementation with adapted sub-criteria.
Consortium — MSCA Doctoral Networks and Staff Exchanges require multi-partner consortia.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the success rate for MSCA applications?

Success rates vary by action type. Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN) typically have success rates of 20-25% of eligible proposals. Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF) are more competitive, with success rates of 12-18% depending on the panel and year. Staff Exchanges have higher success rates, typically 25-35%. COFUND is the most competitive in terms of budget per project but has a limited number of applications due to the scale of the required programme. Overall, MSCA is competitive but offers better odds than many Pillar II collaborative research topics, particularly for Doctoral Networks.

Can a researcher apply for MSCA more than once?

Yes. There is no limit on the number of MSCA applications a researcher can submit across different career stages. A researcher can be funded as a Doctoral Network candidate (early-stage), then apply for a Postdoctoral Fellowship (experienced researcher), and later participate in a Staff Exchange or serve as a supervisor in a Doctoral Network. However, the same researcher cannot hold two MSCA grants simultaneously. Resubmission of unsuccessful proposals (revised and improved) is explicitly encouraged.

How does MSCA differ from ERC grants?

MSCA and ERC are both Pillar I instruments under Horizon Europe but serve different purposes. ERC funds frontier research projects led by a single Principal Investigator, with evaluation based solely on scientific excellence and the PI's track record. MSCA funds researcher training and mobility, with evaluation based on training quality, career development, and institutional arrangements as well as scientific quality. ERC grants are awarded to the PI's host institution; MSCA grants are awarded to networks (DN), host institutions (PF), or partnership consortia (SE, COFUND). ERC has no mobility requirement; MSCA's mobility rule is a defining feature. In practice, MSCA fellowships are often a stepping stone in a researcher's career trajectory toward an ERC grant.

Want to monitor procurement opportunities? Start your free trial or subscribe to our newsletter for weekly insights.