MSCA Choose Europe for Science 2027

MSCA Choose Europe for Science 2027 HORIZON-MSCA is a Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie co-funding call to support institutional postdoctoral recruitment programmes that address brain drain and researcher precarity by combining an EU-funded phase (24–36 months) with a beneficiary-funded phase (24 months). Eligible applicants are legal entities established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries such as universities, research-performing organisations and other bodies able to host postdoctoral researchers, and recruited fellows must hold a doctoral degree and comply with MSCA mobility rules. The total indicative topic budget is €51,251,165 for 2027, the call opens 8 December 2026 and the single-stage deadline is 6 April 2027 (17:00 Brussels time) with submissions via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Proposals are evaluated on Excellence (50%), Impact (30%) and Implementation (20%) with an overall threshold of 70/100 and must include open, merit-based selection, career development plans, and advertised vacancies (e.g., EURAXESS) with gross salary information for both phases.

MSCA Choose Europe for Science 2027 — High-level summary

What it funds

Purpose

Co-funded talent recruitment programmes (postdoctoral focus) to tackle brain drain and career precarity by offering attractive, structured research careers and career development aligned with the European Charter for Researchers and the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment.

Programme structure:Two phases: an EU-funded phase (24–36 months) covering direct and indirect costs, plus a beneficiary-funded phase (24 months) where hosts must provide nationally attractive salaries and secure funds for implementation. Applicants must specify the order of phases.

Who can apply

Legal entities established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries (universities, research performing organisations, research infrastructures, businesses including SMEs and other socio-economic actors) may apply to co-fund programmes. Programmes must recruit researchers holding a doctoral degree; recruitment must be open, merit-based and internationally advertised (e.g. EURAXESS) ¹.

Key requirements

1. 1Programmes may cover any research discipline and must include transparent, excellence-based selection with international peer review.
2. 2Career Development Plans for fellows are mandatory and must outline training, transferable skills, teaching/management tasks and clear long-term career prospects (e.g. pathways to open-ended contracts).
3. 3Vacancy notices must indicate gross salaries (net salary plus employee taxes/contributions) for both phases and align with local HR needs and strategies.
4. 4Hosts must ensure fair, inclusive and structured career accession and progression systems in line with EU recommendations and the European Charter for Researchers.

Process and evaluation

Single-stage call (planned opening 08 December 2026). Standard Horizon Europe eligibility, admissibility and evaluation rules apply; evaluation assesses Excellence, Impact and Implementation. Grant uses the HORIZON Unit Grant model (MSCA COFUND Postdoctoral programme).

Indicative impact for applicants

Successful programmes should increase organisational attractiveness and R&I capacity, improve HR practices, provide stable and visible career paths for researchers, and strengthen regional or national research ecosystems.

Practical dates and portal:Call opening 08 December 2026; deadline 06 April 2027 (17:00 Brussels). Submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Footnotes

1. 1Advertise vacancies internationally including on EURAXESS: euraxess.ec.europa.eu

MSCA Choose Europe for Science 2027 — Funding Opportunity Overview

MSCA Choose Europe for Science 2027 is a Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) co-funding scheme supporting postdoctoral recruitment programmes that tackle brain drain and researcher precarity by linking EU co-funded fellowships to concrete long-term career prospects. It is a forthcoming single-stage call managed through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Expected Outcomes and Scope

Applicants submit proposals for institutionally managed postdoctoral talent recruitment programmes, covering any research discipline. Programmes are divided into two phases: an EU-funded phase of 24–36 months in which EU funding covers direct and indirect costs related to implementation, and a subsequent 24-month phase fully funded by the beneficiary. Applicants must specify the order of the two phases and must offer excellent working conditions, competitive remuneration, training, supervision, and concrete, attractive long-term career prospects (e.g. pathways to open-ended contracts, subject to assessment).

• For researchers: enhanced career stability and prospects; broader academic and transferable skills; increased autonomy.
• For organisations: alignment with the European Charter for Researchers and Council Recommendation of 18 December 2023 on a European framework to attract and retain talent; alignment with the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment; higher global attractiveness and reputation; stronger R&I and teaching capacity; increased socio-economic contribution; improved synergies across institutional research, management and teaching structures.

Selection of individual fellows within the funded programme must be open, merit-based, and internationally peer-reviewed. Vacancy notices must be widely advertised internationally, including on EURAXESS, and must state gross salaries applicable in both phases (net salary + employee taxes and contributions). Researchers select or define their topics at the host and may undertake teaching or management tasks as relevant. A Career Development Plan is mandatory for each fellow throughout the programme, including language, transferable and job-specific skills training, publication planning, conference participation, and clear institutional career progression paths. Programmes should incorporate open, fair, inclusive, transparent and structured career accession and progression systems.

Programmes must align with local human resources needs identified in relevant institutional, regional or national strategies, and this alignment must be explicit in the proposal and referenced in vacancy notices. Alignment with the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment is encouraged.

Eligibility and Participation

Eligible Applicant Types:Eligible applicants are legal entities established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries that manage postdoctoral programmes, such as universities, research-performing organisations, research infrastructures, public research institutes, research funding organisations acting as programme managers, government or public sector bodies with research mandates, academies, hospitals with research capacity, and non-academic organisations capable of hosting and employing postdoctoral researchers (including large enterprises, SMEs, NGOs and other nonprofits). Individuals are not eligible applicants. Applicants may involve associated partners (academic or non-academic) for hosting, secondments, training and career development.

Consortium Requirement:Single beneficiary applications are permitted and common for MSCA COFUND-like actions. Multi-beneficiary consortia are also allowed but not mandatory. Associated partners can participate without receiving EU unit contributions.

Geographic Eligibility of Beneficiaries:Applicants must be established in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country. Programmes are open to recruiting researchers of any nationality who comply with MSCA mobility rules for the programme. International associated partners (non-associated third countries) may participate as host/secondment organisations without EU funding.

Target Sector:All research and innovation disciplines are eligible (fully bottom-up). The action targets postdoctoral training and career development across academic and non-academic sectors, including but not limited to health, energy, environment, ICT, space, manufacturing, agriculture/food, climate, security/cybersecurity, advanced materials, photonics, AI, quantum, and social sciences and humanities. Cross-sectoral engagement and mobility between academia and non-academic organisations are encouraged.

Mentioned Countries or Regions:European Union (EU); Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Vacancy advertising must include the EURAXESS portal EURAXESS.

Funding Modality and Amount

Funding Type:Grant (unit contributions under a Horizon Europe HORIZON Unit Grant). This is a co-funding scheme: an EU-funded phase is followed by a beneficiary-funded phase with no eligible EU costs in that second phase.

Nature of Support:Money to beneficiary organisations in the form of unit contributions per researcher-month for the EU-funded phase, covering researcher allowances and institutional contributions; non-financial guidance and standard MSCA resources also apply (guides, model grant agreements).

Funding Amount:Total indicative topic budget is €51,251,165. The grant size per project depends on the number of funded researcher-months and applicable unit rates (A.1 Living allowance, A.2 Mobility allowance, A.3 Family allowance, A.4 Long-term leave, A.5 Special needs; plus B.1 Research, training and networking, and B.2 Management and indirect for the EU-funded phase). No costs are eligible during the beneficiary-funded phase. Exact per-project award sizes are not specified; awards typically scale with the planned cohort size and duration of the EU-funded phase.

Co-funding Requirement:Yes. The programme design is inherently co-funded: the first phase (24–36 months) is EU-funded via unit contributions; the second phase (24 months) is fully beneficiary-funded. Beneficiaries must ensure competitive nationally attractive salaries in the beneficiary-funded phase and secure internal or external resources for its implementation.

Programme Design and Researcher Eligibility

• Programme phases: EU-funded phase of 24–36 months (eligible unit contributions) followed by a 24-month non-EU-funded phase fully financed by the beneficiary; applicants choose and justify the order.
• Programme type: postdoctoral research training with research topic freedom at host institutions; can include teaching/management tasks.
• Research fields: any discipline; excellence-based selection is primary.
• Open recruitment: international, merit-based, transparent peer review; vacancy notices widely advertised, including on EURAXESS; vacancy texts must list gross salaries for both phases and the alignment with local HR needs and strategies.
• Working conditions: competitive remuneration, inclusive working environment, quality research resources, training and supervision, and concrete long-term career prospects (e.g. pathways to open-ended contracts).
• Career Development Plan: mandatory and maintained throughout; covers training (transferable, job-specific, language), publications, conferences, outreach, and institutional career progression paths.
• Mobility rules for fellows: transnational mobility required at the time indicated in the vacancy notice; researchers must be postdoctoral (in possession of a doctoral degree). Researchers permanently employed by the host entity cannot be supported. Recruitment must happen within the first 12 months of the action. Nationals/long-term residents of EU or Associated Countries are required if the main part of activities is performed outside the EU/Associated Countries.
• Open Science and Research Assessment Reform: programmes should integrate open science training and practices and align with the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment.

Evaluation, Scoring and Thresholds

The call follows the Horizon Europe single-stage submission and evaluation with award criteria and thresholds as per the Work Programme General Annexes and MSCA-specific guidance. The MSCA Evaluation Form (Version 2.2, 17 December 2025) contains a dedicated option for MSCA COFUND Choose Europe.

Application Process and Stages

Application Type and Stages:Open call, single-stage submission and single-stage evaluation.

How to Apply:Submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal topic page by the deadline. Access the submission system from the topic header when it opens. Use the Participant Register to manage organisational profiles. Partner search and Q&As are available through the call page. EU Funding & Tenders Portal: Call page

Indicative Timeline:Opening 08 December 2026; Deadline 06 April 2027 (17:00 Brussels time). Post-deadline evaluation and grant preparation timelines follow Horizon Europe General Annex F.

Eligibility, Compliance and Legal Set-up

• Admissibility and formatting: Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe General Annexes; page limits and layout per Application Form Part B.
• Eligible countries: Annex B. Applicants must be established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.
• Financial and operational capacity; exclusion criteria: Annex C.
• Award criteria, scoring and thresholds: Annex D; MSCA-specific evaluation form applies.
• Submission and evaluation processes; indicative timelines: Annex F; Online Manual.
• Legal and financial set-up: Annex G; HORIZON Unit Grant MGA applies. Specific provisions for Choose Europe for Science 2027 included in MGA version 1.3 (15.12.2025).

Researcher and Cost Eligibility in EU-funded Phase

During the EU-funded phase, unit contributions are eligible if they meet general and specific conditions. The programme must be postdoctoral; researchers must hold a doctoral degree at the vacancy deadline and comply with the MSCA transnational mobility rule (no residence/main activity in the host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the vacancy deadline, with exceptions for compulsory national service or procedures for EU temporary protection or refugee status). Researchers permanently employed by the host are not eligible. Recruitment must take place within the first 12 months of the action. Employment contracts (or equivalent with full social security); full-time employment unless part-time for professional/personal/family reasons is approved; fellows work exclusively on the action unless approved part-time for professional reasons.

• A.1 Living allowance and A.2 Mobility allowance: eligible if monthly total remuneration plus mobility costs per actual implemented unit is equal to or exceeds the sum of the applicable living and mobility unit rates (as set in Annex 2/2a of the MGA for the action).
• A.3 Family allowance: eligible when the researcher has a family (spouse/recognised equivalent or dependent children being maintained) and for months implemented with family status.
• A.4 Long-term leave allowance: eligible for paid long-term leave months (maternity, paternity, parental, sick or special leave >30 days) provided general/specific eligibility was fulfilled beforehand.
• A.5 Special needs allowance: eligible if used for researchers with certified disabilities where participation would be impossible without the items/services and not already covered by other sources.
• B.1 Research, training and networking contribution; B.2 Management and indirect contribution: eligible as unit contributions if the living and mobility allowances are eligible.
• For the beneficiary-funded phase: no costs are eligible to the EU grant; beneficiaries must fully finance this phase and maintain competitive remuneration and conditions.

Templates, Forms and Guidance

• Application form templates: Standard application form (HE MSCA COFUND CE) and call-specific application form (to be made available in the system upon opening).
• Evaluation form templates: Standard evaluation form (HE MSCA) with MSCA COFUND Choose Europe options; Version 2.2 (17 December 2025). MSCA Evaluation Form (HE MSCA) v2.2
• Model Grant Agreement: HORIZON Unit MGA — Multi & Mono, Version 1.3 (15 December 2025), including specific options for Choose Europe for Science 2027. HORIZON Unit MGA v1.3
• Work Programme reference: Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026–2027, Part 2 MSCA, section 5 MSCA Choose Europe for Science (pages around 50–54 and 101–108 for specific conditions). HE WP 2026–2027 MSCA
• Guidance: Horizon Europe Programme Guide; Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual; MSCA-specific Guide for Applicants for Choose Europe for Science 2027 (to be published on the call page).

Indicative Application Structure (Part B):1) Excellence: objectives, programme design, selection and recruitment process, appointment conditions, research environment and resources, competitiveness and inclusiveness of remuneration (with explicit treatment of beneficiary-funded phase), training and supervision, long-term career prospects embedded in the programme, open science practices, research assessment reform alignment. 2) Impact: addressing local HR needs and regional/national specialisation strategies; strengthening institutional HR practices in line with EU principles; reinforcing R&I and teaching capacity; attractiveness and visibility of the organisation(s); contribution to talent circulation. 3) Implementation: recruitment plan and calendar (including recruitment within first 12 months), risk analysis and mitigation, capacity and hosting arrangements, HRS4R/Charter alignment and assessment reform measures, management, monitoring and quality assurance, Career Development Plan process, communication and dissemination (including EURAXESS advertising) and visibility obligations.

Administrative and Operational Details

• Submission system: opens on the topic header date; single-stage submission via the Portal.
• Partner search: available via the call page to publish or respond to partner requests.
• Q&As: topic-level Q&As on the call page; NCP support available in EU and many non-EU countries.
• Reporting: continuous reporting via Portal; periodic reports per MGA Data Sheet; unit contributions claimed via financial statements.
• Payments: prefunding and interim/final payments per MGA; Mutual Insurance Mechanism contribution retained from prefunding.
• Ethics, values and research security: comply with EU, international and national ethics and security rules; exclusive focus on civil applications; follow Charter and Code principles.
• Visibility: European flag and funding statement required in communications and on funded outputs; use of standard disclaimer text.
• IPR and results: beneficiaries own results; granting authority retains rights of use for policy, information, communication and dissemination purposes (non-exclusive, royalty-free).

Key Compliance Requirements for Programme Design

• Transparent international peer review for fellow selection; publish gross salaries and selection criteria in vacancy notices; advertise internationally including on EURAXESS.
• Excellence as primary selection criterion; additional criteria aligned with local HR needs and pertinent strategies.
• Career Development Plan for each fellow and structured, inclusive career progression pathways within the host institution(s).
• Integration of transversal, job-specific and language training aligned to career prospects offered post-fellowship.
• Open science practices; knowledge valorisation; research integrity; consideration of gender and diversity aspects when relevant to the research/programme.
• HRS4R label holders benefit from simplified justification on alignment with the European Charter for Researchers in implementation criterion.
• Recruitment within first 12 months of the action; compliance with MSCA mobility rules and employment standards.

Categorisation Answers

Eligible Applicant Types:University; research institute; research-performing organisation; research infrastructure; research funding organisation acting as programme manager; government or public body with research mandate; nonprofit and NGO with research capacity; large enterprise; SME; hospital or clinical research centre; other legal entities established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries that can employ and host postdoctoral researchers and run a competitive recruitment programme. Individuals are not eligible applicants.

Funding Type:Grant (MSCA co-funding via unit contributions for the EU-funded phase; no EU-eligible costs in the beneficiary-funded phase).

Consortium Requirement:Single beneficiary or consortium; consortium is optional. Associated partners may participate without receiving EU unit contributions.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries for beneficiary applicants. International associated partners from third countries may host/second without EU funding.

Target Sector:All R&I sectors and disciplines; cross-sectoral mobility between academia and non-academic sectors is encouraged. The action focuses on postdoctoral training, HR excellence, open science, and long-term research careers.

Mentioned Countries:Regions rather than specific countries: EU Member States; Horizon Europe Associated Countries. EURAXESS advertising is mandatory for vacancies EURAXESS.

Project Stage:Postdoctoral research and training programmes supporting research implementation, professional development, and progression towards validation/demonstration stages in line with each fellow’s project; emphasis on career development and transition to long-term positions.

Funding Amount:Topic budget: €51,251,165. Per-project funding is not fixed; it depends on the proposed number of researcher-months during the EU-funded phase and applicable unit rates (living, mobility, family, long-term leave, special needs, institutional contributions). The second phase is fully beneficiary-funded (no EU-eligible costs).

Application Type:Open call via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal; single-stage submission and evaluation.

Nature of Support:Money (unit contributions in EU-funded phase to organisations operating the programme). Non-monetary support includes access to official guidance, templates, and NCP assistance.

Application Stages:1 (single-stage).

Success Rates:Not specified in the call documentation.

Co-funding Requirement:Yes. Mandatory beneficiary-funded phase of 24 months with competitive salaries and secured funding; EU unit contributions apply only to the EU-funded phase (24–36 months). Additional synergies with other funding sources (e.g., Cohesion Policy Funds) are encouraged where relevant under MSCA COFUND policy.

Helpful Links and Documents

• Call topic page and submission: HORIZON-MSCA-2027-COFUND-02-01
• Work Programme 2026–2027 (MSCA): MSCA WP 2026–2027
• Evaluation Form (HE MSCA): MSCA Evaluation Form v2.2
• Model Grant Agreement: HORIZON Unit MGA v1.3
• EURAXESS vacancies: EURAXESS
• Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual and Programme Guide: accessible from the call page.

Summary Explanation

MSCA Choose Europe for Science 2027 funds organisations in EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries to run world-class postdoctoral recruitment and training programmes that lead to real, attractive long-term career opportunities. The scheme explicitly addresses Europe’s brain drain and researcher precarity by combining a first phase co-funded by the EU (24–36 months) with a second phase fully financed by the beneficiary (24 months), in which the organisation must sustain competitive salaries and employment conditions. Programmes may span any research discipline and must recruit postdoctoral fellows through an open, transparent, international peer-reviewed process, with mandatory international advertising on EURAXESS and full disclosure of gross salaries for both phases. Fellows can define their research topics, benefit from high-quality supervision, training, open science practices, and a maintained Career Development Plan, and gain clear, structured pathways to long-term positions (e.g., tenure-track or open-ended contracts) aligned to institutional, regional or national HR needs and strategies. The call uses single-stage submission and evaluation with Excellence (50%), Impact (30%), and Implementation (20%) criteria, and an overall threshold of 70/100. EU contributions are paid as unit grants per researcher-month during the EU-funded phase, covering allowances to researchers and institutional contributions; no EU costs are eligible during the beneficiary-funded phase. Applicants can be single beneficiaries (with optional associated partners) or consortia and must be established in the EU or an Associated Country. This is a strategic opportunity for universities, research institutes, and research-performing organisations to attract top postdoctoral talent globally, strengthen research, innovation and teaching capacity, align HR practices with European principles and reform of research assessment, and raise the institution’s international visibility, while building sustainable, structured career pathways for researchers.

MSCA Choose Europe for Science 2027 (HORIZON-MSCA-2027-COFUND-02-01)

This call under Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) co-funds postdoctoral talent recruitment programmes aimed at addressing brain drain and researcher precarity. It supports institutions in attracting global talent by offering excellent research opportunities, career stability, and long-term prospects, enhancing Europe's attractiveness as an R&I destination.

Key Objectives and Expected Outcomes

The scheme tackles brain drain by funding programmes that provide postdoctoral researchers with doctoral degrees excellent research, academic, and management opportunities leading to stable careers. Programmes impact human resources in R&I at institutional, regional, national, or international levels.

• For researchers: Concrete career prospects, increased stability, diverse skills for autonomy.
• For organisations: Alignment with European Charter for Researchers and related frameworks, enhanced global attractiveness, stronger R&I/teaching capacity, socio-economic contributions, synergies across structures.

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

Single legal entity (mono-beneficiary) established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries submits proposals. Associated partners may participate. Programmes managed by universities, research institutions, or other research-performing organisations.

Researcher Eligibility:Postdoctoral researchers holding a PhD, any nationality, complying with mobility rule (not resided/worked >12 months in 36 months prior to vacancy deadline in host country, exceptions for national service/temporary protection/refugee status). Not permanently employed by host. Recruited within first 12 months of action.

Programme Structure and Duration

Programmes divided into two phases; applicants specify order: EU-funded phase (24-36 months covering direct/indirect costs) + beneficiary-funded phase (24 months with nationally attractive salaries via internal/external funds). Total: 48-60 months (+12 months for recruitment start).

Funding Details

Total Budget:€51,251,165 for 2027 (single-stage submission).

Max per Beneficiary:€3.5 million (previous pilot reference; confirm in final docs). Unit contributions: Living allowance + Mobility allowance (€6,700/person-month equivalent for Phase 1), family/long-term leave/special needs allowances if applicable. No funding for Phase 2.

Covers direct/indirect costs in EU phase. Institutions must publish gross salaries (net + taxes/contributions) in vacancy notices.

Application and Deadlines

1. 1Planned opening: 8 December 2026.
2. 2Deadline: 6 April 2027, 17:00 Brussels time (single-stage).
3. 3Submission via EU Funding & Tenders Portal: EU Funding Portal.
4. 4Evaluation: Excellence (50%), Impact (30%), Implementation (20%); overall threshold 70/100.

Key Requirements

• Open, merit-based, transparent international peer-review selection, primarily on excellence + alignment with local HR needs (per institutional/regional/national strategies). Advertise on EURAXESS EURAXESS.
• Researchers define own topics, take teaching/management tasks. Excellent conditions: salary, resources, transversal/job-specific skills, language training.
• Career Development Plan throughout: training, publications, conferences, progression paths.
• Fair, inclusive progression system per Council Recommendation 2023, Charter, Research Assessment Agreement ¹.
• Any discipline; bottom-up.

Evaluation Criteria (MSCA COFUND Choose Europe Specifics)

Documents and Guidance

• Work Programme 2026-2027 (MSCA section), General Annexes.
• Guide for Applicants (call-specific, available post-opening).
• Model Grant Agreement: HORIZON Unit Grant.
• Application forms: Standard HE MSCA COFUND CE.

Admissibility: Page limits/layout per Annexes A/E. Eligible countries: Annex B. Check financial/operational capacity (Annex C). Timeline: Evaluation per Annex F.

Additional Considerations

Align with Open Science, RRI, Green Deal. Promote inclusivity, gender equality. Synergies with cohesion funds encouraged. HRS4R-labelled institutions exempted from some justifications ². Researchers apply directly to selected programmes via EURAXESS (expected from 2028).

Footnotes

1. 1Council Recommendation 18 Dec 2023; European Charter; CoARA Agreement CoARA.
2. 2Institutions with HRS4R label exempted from further Charter justification in evaluation.