MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027, part of the Horizon Europe Programme, is a funding initiative designed to enhance the innovative potential of PhD-holding researchers through international and interdisciplinary mobility as well as advanced training. This opportunity encompasses two types of fellowships: European Fellowships, open to researchers of any nationality aiming to engage in research within Europe, and Global Fellowships, intended for European nationals or long-term residents seeking research opportunities outside of EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries, including a mandatory return phase to Europe.

Eligible applicants include researchers who have completed a PhD by the application deadline and host organisations, which can be from academia, industry, or non-academic sectors established in EU Member States or associated countries. Funding is structured as unit grants, providing financial support for living costs, mobility, research activities, and other allowances, amounting to a total budget of approximately €388.5 million for 2027.

The application process is single-stage, with submissions accepted from April 7, 2027, until the deadline on September 8, 2027. Proposals should be made in collaboration between individual researchers and a host organisation, potentially including secondments and placements in non-academic sectors to foster broader career opportunities.

The project is aimed specifically at postdoctoral researchers looking to elevate their skills and competences through original and personalized research pursuits, emphasizing the importance of career sustainability through structured career development plans, training in transferable skills, and fostering innovation and science practices. Geographic eligibility covers EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries, and designated Third Countries, creating a flexible framework for mobility and integration into Europe’s research landscape.

The initiative outlines plans for enhanced working conditions, quality research training, and greater global outreach and reputation for participating organisations. Overall, the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027 seeks to strengthen Europe’s human capital in research and innovation, responding to societal challenges while cultivating a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences within the research community.

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027, under the Horizon Europe Programme, aims to enhance the creative and innovative potential of researchers holding a PhD. This is achieved through advanced training, and international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary mobility. The fellowships are open to excellent researchers of any nationality. The program encourages researchers to engage in research and innovation projects within the non-academic sector, and welcomes applications from researchers seeking to reintegrate into Europe, those displaced by conflict, and individuals with high potential aiming to restart their research careers.

The call HORIZON-MSCA-2027-PF-01 includes two types of actions:

1.  HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF: European Fellowships

2.  HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF: Global Fellowships

Both actions utilize the HORIZON Unit Grant [HORIZON-AG-UN] Model Grant Agreement (MGA) and follow a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date for submissions is April 7, 2027, with a deadline of September 8, 2027, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are:

For supported postdoctoral fellows:

Increased set of research and transferable skills and competences, leading to improved employability and career prospects within and beyond academia.

New mind-sets and approaches to R&I work forged through international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary experience.

Enhanced networking and communication capacities with scientific peers and the general public, increasing and broadening the research and innovation impact.

For participating organizations:

Increased alignment of working conditions for researchers in accordance with the principles set out in the European Charter for Researchers.

Enhanced quality and sustainability of research training and supervision.

Increased global attractiveness, visibility, and reputation.

Stronger R&I capacity and output, with better transfer of knowledge.

Regular feedback of research results into teaching and education.

The scope of the fellowships includes:

Fellowships are provided to excellent researchers undertaking international mobility. Applications are made jointly by the researcher and a beneficiary in the academic or non-academic sector.

European Postdoctoral Fellowships: Open to researchers of any nationality who wish to engage in R&I projects by either coming to Europe from any country or moving within Europe. The standard duration is between 12 and 24 months.

Global Postdoctoral Fellowships: Open to European nationals or long-term residents who wish to engage in R&I projects with organizations outside EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. These fellowships require an outgoing phase of minimum 12 and maximum 24 months in a non-associated Third Country, and a mandatory 12-month return phase to a host organization based in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country.

Specific eligibility conditions apply to MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships in the research areas covered by the Euratom Research and Training Programme.

Secondments:

Researchers may include a secondment phase within the overall duration of their fellowship in any country worldwide. The secondment phase can be a single period or divided into shorter mobility periods.

For European Postdoctoral Fellowships, secondments cannot exceed half of the requested duration of the action (excluding any additional period for a non-academic placement) and should align with the project objectives, adding significant value and impact.

For Global Postdoctoral Fellowships, optional secondments are permitted for up to half of the outgoing phase. A maximum of three months can be spent at the start of the project at the beneficiary, allowing the researcher to spend time there before going to the associated partner in the Third Country.

Secondments cannot occur during the mandatory twelve-month return period to the host organization in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.

Placements in the non-academic sector:

Fellowships can provide an additional period of up to six months for researchers opting for a placement at the end of the project to work on R&I projects in a non-academic organization established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. This placement must be at a different non-academic host organization if the fellow was recruited from the non-academic sector. The request for a non-academic placement must be part of the proposal, explaining the added-value for the project and the researcher's career development.

If the placement does not meet the requirements (taking place in an academic organization or in a Third Country), the proposal will be evaluated without considering the placement, which might affect the final score.

Training activities:

Training activities should integrate key transferable skills and competences, including digital skills (e.g., generative AI), and foster a culture of Open Science, knowledge valorization, innovation, entrepreneurship, and research integrity. The fellowships should empower fellows to pursue a career in research and prepare them for increased research collaboration and information-sharing using new technologies (e.g., collaborative tools, open access to publications and data, FAIR data management, societal engagement, and citizen science).

Career Development Plan:

A Career Development Plan should be established jointly by the supervisor(s) and the researcher to enhance career opportunities inside and outside academia. This plan should include research objectives, training and career needs, training on transferable skills, teaching, planning for publications, and participation in conferences and events aimed at opening science and research to citizens. The Plan must be submitted as a project deliverable at the beginning of the action and can be updated as needed.

Euratom:

Organizations active in nuclear research established in EU Member States or countries associated with the Euratom Research and Training Programme are eligible to participate. MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships in this area will be supported by the Euratom Research and Training Programme with an indicative annual financial contribution of EUR 1 million.

ERA Fellowships:

ERA Fellowships, implemented through Work Programme Annex 11, provide specific support to researchers undertaking their fellowship in a widening country, helping spread excellence and foster balanced brain circulation.

The total budget for the HORIZON-MSCA-2027-PF-01 call is divided as follows:

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF (European Fellowships): EUR 330,283,463

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF (Global Fellowships): EUR 58,285,317

General conditions for participation include admissibility conditions, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, exclusion criteria, and evaluation and award processes, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions are described in the MSCA part of the Work Programme.

Application forms, evaluation forms, and model grant agreements are available in the Submission System. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, the HE Programme Guide, the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, and other relevant guidelines and regulations.

The Funding & Tenders Portal provides an Online Manual, FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk, ETSI Research Helpdesk, and Partner Search tools to support applicants.

In summary, the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027 call aims to provide funding for postdoctoral researchers to enhance their skills and career prospects through international mobility and advanced training. It supports both European and Global Fellowships, with specific conditions and requirements for each. The program encourages inter-sectoral mobility, open science practices, and knowledge valorization, with the goal of strengthening Europe's human capital base in R&I and contributing to its competitiveness and growth. The call provides comprehensive support and guidance to applicants through various resources and tools available on the Funding & Tenders Portal.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicants are researchers holding a PhD and a beneficiary in the academic or non-academic sector. The call is open to excellent researchers of any nationality. European Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality who wish to engage in R&I projects by either coming to Europe from any country in the world or moving within Europe. Global Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to European nationals or long-term residents who wish to engage in R&I projects with organisations outside EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Organisations active in nuclear research established in one of EU Member States or countries associated to the Euratom Research and Training programme, are eligible to participate.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a unit grant under the Horizon Europe program.

Consortium Requirement: The application must be made jointly by the researcher and a beneficiary organisation, indicating a consortium or partnership approach.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries, and Third Countries not associated with Horizon Europe. European Postdoctoral Fellowships can take place in Europe (EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries). Global Postdoctoral Fellowships require an outgoing phase in a non-associated Third Country and a mandatory return phase to an organisation in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. ERA Fellowships provide specific support to researchers to undertake their fellowship in a widening country.

Target Sector: The program targets all sectors of research and innovation (R&I), with specific mentions of nuclear research through the Euratom Research and Training Programme. It also emphasizes the integration of digital skills (e.g., generative AI), Open Science, knowledge valorisation, innovation, entrepreneurship, and research integrity.

Mentioned Countries: EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries, Third Countries, Widening Countries.

Project Stage: The project stage is aimed at postdoctoral researchers, implying a development stage where researchers enhance their skills and competences through advanced training and mobility. The projects are expected to be original and personalised research projects.

Funding Amount: The budget for European Fellowships is EUR 330,283,463 and for Global Fellowships is EUR 58,285,317 for the year 2027. The indicative number of grants is not specified. An indicative annual financial contribution of EUR 1 million to the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships call will be supported by the Euratom Research and Training Programme.

Application Type: The application type is a single-stage open call.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of fellowships to support their research and training activities.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027 call (HORIZON-MSCA-2027-PF-01) under the Horizon Europe program aims to enhance the creative and innovative potential of researchers holding a PhD through international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary mobility. The call is open to researchers of any nationality and encourages them to work on research and innovation projects in both academic and non-academic sectors. There are two main types of fellowships: European Fellowships, which support researchers coming to or moving within Europe, and Global Fellowships, which support European researchers engaging in projects with organisations in Third Countries, followed by a return phase to Europe.

The program emphasizes the development of research and transferable skills, the adoption of Open Science practices, knowledge valorisation, and the fostering of innovation and entrepreneurship. A Career Development Plan is required to equip fellows with skills that enhance their career opportunities. The call also includes specific support for nuclear research through the Euratom program and for fellowships in widening countries through the ERA Fellowships.

The application process is a single-stage submission, with the submission system planned to open on April 7, 2027, and a deadline of September 8, 2027. The call provides funding in the form of fellowships, and applications are made jointly by the researcher and a beneficiary organisation. The expected outcomes include increased employability and career prospects for fellows, enhanced quality of research training, and stronger R&I capacity among participating organisations.