MSCA Staff Exchanges 2027

MSCA Staff Exchanges 2027 is a Horizon Europe Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions call funding international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary research and innovation collaborations via physical staff secondments between independent legal entities. The 2027 topic has an indicative budget of €95,035,106 and follows a single-stage submission with a planned opening date of 15 December 2026 and a deadline of 15 April 2027 (17:00 Brussels time). Eligible consortia must include a minimum of three independent organisations from three different countries, with at least two established in different EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, and may include academic and non-academic partners including SMEs and organisations from non-associated third countries. Funding is provided as a Horizon Unit Grant covering predefined unit contributions for top-up allowances, special needs, research/training/networking and management/indirect costs for projects lasting up to four years with secondments of one month to one year.

MSCA Staff Exchanges 2027 — Call Overview

What it funds

Purpose and scope

Supports international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary research and innovation (R&I) collaborations based on physical secondments of R&I staff between independent legal entities. Projects must implement a joint R&I activity where staffed secondments enable knowledge transfer, skills development, networking, workshops and conferences and contribute to long-term collaborations.

Types of activities funded:Secondments/hostings of research, technical, administrative and managerial staff for R&I tasks; networking and training activities; organisation of events for knowledge sharing; institutional contributions and allowances calculated as unit contributions. Virtual-only mobility is not eligible ¹.

Who can apply

Consortia of legal entities from the academic and non-academic sectors (including SMEs), across EU Member States, Horizon Europe Associated Countries and third countries. Participation of organisations from non-associated third countries is encouraged. Secondments must take place between independent legal entities; funding is awarded to organisations (not to individual seconded staff).

Key administrative facts

1. 1Call identifier: HORIZON-MSCA
2. 2Call opening (planned): 15 December 2026
3. 3Deadline: 15 April 2027, 17:00 Brussels time
4. 4Deadline model: single-stage
5. 5Grant form: Horizon Unit Grant (unit/lump-sum style contributions)

Budget (indicative):Total indicative call budget: €95,035,106. Grants are funded using unit/lump-sum contributions; awarded amounts per project depend on the units requested and the evaluators' assessment.

Evaluation and expected impact

Proposals are evaluated on Excellence, Impact and Quality & efficiency of implementation. Expected impacts include increased skills and employability of staff, enhanced international and inter-sectoral networks, improved knowledge transfer and strengthened R&I capacity of participating organisations.

How to apply / Documents

Submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Applicants must follow the MSCA SE Guide for Applicants and use the application forms in the Submission System. Relevant documents (Work Programme MSCA section, General Annexes, Unit MGA) are available on the Portal Funding & Tenders Portal.

Footnotes

1. 1Secondments must involve physical mobility. Virtual mobility alone is not eligible under MSCA Staff Exchanges.

MSCA Staff Exchanges 2027 — Funding Opportunity Overview

MSCA Staff Exchanges 2027 (Topic ID: HORIZON-MSCA) is a forthcoming single-stage call under Horizon Europe’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. It funds international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary exchanges of research and innovation staff through physical secondments, to accelerate knowledge transfer, build durable collaborations, and strengthen R&I capacity across academic and non-academic organisations worldwide. The call is bottom-up, open to all scientific domains, and encourages broad international participation, including from non-associated third countries.

Official call page and submission: EU Funding & Tenders Portal — MSCA Staff Exchanges 2027. Programme guidance and templates: HE Programme Guide, HE MSCA Evaluation Form (v2.2, 17 Dec 2025), Horizon Europe Unit MGA v1.3, MSCA Work Programme 2026–2027 (Part 2) — DRAFT reference.

Expected Outcomes and Scope

Outcomes for staff: enhanced research and transferable skills; stronger employability within and beyond academia; entrepreneurial mind-sets; conversion of ideas into products, processes and services; expanded international exposure and networks; improved communication with peers and the public.

Outcomes for organisations: innovative cooperation and knowledge transfer across sectors and disciplines; broader international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary networks; boosted R&I capacity.

Scope: funding supports a joint R&I project delivered via secondments between independent legal entities. Mobility must be physical (virtual mobility is not allowed) and can be international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary. Within EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries, exchanges should mainly be inter-sectoral, though same-sector exchanges are possible. Interdisciplinarity is particularly encouraged between academic organisations. The project may include networking, workshops and conferences, mentoring for secondees, and skills development aligned with open science, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Secondments — Core Implementation Rules

• Secondments are full-time and must last at least 1 month per staff member.
• Secondments take place between independent legal entities and between different countries.
• They occur: between beneficiaries; between associated partners linked to beneficiaries; or between beneficiaries and associated partners. Exception: secondments from an associated partner established in an EU Member State or Associated Country to a beneficiary are not eligible.
• Eligible secondees include doctoral candidates, post-doctoral researchers, and technical/administrative/managerial staff supporting R&I.
• Projects should clearly articulate how the planned international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary exposure develops skills, diversifies working cultures, and opens career trajectories.

Financial Framework and Grant Structure

Form of support: Action grant with unit contributions (Horizon Unit Grant). Payments are not linked to actual costs but to completed, eligible units. Costs are covered through pre-defined unit contributions for secondments and institutional support. The unit categories for MSCA Staff Exchanges are: A.1 Top-up allowance for seconded staff; A.5 Special needs allowance (if applicable); B.1 Research, training and networking contribution; B.2 Management and indirect contribution. Budget flexibility allows transfers of units between participants without amendment if the action description is unaffected.

Funding availability: the 2027 topic budget is €95,035,106. The EU contribution per project depends on the total eligible person-months of secondments and applicable unit rates. Beneficiaries receive prefinancing and subsequent payments tied to reporting and implementation milestones under the Horizon Unit MGA.

Eligibility, Participation, and Geographic Scope

• Eligible participants: organisations from academic and non-academic sectors worldwide, including SMEs.
• Geographic eligibility: EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries are fully eligible. Participation from non-associated third countries is strongly encouraged; some may not be automatically eligible for funding and may need to bring their own funding unless exceptional funding is granted as per the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
• Independence: secondments must be between entities independent of each other.
• Mobility: must be physical and between countries; within EU/Associated exchanges, inter-sectoral mobility is the main pattern, with same-sector possible.

Evaluation and Award

Single-stage evaluation. Proposals are assessed against Excellence, Impact, and Quality and efficiency of the Implementation. Weighting and thresholds for MSCA (per the HE MSCA evaluation form v2.2): Excellence 50 percent, Impact 30 percent, Implementation 20 percent; overall threshold 70/100. Scoring uses a 0–5 scale with one decimal resolution.

1. 1Excellence: quality and ambition of R&I objectives; soundness of approach to foster international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary collaborations; methodological soundness including gender and diversity where relevant; quality of interaction between participating organisations in light of the R&I objectives.
2. 2Impact: creation of new and lasting research collaborations; knowledge transfer between organisations; contribution to European and global R&I potential; credibility of measures to enhance seconded staff career perspectives and skills; quality of dissemination, exploitation, and communication.
3. 3Implementation: quality and effectiveness of the work plan, risk assessment, and effort per work package; quality, capacity and role of each participant, including hosting arrangements; extent to which the consortium brings the needed expertise.

Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is governed by Work Programme General Annexes. Proposals are submitted electronically via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Key Call Documents and Tools

• Application forms: Part A (online) and Part B (template in the Submission System).
• Evaluation form: Standard HE MSCA evaluation form (v2.2, 17 Dec 2025).
• Model Grant Agreement: Horizon Europe Unit MGA (v1.3, 15 Dec 2025).
• Guides and references: Horizon Europe Programme Guide; Work Programme 2026–2027 — MSCA part; Online Manual; Terms and Conditions; Privacy Statement; Annotated Model Grant Agreement; Decision authorising lump sums under Horizon Europe.
• Call-specific guide for applicants: HE MSCA SE Guide for Applicants (as provided on the portal’s guidance page).

Categorisation and Structured Information

Eligible Applicant Types:Academic organisations including universities and research-performing organisations; non-academic organisations including SMEs and large enterprises; research infrastructures; public sector bodies and government research entities; nonprofit organisations and NGOs engaged in R&I; public-private partnerships formed as project consortia; international organisations and international European research organisations. Individuals do not apply directly; applications are submitted by organisations forming a partnership.

Funding Type:Grant. Specifically, a Horizon Europe action grant using unit contributions under the Horizon Unit Grant model for MSCA Staff Exchanges.

Consortium Requirement:Consortium. Projects are implemented by a partnership of independent legal entities that second and/or host eligible staff. The call text requires exchanges between independent entities and between countries. Participation is open globally across sectors; details on minimum composition and eligibility patterns are governed by the Work Programme General Annex B and MSCA-specific conditions in the Work Programme.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries are fully eligible. International cooperation is encouraged, including participation from non-associated third countries. Some non-EU/non-associated countries are not automatically eligible for EU funding and may rely on national provisions or request exceptional EU funding when essential. See the Horizon Europe Programme Guide for country-specific funding eligibility.

Target Sector:Bottom-up and open to all disciplines and sectors. Applicable thematic areas include but are not limited to health, energy, environment, transport, ICT and software services, space, manufacturing and advanced processes, agriculture and food, climate and cleantech, security and cybersecurity, education, culture, finance, biotech and medtech, quantum and semiconductors, buildings and construction, industrial components, advanced materials and photonics, and broader innovation and DeepTech domains, provided the project is suitable for delivery via secondments and knowledge exchange.

Mentioned Countries:EU Member States; Horizon Europe Associated Countries; non-associated third countries. The call text does not enumerate specific countries beyond these categories.

Project Stage:Collaborative R&I with staff mobility focused on knowledge transfer and capacity building across the research and innovation chain. Appropriate stages include research, development, validation and demonstration activities embedded in a joint R&I project, as well as networking, training, and dissemination for impact.

Funding Amount:Total indicative budget for the 2027 Staff Exchanges topic is €95,035,106. The EU contribution per project is calculated from unit contributions for eligible secondment person-months plus institutional contributions; there is no fixed project cap stated in the topic text. Actual grant size depends on the scale and duration of secondments and the partnership’s plan.

Application Type:Open call, competitive, single-stage submission via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

Nature of Support:Money. Beneficiaries receive EU financial support through unit contributions for seconded staff and institutional support. Non-financial guidance and services are also available through NCPs, the Online Manual, and helpdesks, but the core opportunity is financial.

Application Stages:1. Single-stage application and evaluation leading to grant preparation for successful proposals.

Success Rates:Not specified in the call text or annex extracts provided. Applicants should consult past MSCA Staff Exchanges statistics or the Programme dashboards on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for indicative competitiveness levels.

Co-funding Requirement:The action is funded via MSCA unit contributions and does not require co-funding from beneficiaries for eligible activities covered by the units. Participants from some non-associated third countries may need to secure their own funding if not automatically eligible; exceptional EU funding may be granted if participation is essential, as per the Programme Guide and evaluation forms.

Templates and How Applications Look

Applicants complete Part A (administrative and budget data) directly in the Submission System and Part B (technical description) using the official template. The evaluation uses the HE MSCA standard form tailored to Staff Exchanges. The Horizon Unit MGA applies at grant preparation.

1. 1Part A in the Portal: administrative data for all participants; abstract; keywords; declarations; ethics and security questions; budget in unit contributions by participant and category.
2. 2Part B — Technical description (structure per MSCA practice): Excellence (project objectives beyond state of the art; approach to international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration; methodology including gender and diversity where relevant; interaction among participating organisations); Impact (new and lasting collaborations; knowledge transfer; measures to enhance secondees’ careers and skills; dissemination, exploitation and communication plans; expected scientific, societal and economic impacts); Implementation (work plan with work packages, milestones, deliverables; risk assessment and mitigation; effort tables in person-months; consortium roles, capacity and hosting arrangements).
3. 3Ethics and security: address ethics requirements and confirm exclusive focus on civil applications.
4. 4Mandatory annexes or sections as required by the template: e.g., capacities of participants, infrastructure, description of associated partners, letters of commitment where requested by the template.
5. 5Model Grant Agreement: Horizon Unit MGA governs unit categories, reporting, payments, Mutual Insurance Mechanism, and record-keeping obligations.

Operational and Compliance Notes

• Physical mobility only for secondments; virtual mobility is not eligible.
• Secondments are between independent entities and countries; minimum 1 month per secondee; full-time during secondment.
• Within EU/Associated Countries, exchanges should mainly be inter-sectoral; academic-to-academic same-sector secondments are permitted and encouraged to be interdisciplinary.
• Mentoring is mandatory to support skills acquisition and career development.
• Open science, knowledge valorisation, innovation and entrepreneurship culture are to be embedded in training and networking activities.
• Legal and financial compliance follows the Horizon Unit MGA, including continuous and periodic reporting, deliverables via the Portal, and payment schedules tied to reporting; Mutual Insurance Mechanism retention applies.

Support and Contacts

• Online Manual and FAQs: procedural guidance from submission to grant management.
• National Contact Points (NCPs): country-specific support, including in non-EU/third countries.
• Enterprise Europe Network: advisory support for SMEs.
• IPR Helpdesk and Standards Helpdesks (CEN-CENELEC, ETSI): support on IP and standardisation.
• IT Helpdesk: technical assistance for the Portal.
• Partner Search tool in the Portal: to publish or respond to partner requests.

Comprehensive Summary

MSCA Staff Exchanges 2027 funds global, cross-sector and cross-discipline mobility of R&I staff through structured secondments embedded in a jointly designed research and innovation project. The scheme aims to build durable collaborations, accelerate bi-directional knowledge transfer, and enhance the skills and career prospects of participating staff. Partnerships can include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large companies, public bodies, nonprofits and international organisations from the EU, Associated Countries, and beyond. Secondments are physical, full-time, and at least one month, moving staff between independent entities and countries. Within Europe and Associated Countries, inter-sectoral exchanges are the primary pattern, though same-sector academic exchanges are permitted and especially encouraged to be interdisciplinary. The financial support is an action grant using unit contributions specific to staff exchanges, covering top-up allowances for secondees and institutional contributions for research, training, networking, management and indirect costs. Proposals are evaluated in a single stage against Excellence, Impact and Implementation, with a 70 out of 100 overall threshold and weightings of 50, 30 and 20 percent respectively. The 2027 topic budget is €95,035,106; project size depends on planned secondment person-months. The call is open to all disciplines, with a strong emphasis on open science, innovation and entrepreneurship, mentoring for secondees, and impactful dissemination, exploitation and communication. Applications are submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal using standard HE MSCA templates and the Horizon Unit MGA. International participation from non-associated third countries is encouraged; some may require national funding or request exceptional EU funding under Programme Guide rules. In short, this opportunity is ideal for consortia seeking to leverage mobility-driven knowledge exchange to advance scientific objectives, strengthen inter-sectoral collaboration, and build lasting global networks while developing the human capital at the heart of European and international research and innovation.

MSCA Staff Exchanges 2027 - Funding Opportunity Analysis

Opportunity Overview

MSCA Staff Exchanges 2027 is a European Union funding call under the Horizon Europe programme designed to promote innovative international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration in research and innovation. The action supports joint research and innovation projects through staff exchanges within partnerships involving universities, research infrastructures, businesses and other socio-economic actors across Europe and beyond. This call is part of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, the EU's flagship programme for researcher mobility and training.

Key Funding Details

Total Budget Available:€95,035,106 for 2027 ¹

Call Opening Date:15 December 2026

Application Deadline:15 April 2027 at 17:00 Brussels time

Funding Type:Unit grant under Horizon Europe with single-stage submission process

Expected Results Timeline:September 2027 for notification of results; November 2027 for grant agreement signature; January 2028 for project start ²

Who Can Apply

MSCA Staff Exchanges are open to international consortia that must meet specific minimum requirements. Eligible applicants include universities, research institutions, businesses, SMEs and other non-academic organisations from across the globe.

Consortium Composition Requirements

• Minimum of three independent legal entities from three different countries
• At least two entities must be established in different EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries
• Consortium must include both academic and non-academic organisations
• Participation of organisations from non-associated third countries is strongly encouraged ³

Individual staff members are selected by their sending organisations to participate in the planned exchanges. Eligible staff include researchers at any career stage (from PhD candidates to postdoctoral researchers) as well as administrative, technical or managerial personnel supporting research and innovation activities.

What the Funding Covers

MSCA Staff Exchanges funds short-term international and inter-sectoral exchanges of staff members involved in research and innovation activities. Projects can last up to four years, with individual staff secondments ranging from one month to one year.

Eligible Contributions

• Top-up allowance for seconded staff covering travel, accommodation and subsistence costs on top of salary paid by sending organisation
• Special needs allowance for staff members with disabilities when necessary for participation
• Research, training and networking contribution for project activities
• Management and indirect contribution for project coordination ⁴

Secondments must involve physical mobility and take place between independent legal entities. Virtual mobility is not permitted. Staff must return to their sending organisation after the secondment to maximise knowledge transfer and support long-term collaboration.

Project Objectives and Expected Outcomes

Projects should contribute to developing sustainable collaborative projects between different organisations from academic and non-academic sectors based in Europe and beyond. The action aims to foster a shared culture of research and innovation that welcomes and rewards creativity and entrepreneurship.

Expected Impacts

• Increase international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary mobility of research staff within Europe and beyond through collaborative research networks
• Strengthen the R&I human capital base in Europe and beyond
• Increase Europe's attractiveness as a leading destination for R&I
• Contribute to Europe's competitiveness and growth through high-quality R&I
• Foster the culture of open science, innovation and entrepreneurship ⁵

Expected Outcomes for Staff Members

• Increased set of research and transferable skills and competences leading to improved employability and career prospects
• More knowledge and innovative ideas converted into products, processes and services
• More entrepreneurial mind-sets through testing new and innovative ideas
• Increased international exposure leading to extended networks and opportunities
• Enhanced networking and communication capacities with scientific peers and the general public

Expected Outcomes for Participating Organisations

• Innovative ways of cooperation and transfer of knowledge between sectors and disciplines
• Strengthened and broader international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaborative networks
• Boosted R&I capacity

Key Requirements and Conditions

Mobility Dimensions

MSCA Staff Exchanges can address different dimensions of mobility: international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary. Exchanges between organisations within EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries should mainly be inter-sectoral, though same-sector exchanges are also possible. Interdisciplinarity is particularly encouraged for secondments between academic organisations ⁶.

Skills Development

Projects must offer new skills acquisition and career development perspectives for participating staff members. Participating organisations must ensure that seconded staff are adequately mentored. Proposals should clearly describe how planned international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary secondments will expose seconded staff to different skills, working cultures or career trajectories.

Project Activities

Projects should enable networking activities and the organisation of workshops and conferences to facilitate sharing of knowledge and testing of innovative approaches for specific R&I topics. The collaborative approach should exploit complementary competences of participating organisations and create synergies between them. Secondments must be essential to achieve the joint project's R&I activities.

Evaluation and Award Criteria

Proposals are evaluated on three main criteria with specific weightings. The overall threshold for approval is 70 points out of 100, calculated from individual criterion scores on a 0-5 scale ⁷.

Evaluation Criteria

1. 1Excellence (50% weighting): Quality and pertinence of research and innovation objectives; soundness of proposed approach to foster international inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaborations; soundness of methodology including gender dimension and open science practices; quality of interaction between participating organisations
2. 2Impact (30% weighting): Developing new and lasting research collaborations; achieving transfer of knowledge between participating organisations; contribution to improving research and innovation potential at European and global level; credibility of measures to enhance career perspectives and skills development
3. 3Quality and Efficiency of Implementation (20% weighting): Quality and effectiveness of work plan and risk assessment; quality, capacity and role of each participant including hosting arrangements; extent to which consortium brings together necessary expertise ⁸

Application Process

Applications must be submitted through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. The call follows a single-stage submission process with one deadline. All relevant documents including the application form, evaluation form, model grant agreement and guide for applicants are available on the portal.

Required Documents

• Completed application form with all required annexes
• Detailed description of the action and work packages
• Budget breakdown showing contributions per participant and budget category
• Consortium agreement (if required by granting authority)
• Certificates on financial statements (if applicable)
• Prefinancing guarantees (if required)

Grant Agreement and Financial Management

Successful projects will be awarded a unit grant under the Horizon Europe Unit Grant model. The grant agreement includes specific terms and conditions for implementation, reporting, payments and potential recovery of funds in case of non-compliance ⁹.

Payment Structure

• Initial prefinancing payment upon grant agreement entry into force
• Additional prefinancing payments based on submitted reports
• Interim payments linked to periodic reports
• Final payment after submission of final report
• 5-8% of maximum grant amount retained as Mutual Insurance Mechanism contribution

Reporting Requirements

Beneficiaries must submit continuous reporting on project progress including deliverables, milestones and outputs. Periodic reports including technical and financial parts are required according to the schedule set in the grant agreement. Financial statements must detail contributions for units implemented in each reporting period.

Eligibility and Admissibility Conditions

General eligibility and admissibility conditions are described in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. Specific conditions for MSCA Staff Exchanges include requirements for consortium composition, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, and exclusion grounds. Applicants must verify their eligibility status and ensure all required documentation is complete before submission.

Support and Guidance

The European Commission provides comprehensive support for applicants including the Horizon Europe Programme Guide, MSCA-specific guide for applicants, online manual for the submission system, and access to National Contact Points in EU Member States and many third countries. The Research Enquiry Service and IT Helpdesk are available for technical and procedural questions.

Key Principles and Values

MSCA Staff Exchanges are based on principles of excellence, physical mobility, bottom-up approach open to all research domains, and strong international dimension. The action emphasises open merit-based recruitment, attractive working conditions aligned with the European Charter for Researchers, equal opportunities and inclusiveness, effective supervision and mentoring, open science practices, and responsible research and innovation ¹⁰.

Footnotes

1. 1Total budget for MSCA Staff Exchanges 2027 call as specified in the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027
2. 2Indicative timeline subject to confirmation; actual dates may vary by up to two months
3. 3International cooperation through participation of organisations from non-associated third countries is strongly encouraged to foster strategic international partnerships
4. 4Specific unit contribution amounts are calculated according to the method set out in the grant agreement annexes and depend on factors such as country of secondment and duration
5. 5Expected impacts as outlined in the call conditions of the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027
6. 6Interdisciplinarity is defined as the integration of information, data, techniques, tools, perspectives, concepts or theories from two or more scientific disciplines
7. 7Scoring uses 0-5 scale with 0.1 resolution; overall threshold of 70 points applies to sum of three individual criterion scores
8. 8Evaluation criteria and weightings as specified in the HE MSCA evaluation form version 2.2 dated 17 December 2025
9. 9Grant agreements follow the Horizon Europe Unit MGA model version 1.3 dated 15 December 2025
10. 10Core principles are outlined in the Introduction section of the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027 Part 2 on Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions