Pillar 1: Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions

Funding for researcher training, mobility, career development and international collaboration.

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are part of Horizon Europe’s Pillar 1: Excellent Science, alongside the European Research Council (ERC) and Research Infrastructures (RI). This pillar aims to promote scientific excellence and attract highly skilled researchers and innovators to Europe.

The MSCA supports researchers at all career stages, helping them develop new skills through mobility across countries, sectors and disciplines, while strengthening their long-term research and innovation careers.

Improving research careers

MSCA promotes high-quality training, fair recruitment and excellent working conditions, Open Science and Responsible Research and Innovation.

Effective supervision, mentoring, and career guidance are key principles of the MSCA, contributing to a supportive environment for researchers. The Guidelines for MSCA Supervision on their website provide recommendations to support these practices.

The MSCA also promotes the principles of the European Charter for Researchers on the European Commission website, which outlines the rights and responsibilities of researchers, employers, and funding organisations. You can read about on their respective websites how they also contribute to the European Research Area and European Education Area.

MSCA Work Programme 2026–2027

With a total budget of €6.6 billion for 2021 to 2027, MSCA supports researcher training, career development and international mobility across all research disciplines.

MSCA funding calls run annually. The MSCA Work Programme 2026–2027 (PDF), published on the European Commission website, provides details of current calls, budgets, eligibility requirements, deadlines and how to apply.

What MSCA funds

MSCA supports researcher training, career development and knowledge exchange. Funding is open to all areas of research and innovation through a bottom-up approach, allowing applicants to propose topics rather than prescribing specific thematic priorities.

Depending on the route, MSCA can support:

• doctoral training
• postdoctoral research
• staff exchanges
• co-funded doctoral and postdoctoral programmes
• public engagement with research
• attractive and sustainable research careers in Europe to attract top talent.

MSCA funding routes

Choose the MSCA route that best matches your career stage, organisation, partnership or funding need.

Doctoral Networks (DN)

Support for doctoral training programmes that help researchers develop skills, experience and international connections in academic and non-academic organisations

Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF)

Support for excellent researchers who want to develop their career through international, interdisciplinary or intersectoral research experience

Staff Exchanges (SE)

Support for organisations that want to exchange staff, share knowledge and build research and innovation partnerships

COFUND

Support for organisations to develop or strengthen doctoral and postdoctoral fellowship programmes, attracting research talent and supporting career development

MSCA and Citizens

Support for activities that bring research closer to the public and help people understand the value of research and innovation

MSCA and Mobility

International mobility is a core principle across MSCA funding routes. Researchers receiving MSCA funding may need to move between countries and are encouraged to gain experience across sectors and disciplines. Read more about MSCA and Mobility, including guidance for researchers and organisations in the UK.

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