Fully Funded MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships for International Researchers
🧠 Introduction
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), funded under the Horizon Europe framework, is one of the world’s most prestigious research funding programs. Named after the Nobel laureate Marie Curie, MSCA promotes global researcher mobility, interdisciplinary training, and cutting-edge innovation.
The MSCA Postdoctoral fellowships specifically supports early-career researchers across all disciplines by offering them the opportunity to pursue advanced research in Europe and around the world, collaborate internationally, and gain skills that will advance their career.
🎯 MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships?
The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships supports researchers who already hold a PhD and wish to deepen their expertise through high-impact research at leading institutions. It is part of the broader MSCA umbrella, which also includes doctoral training, staff exchanges, and international research partnerships.
🧪 Types of MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) offers two main types of Postdoctoral Fellowships, each designed to support research excellence, international mobility, and career development for early-career researchers. These fellowships promote both inward and outward mobility, enabling researchers to gain global experience while contributing to European research and innovation.
🔹 1. European Postdoctoral Fellowships (Intra-European Mobility)
Who Can Apply?
✅ Researchers of any nationality (EU and non-EU citizens) who wish to conduct their research in Europe.
Where Can You Work?
✅ The research project must be hosted in a country that is:
- An EU Member State (e.g., France, Germany, Italy)
- Or a Horizon Europe Associated Country (e.g., Norway, Turkey, Israel, Switzerland*)
Host Institutions May Include:
✅ Academic institutions (universities, research centers)
✅ Non-academic entities (companies, NGOs, public bodies, think tanks, museums, etc.)
Duration:
🕒 Between 12 and 24 months (1–2 years)
Purpose & Advantages:
- Promote international collaboration within Europe
- Provide exposure to multisectoral and interdisciplinary research environments
- Strengthen researcher profiles with training, mentoring, and secondments
- Ideal for candidates seeking to relocate to Europe or gain experience in another EU country
Important Notes:
- Researchers must not have resided or worked in the host country for more than 12 months in the last 3 years before the call deadline.
- These fellowships can include secondments to other institutions (up to 1/3 of the duration) and optional short visits to other countries for collaboration.
🔹 2. Global Postdoctoral Fellowships (Outgoing Mobility with European Reintegration)
Who Can Apply?
✅ Only researchers who are nationals or long-term residents (≥5 years in a row) of an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country.
Where Does the Fellowship Take Place?
✅ The fellowship is structured in two phases:
- An initial research phase in a non-European country (e.g., USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Brazil)
- A mandatory 12-month return phase in Europe at a host institution in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country
Duration:
🕒 Total duration of 24 to 36 months (2–3 years), including the return phase
Purpose & Advantages:
- Encourage researchers to build international partnerships beyond Europe
- Promote knowledge transfer from top global institutions to European research systems
- Enhance global visibility and leadership in research
- Ideal for candidates looking to collaborate with institutions outside Europe, while maintaining strong European ties
Important Notes:
- The project must clearly demonstrate how the knowledge and skills gained abroad will be applied during the return phase in Europe.
- Fellows are encouraged to include secondments and outreach activities during both phases.
💰 Benefits of the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships
- ✅ Monthly Living Allowance (~€5,080 before tax)
- ✅ Mobility Allowance (€600/month)
- ✅ Family Allowance (up to €660/month)
- ✅ Research Costs (€1,000/month to host)
- ✅ Institutional Support (€650/month to host)
- ✅ Access to training, mentoring, secondments, and innovation ecosystems
- ✅ Health & Social Security Coverage
These postdoctoral fellowships are fully funded, ensuring researchers are financially supported and can concentrate fully on their academic journey.
📋 Eligibility Criteria
To apply for the MSCA Postdoctoral fellowships, you must:
- Hold a PhD degree at the time of application
- Have no more than 8 years of full-time research experience after the PhD
- Comply with the mobility rule:
- You should not have resided or worked in the host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months prior to the call deadline
- Submit a proposal with a European host institution
- Be willing to relocate and work full-time on your proposed project
🗂️ How to Apply
✅ Step 1: Identify a Host Institution
- Approach a European university or research center
- Look for supervisors or departments publishing Expressions of Interest (EOIs)
- Agree on a project idea with the host
✅ Step 2: Prepare the Proposal
- Write a detailed proposal covering:
- Objectives and methodology
- Training & skills development
- Expected impact
- Implementation plan
- Use the official MSCA templates and get feedback from your host
✅ Step 3: Submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal
- Register on the portal
- Upload all required documents
- Respect the annual deadline (typically in September)
📅 MSCA postdoctoral fellowships Timeline (Tentative)
- 📌 Call Opens: April
- 📌 Application Deadline: September
- 📌 Evaluation Period: Oct–Dec
- 📌 Results Announced: February
- 📌 Start of Fellowship: Between April and September
🌐 Where Can You Apply? (Top Host Institutions for MSCA PostDoctoral Fellowships)
One of the greatest strengths of the MSCA Postdoctoral fellowships is its flexibility in allowing researchers to choose from a vast network of world-class academic and non-academic host institutions across Europe and associated countries. Many of these institutions have a strong track record of hosting MSCA fellows and offer an ideal environment for advanced research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and impactful training.
Here are some of the most popular and prestigious MSCA host institutions you can consider:
🇩🇪 Max Planck Institutes – Germany
The Max Planck Society operates more than 80 research institutes and facilities across Germany, covering disciplines from basic sciences to humanities. Known for its high research output and interdisciplinary labs, the Max Planck Institutes are a top choice for MSCA fellows in physics, biology, chemistry, neuroscience, and law.
🔗 Website: https://www.mpg.de
🇫🇷 CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) – France
CNRS is the largest public research organization in Europe. It collaborates with French universities and grandes écoles to offer a dynamic research environment across STEM, social sciences, and humanities. CNRS-affiliated labs regularly host hundreds of MSCA fellows and are known for their strong EU project infrastructure.
🔗 Website: https://www.cnrs.fr
🇧🇪 KU Leuven – Belgium
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven is one of Europe’s highest-ranking research universities. Located in Flanders, KU Leuven excels in engineering, medical sciences, AI, and social sciences, and offers full institutional support to MSCA applicants, including proposal writing help.
🔗 Website: https://www.kuleuven.be
🇮🇹 European University Institute (EUI) – Italy
Located in Florence, EUI is a center of excellence in law, economics, political science, and history. It is ideal for researchers in social sciences and humanities. The EUI supports MSCA fellows with access to elite academic networks and EU policy institutions.
🔗 Website: https://www.eui.eu
🇳🇱 TU Delft (Delft University of Technology) – Netherlands
TU Delft is a global leader in engineering, renewable energy, architecture, and AI. The university hosts numerous EU-funded fellows, and its open innovation model promotes collaboration with industry, making it an attractive host for intersectoral MSCA projects.
🔗 Website: https://www.tudelft.nl
🇪🇸 University of Barcelona – Spain
Ranked among Spain’s top research universities, the University of Barcelona supports MSCA fellows across life sciences, climate research, biotechnology, and arts & humanities. Their EU project office provides robust application support.
🔗 Website: https://www.ub.edu
🇸🇪 Karolinska Institute – Sweden
Known for selecting the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Karolinska Institute is one of the world’s most respected medical research institutions. It regularly hosts MSCA fellows in biomedicine, public health, molecular biology, and related fields.
🔗 Website: https://www.ki.se
🇨🇭 ETH Zurich – Switzerland
ETH Zurich is consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the world. It is a top destination for MSCA Global Fellowships during the outgoing phase and excels in computer science, robotics, physics, and engineering.
🔗 Website: https://ethz.ch
🇵🇱 Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) – Poland
PAN is Poland’s foremost scientific research institution, covering natural sciences, social sciences, and technology. Many of its research institutes offer competitive postdoctoral environments for MSCA European Fellowships, especially in mathematics, chemistry, and nanotechnology.
🔗 Website: https://institution.pan.pl
🇵🇹 University of Lisbon – Portugal
This multidisciplinary university is a leader in oceanography, climate change, physics, and development studies. It has a strong EU-funded research infrastructure and regularly supports incoming MSCA Post doctoral fellows from Latin America, Asia, and Africa.
🔗 Website: https://www.ulisboa.pt
🧭 How to Choose the Right Host Institution?
When selecting your MSCA host institution, consider:
- ✅ Research alignment with your project topic
- ✅ Institutional support for MSCA proposals
- ✅ Supervisor’s publication and mentorship record
- ✅ Facilities and lab infrastructure
- ✅ Opportunities for secondments and intersectoral collaboration
You can find calls for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from these institutions well in advance of the application deadline. Most top institutions also run internal MSCA training workshops and mentoring programs to help applicants succeed.
🌟 Why Choose MSCA postdoctoral fellowships?
- 🌍 Global collaboration and exposure
- 🔬 Access to elite research labs and universities
- 👩🏫 Career training, secondments, and skills development
- 🧠 Funding to support innovative and interdisciplinary research
- 📈 Enhanced academic profile for future faculty or industry positions
- 🤝 Join a vibrant MSCA alumni network
✅ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who is eligible to apply for MSCA Postdoctoral fellowships?
Anyone holding a PhD with fewer than 8 years of postdoctoral experience and willing to relocate.
Q2. Can non-Europeans apply for MSCA Postdoctoral fellowships?
✅ Yes. European Fellowships are open to all nationalities. Global Fellowships are for EU/associated country nationals or long-term residents.
Q3. Is this fellowship fully funded?
✅ Yes. MSCA provides generous monthly salaries, research funds, mobility, and family allowances.
Q4. Can I apply again if I was previously rejected?
✅ Yes, you can reapply in future rounds.
Q5. Is the host required before applying?
✅ Yes. The proposal is a joint submission between the researcher and host institution.
Q6. What fields are eligible?
✅ All fields: STEM, Social Sciences, Humanities, Arts, Interdisciplinary Research.
Q7. What is the success rate?
Highly competitive. Success rates average 12–15%, so strong proposals are crucial.
📣 Final Thoughts
The MSCA Post Doctoral Fellowship is more than just a grant—it’s an international platform for academic leadership. With generous funding, excellent research conditions, and unmatched global exposure, MSCA is your gateway to a top-tier academic career. Keywords: MSCA Post doctoral fellowship, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Horizon Europe funding, EU postdoc fellowship, global postdoctoral fellowships, academic research grants in Europe. Follow ScholarshipGrow.
🔗 Apply now at: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu
⚠️ Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is for general guidance and informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the details related to the MSCA Post Doctoral Fellowship, applicants are strongly advised to consult the official European Commission website and relevant host institutions for the most current and precise information regarding eligibility, deadlines, funding rules, and application procedures.
We do not represent or have any affiliation with the European Commission or its funding bodies. The use of logos, program names, or official terms is purely for informational purposes.
🔗 Official Website: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu