The European Commission has announced that €404 million in funding will support 1,610 postdoctoral researchers under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships
The funding will enable researchers to undertake advanced research projects at leading universities, research centres, public institutions, private organisations, and small and medium-sized enterprises across Europe and worldwide.
The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are some of the most competitive research grants in Europe. For the 2025 call, the European Research Executive Agency (REA) received 17,066 applications, of which 16,836 were deemed eligible and evaluated. Only 1,610 projects were selected, resulting in a success rate of 9.6%.
Strong international participation
The selected researchers span over 80 nationalities, where work will be conducted in 45 different countries. This continues to show that MSCA is attracting global researchers, thereby promoting international mobility and interdisciplinary research.
From the funding, €343.7 million will support 1,446 researchers through European Postdoctoral Fellowships. These fellowships allow recipients to conduct research in EU Member States or in countries associated with Horizon Europe.
An additional €60.6 million has been allocated to Global Postdoctoral Fellowships, supporting 164 researchers who will conduct part of their research in countries outside the EU and Horizon Europe before returning to Europe.
The most common destinations for outgoing Global Fellowships include the United States, Canada, and Australia, with Brazil also featuring among the top host countries.
Coordinating countries and host organisations
Projects funded under the 2025 call will be coordinated by organisations in 27 EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries. The United Kingdom leads in the number of coordinated projects, followed by Spain, Italy, France, Germany, and Switzerland. Together, these countries host a significant share of Europe’s postdoctoral research activity and continue to attract international talent.
Host organisations cover a wide range of sectors, including higher education institutions, research centres, public bodies, and private enterprises, reinforcing the programme’s focus on academic excellence and real-world impact.
Research across all scientific disciplines
The funded projects cover the full area of scientific disciplines. The social sciences and humanities account for the largest share at 23.4%, followed by the life sciences at 20.8%. Other fields include information sciences and engineering, chemistry, environment and geosciences, physics, mathematics, and economic sciences.
This wide disciplinary coverage shows the MSCA programme’s commitment to supporting research excellence across both fundamental and applied fields.
The next steps for applicants
Successful applicants and their host organisations have already received official notification letters outlining the evaluation results and the next steps for preparing grant agreements with the European Research Executive Agency. Once agreements are finalised, the first research projects are expected to begin as early as April 2025.
In addition to the funded projects, 261 proposals have been placed on a reserve list and may be invited for funding if additional resources become available.
Additional support through ERA fellowships
Under the European Research Area Fellowships Action, 41 additional fellowships will be awarded to excellent researchers undertaking projects in widening countries. Results for ERA Fellowships are communicated together with MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship outcomes.
The next call for MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships is scheduled to open on 9 April 2026. Further details and application guidance will be made available through the Funding and Tenders Opportunities Portal.
