The European Commission has announced a new investment in research talent and innovation through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
With more than €1.25 billion available in 2026, the MSCA 2026–2027 Work Programme is the next step in strengthening research careers, supporting scientific excellence, and enhancing Europe’s global competitiveness in research and innovation.
As the MSCA Work Programme approaches its 30th anniversary in 2026, the new calls strengthen the MSCA’s long-standing mission to support researchers at all stages of their careers, across all disciplines, and in all sectors. The funding opportunities are part of the Horizon Europe 2026–2027 Work Programme, adopted earlier this week.
Strengthening research careers across Europe
The 2026 funding package will support doctoral and postdoctoral training, collaborative research projects, and innovation-focused initiatives. Through its different actions, MSCA promotes high standards in research training, encourages cooperation between academia and non-academic sectors, and supports international mobility.
By investing in people rather than specific research themes, MSCA allows bottom-up research driven by scientific excellence. Organisations benefit from enhanced research capacity, while researchers gain access to clear professional development pathways, international networks, and advanced skills.
Choose Europe for science
Building on a pilot launched in 2025, MSCA will introduce a second “Choose Europe for Science” call in 2026, with a new budget of €51.25 million. The initiative is designed to improve the attractiveness of European research careers by addressing precarity and offering excellent working conditions.
The scheme supports projects in which academic and non-academic organisations recruit postdoctoral researchers with a clear vision for employment beyond the project duration. A key innovation is that organisations will be assessed not only on research excellence but also on the longer-term professional perspectives they offer researchers.
The call will open on 8 December 2026 and close on 6 April 2027, with information sessions planned of the deadline.
Key MSCA calls and timelines for 2026
The 2026 funding cycle begins with the opening of the first calls on 16 December 2025, followed by several major opportunities throughout the year.
COFUND applications will be open from 16 December 2025 to 8 April 2026. With a budget of €105.46 million, COFUND supports organisations in developing or strengthening doctoral and postdoctoral programmes through co-funding arrangements.
Staff Exchanges, open from 16 December 2025 to 16 April 2026, will receive €97.92 million. These projects promote international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary collaboration, helping organisations translate research ideas into innovative outcomes.
Postdoctoral Fellowships will be available from 9 April to 9 September 2026, with a substantial budget of €399.05 million. These fellowships enable PhD holders to gain international and cross-sector experience while conducting cutting-edge research.
Doctoral Networks, open from 28 May to 24 November 2026, account for the largest share of funding at €593.03 million. These networks recruit and train doctoral candidates across academia, industry, and public administration, including specialised joint and industrial doctorate schemes.
Three decades of impact
With a total budget of €6.6 billion for 2021–2027, MSCA remains one of the EU’s flagship programmes for researcher development. Since its launch in 1996, more than 150,000 researchers have participated, contributing to scientific breakthroughs across disciplines.
As it enters its fourth decade, MSCA continues to play a central role in shaping Europe’s research future by investing in talent, mobility, and excellence.
