The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 call for applications will open on April 23rd and close on September 11th, 2024. In support of this, MSCA have released six tips and tricks will help you find the best host organization and prepare a successful proposal.
Step 1: Get familiar with how funding works
Have a look at the Postdoctoral Fellowships page and key resources for an introduction to the scheme’s characteristics and opportunities.
Consult the MSCA Work Program and annexes for all details about the call conditions.
Step 2: Make sure you can apply
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to postdoctoral researchers from all over the world that
- hold a PhD degree on the closing date for applications. Applicants who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree are also eligible to apply
- have a maximum of eight years of experience in research from the date of the award of the PhD degree – the following experience will not be counted towards this maximum
- years of experience outside research and career breaks
- years of experience in research in third countries, for nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries who wish to reintegrate to Europe
- comply with mobility rules: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the beneficiary (for European Postdoctoral Fellowships), or the host organization for the outgoing phase (for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline
Some exceptions and specific conditions apply.
Have a look at the following resources to verify your eligibility
- The European Research Executive Agency (REA) publishes a series of essential resources for any applicant
- The Guide for Applicants (available soon) is the best starting point for any researcher interested in the scheme
- This guide will help you avoid the most common mistakes in Postdoctoral Fellowships proposals
- To check your research experience, REA has prepared a Self-assessment tool and guidelines on the calculation of 8-years research experience in Postdoctoral Fellowships under Horizon Europe
- Proposal templates, evaluation guidelines used by experts and many other resources
- The MSCA-NET project, run by MSCA National Contact Points, offers unofficial complementary resources to support applicants
- The Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal also offers a set of Frequently Asked Questions
If you are still uncertain about your eligibility, MSCA National Contact Points can help you go through the criteria and, in some cases, do a pre-submission check of your application.
Step 3: Find a host organization and supervisor
Organizations from all socioeconomic sectors in any country can host an MSCA postdoctoral fellow – although conditions differ depending on the modality you are applying to. This includes
- higher education institutions
- research centers and infrastructures
- private sector organizations, including industry, businesses, and small and medium-sized enterprises
- public sector organizations, including national, regional, and local governments, agencies, and museums
- certain international organizations, bodies and research institutions
- other organizations such as NGOs, foundations, charities, etc.
Organizations based in third countries that are not associated to the Horizon Europe program can host researchers for Global Fellowships and for short-term secondments (see specific conditions in the MSCA Work Program). If you are not sure whether a country is associated to Horizon Europe, have a look at the list of participating countries to Horizon Europe.
As of January 2024, the United Kingdom is associated to the Horizon Europe program. United Kingdom organizations will therefore be able to host researchers, apply and receive funding under this year’s call under the same conditions as EU Member States and other countries associated to Horizon Europe.
If you do not yet have a host organization in mind or are still looking for a secondment or a placement please send an email at info@miamisic.org
Step 4: Start drafting your application
To draft a successful application, you will need to work together with your supervisor in your future host organization and stick to the award criteria.
Here are some useful resources for drafting your application and understand how it will be assessed
- Award Criteria and budget structure (MSCA Work Program, p.95)
- Application form (coming soon on the Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 call page)
- Evaluation forms
- The Horizon Europe Programme Guide offers more guidance on specific aspects evaluated under the award criteria such as
- Sustainability: in line with the green objectives of the European Union, projects are strongly encouraged to adopt sustainable practices in line with the MSCA Green Charter and report on their efforts in that direction. Read useful tips and guidance to increase the sustainability of projects.
- You can also watch evaluators’ briefing videos, including on
Step 5: Check your application with the experts
Your supervisor and your host organization are your first contact points, but if you want to receive feedback on your draft and get advice from former applicants and experts you can also reach out to
- the MSCA National Contact Point in your future host country
- the Marie Curie Alumni Association has an active network of former awardees ready to help you in the drafting of your proposal. The association also organizes regular training for future applicants
- some host organizations may also have resources to verify your application
Step 6: Submit your application
The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 call for applications will open on April 23rd, 2024and close on September 11th, 2024 at 5:00 PM CEST. Note the time zone difference. During this period, you can prepare and submit your application and learn more about the submission process on the call page on the Funding and Tenders Opportunities Portal and through the portal’s online manual.
To avoid last-minute problems, submit your proposal as early as possible before the deadline. You can update, download, or withdraw your proposal up until the deadline.
The evaluation process takes approximately 5 months and the results should therefore be announced in the course of February 2025.
