Horizon Europe: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF) foster and broaden the career prospects of postdocs by funding research activities and a customized training program abroad. With a few exceptions, projects can be submitted regardless of the nationality of the researchers, and individuals who wish to return to research after a break or who wish to return to Europe from a Third Country are also invited to apply for a Postdoctoral Fellowship. 
In any case, please note the mobility rule and the duration of previous research experience (see submission criteria).

There are two types of PF:

• European Postdoctoral Fellowships enable research stays of 12-24 months in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country.
• Global Postdoctoral Fellowships enable a research stay in a non-Horizon Europe associated Third Country (e.g., USA, Japan, etc.) lasting 12-24 months, followed by a mandatory one-year return phase at a host organization in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country. Important: the mobility rule only applies to the Third Country in this case.

In addition, a so-called non-academic placement can also be funded: a research stay at a European, non-academic host organization (SME, industry, NGO, etc.) lasting up to six months. This host organization for the non-academic placement can be located in the same place (same city, same country) as the host organization for the fellowship as a whole (for example, in Austria), but it can also be carried out at a host organization in another country, provided that it is located in the EU or a country associated with Horizon Europe. 
Please note: The non-academic placement must be described in detail in the application for the postdoctoral fellowship and cannot be applied for during the course of the postdoctoral fellowship. For the duration of the non-academic placement, the fellow remains employed by the host organization for the fellowship; the funding amount is increased by the duration of the non-academic placement.  

Further information (including details of our proposal-check service) and links to important documents can be found in our "Online Infopackage: Proposal Writing for Postdoctoral Fellowships".

Researchers with a doctorate and their host organizations from the public or private sector. 

Approximately 111.700 Euro per year. The European Commission covers the activities of the researcher as well as part of the costs for the implementation of the project. It should be noted that these contributions might not cover the real costs regarding the researcher’s salary completely. The exact amount of the cost contributions can be found in the FFG info sheet. 

Important is the so called mobility rule: Recruited researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the country of destination for more than 12 months within the past 3 years immediately before the call deadline.

There is also a maximum duration of research experience: At the call deadline, researchers must have a maximum of 8 years full-time equivalent experience in research, measured from the date that the researcher was in a possession of a doctoral degree. Years of experience outside research and career breaks are not taken into account. For reintegration to Europe, years of research experience in Third Countries will not be considered in the above maximum.

REA has provided a self-assessment tool to verify this rule. 

Project applications must be submitted via the European Commission's Funding and Tenders Portal.

The results of the evaluation are expected in February 2027.