2026 MSCA Choose Europe for Science – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships in Europe

Location: Europe

Program: Postdoctoral Research Positions

Eligibility: All Nationality

Total Funding: €22.5 million

Deadline: December 3, 2025

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The European Commission has launched the €22.5 million Choose Europe for Science call under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), strategically designed to enhance the attractiveness of research careers in Europe by providing excellent working conditions and long-term professional prospects for postdoctoral researchers. This substantial investment represents approximately USD $26.4 million or CAD $36.8 million dedicated to strengthening Europe’s research capacity and competitiveness.

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions represent Europe’s flagship funding program for researcher training and career development, supporting excellence in research through geographical and intersectoral mobility. Named after the pioneering scientist Marie Skłodowska-Curie, this program has funded thousands of researchers worldwide, enabling them to develop their skills, gain international experience, and advance their careers at leading research institutions across Europe.

This pilot action supports projects in which academic and non-academic organizations alike recruit postdoctoral researchers, with a clear intention to offer longer-term employment beyond the project period. The main novelty of this initiative is that organizations will be selected not only based on research excellence but also on their offers of longer-term professional perspectives, addressing one of the key challenges in academic careers – the prevalence of short-term contracts and career uncertainty.

Benefits of the Program

This program will provide the following support to participating researchers and organizations:

Excellent working conditions for postdoctoral researchers in Europe
Long-term employment prospects extending beyond the initial project period
Competitive salaries aligned with MSCA standards
Research funding for conducting cutting-edge research projects
Career development opportunities through training and professional development activities
International mobility opportunities for researchers worldwide
Integration into European research networks and communities
Access to world-class research facilities at host institutions
Professional stability through longer-term employment commitments from host organizations
Other benefits

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Eligibility Criteria

For Host Organizations (Institutions Applying for Funding):

To be eligible to apply for funding, organizations must:

Be legal entities in EU Member States or Horizon Europe (Pillar 1) Associated Countries
Be academic or non-academic organizations capable of conducting research
Commit to offering longer-term employment to recruited researchers beyond the project period
Demonstrate capacity to provide excellent working conditions and professional development

For Researchers (Postdoctoral Candidates):

Researchers eligible to be recruited include:

Postdoctoral researchers of any nationality based anywhere in the world
Individuals seeking research positions in Europe with long-term career prospects
Researchers interested in joining academic or non-academic research organizations in Europe

Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements

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Selection Criteria

For organizations, applications are evaluated on the quality and feasibility of proposed research projects, commitment to long-term employment and career development for postdoctoral researchers, quality of working conditions, organizational research capacity, and integration measures for international scholars.

And for individual researchers, selection typically depends on research excellence, relevant experience, alignment with project goals, academic and publication record, research proposal quality, and potential for sustained contribution to the host institution.