Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship 2026 for Researchers
Applicant criteria
- No specific age required
- Both
Opportunity criteria
Opportunity description
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), part of the European Union, is accepting applications for the Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 call, one of the leading internationally funded research fellowship programs for researchers who hold a doctoral degree and wish to advance their academic and research careers by working in another country and gaining new professional experience.
The fellowships allow researchers to carry out their own research project in collaboration with an eligible university, research center, company, or organization, while benefiting from advanced training, international mobility, and interdisciplinary and intersectoral experience. Applications are accepted from all scientific and academic disciplines.
This opportunity is particularly suitable for Arab researchers seekingfully funded fellowships and research opportunities in Europe, as the European Postdoctoral Fellowships track is open to researchers of any nationality, including applicants from all Arab countries. Researchers may move to Europe from another country or relocate between eligible European countries.
The total budget for the 2026 call is approximately EUR 399.05 million, and the call is expected to fund around 1,600 research projects.
Types of Fellowships
The fellowships are available through two main tracks:
European Postdoctoral Fellowships
This is the most relevant track for researchers from Arab countries and offers the following:
- Open to researchers of all nationalities.
- Allows researchers to move from any country in the world to Europe.
- Researchers may also move between eligible European countries.
- The research project must be carried out in an EU Member State or a country associated with Horizon Europe.
- Fellowship duration ranges from 12 to 24 months.
Global Postdoctoral Fellowships
This track supports researchers moving from Europe to conduct research outside Europe, followed by a return period at a European institution.
The total fellowship duration ranges from 2 to 3 years and includes:
- 12 to 24 months outside Europe.
- A mandatory 12-month return phase at an institution in an EU Member State or a country associated with Horizon Europe.
Benefits
Selected researchers receive a funding package provided by MSCA through the host institution, which includes:
- A Living Allowance.
- A Mobility Allowance.
- A family allowance, where applicable.
- Support for long-term leave, when needed.
- Support for special needs, where applicable.
- Funding for research activities.
- Funding for training and skills development.
- Support for networking activities and scientific collaboration.
- Funding for project management and indirect costs.
Eligibility criteria
Researchers must:
- Hold a PhD degree by the application deadline.
- Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but have not yet formally received their PhD certificate may also be eligible.
- Normally have no more than 8 years of research experience from the date of obtaining the PhD.
- Certain periods may be excluded from the eight-year calculation, such as career breaks or periods of work outside research, in accordance with MSCA rules.
- Comply with the fellowship’s mobility rule.
- Develop a research project in collaboration with an eligible host institution.
Note: The fellowship may be carried out in any EU Member State or country associated with Horizon Europe. For example, the fellowship may be hosted in countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Austria, Ireland, Portugal, Greece, Poland, and other eligible European countries.
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