The Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions under Horizon Europe: what’s new?
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA), one of the most popular grant programmes for researchers, will return under the new Horizon Europe programme! Although the programme has yet to be officially finalized and published, we have some insights to share on what to expect the upcoming years.
For whom are the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions?
Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions aim to equip researchers with the necessary skills and international experience for a successful career, either in the public or the private sector. The grant programme responds to challenges sometimes faced by researchers, offering them attractive working conditions and the opportunity to move between academic and other settings. The MSCA calls are open to all domains of research & innovation, from fundamental research to market take-up and innovation services. Research and innovation fields are chosen freely by the applicants in a fully ‘bottom-up’ manner.
What’s new under Horizon Europe?
The work programme is yet to be finalized, but we do have some insights on how the programme will change. The European Commission has decided to stimulate the synergy between academia and industry. As a result, the Doctoral Networks (previously known as ITN) will undergo the most drastic changes. The maximum number of fellows in European Training Networks (ETN) will decrease from 15 to 10, while the maximum number of fellows in European Industrial Doctorates (EID) and European Joint Doctorates (EJD) increases from 10 to 15. Additionally, EID and EJD proposals will no longer be evaluated in separate panels, but will have to compete directly with ETN proposals. Resubmission will be restricted as proposals scoring below 80% will not be allowed to resubmit in the subsequent call.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions under Horizon Europe | Tentative deadlines
Below you will find preliminary openings and deadlines of the different calls:
| Call | Tentative opening | Tentative deadline |
| Postdoctoral Fellowships (previously known as IF) | 18 May 2021 | 15 September 2021 |
| Doctoral Networks (previously known as ITN) | 18 May 2021 | 16 November 2021 |
| COFUND | 12 October 2021 | 10 February 2022 |
| Staff Exchange (previously known as RISE) | 7 October 2021 | 9 March 2022 |
Interested in applying?
The calls will be announced as soon as the work programme is published. In the meantime, it is important to start building your network and prepare your project idea, especially for the Doctoral Networks and Postdoctoral Fellowships. Keep an eye on this page for any changes. Our specialists have a broad experience with MSCA and would be pleased to provide you with advice and support for other grant possibilities.
Personal advice? Contact us!
Or call us directly: 088 495 20 00
