The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships offer a prestigious opportunity for researchers holding a PhD to advance their careers through international, interdisciplinary, and inter-sectoral mobility. These fellowships are designed to enhance the creative and innovative potential of researchers by providing them with the chance to acquire new skills and conduct research abroad. This guide consolidates information from the MSCA and IndiaBioscience websites to provide a detailed overview of the 2024 MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships. 

Overview of MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality who have a PhD and no more than eight years of research experience post-PhD. The fellowships are divided into two main types: 

1. European Postdoctoral Fellowships: These fellowships are open to researchers moving within Europe or coming to Europe from other parts of the world. They can last between one and two years and must be undertaken in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country. 
2. Global Postdoctoral Fellowships: These fellowships fund researchers to work outside Europe for one to two years, followed by a mandatory return phase of one year to an organisation based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. Only nationals or long-term residents of the EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries are eligible to apply. 

Objectives and Benefits 

The primary objective of the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships is to support researchers' careers and foster excellence in research. The fellowships aim to: 

Eligibility Criteria 

To be eligible for the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships, applicants must: 

Application Process 

Researchers must develop their application in collaboration with their prospective supervisor and host organisation. The host organisation can be a university, research institution, company, public institution, or any other relevant entity. The application process involves: 

The 2024 MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships have a budget of €417.18 million, expected to fund over 1,400 projects. The fellowships provide financial support for: 

Additional Opportunities 

Researchers applying for a standard European Fellowship with a host organisation in a "widening country" (countries with lower participation rates in Horizon Europe) can opt to be considered for the ERA Fellowships call. This provides additional funding opportunities for excellent applicants who were not selected under the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships due to budget constraints.