EU Commission Call for Applications: MSCA-Choose Europe for Science grant

The European Commission has launched the MSCA Choose Europe for Science to increase the attractiveness of European research careers by addressing the issue of precarity and offer excellent working conditions, turning the current challenge of brain drain in the research and innovation sector into brain gain.

The pilot action supports projects in which academic and non-academic organisations recruit postdoctoral researchers, with a view to offering longer-term employment beyond the project period. 

The main novelty of the initiative is that organisations will be selected also based on their offers of longer-term professional perspectives. This is in addition to the goal of spreading MSCA’s best practices by promoting high standards and excellent working conditions.

Who can apply?

A single legal entity in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country applies and is responsible for recruiting the researchers. Additional associated partners can be included in the project. 

Researchers recruited onto selected MSCA Choose Europe for Science projects are supported during the full duration of the project (48 months or 60 months depending on the length chosen by the institution for the first phase). 

They

• can be of any nationality
• should comply with the mobility rules: in general, they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting organisation for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the deadline of the co-funded programme’s call
• can go on short-term secondments
• must have a doctoral degree. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will also be considered as postdoctoral researchers and will be considered eligible to apply
• should not already be permanently employed by the organisation hosting them

Funding details: 

• The total budget for this call is €22.5 million. A beneficiary can receive a maximum of €3.5 million for this call.
• Projects should recruit at least 3 researchers for up to 5 years, with MSCA co-funding the first 2 to 3 years and the institutions providing the funding (with internal or external funds) for an additional 2 years.
• Funding helps host organisations cover a fixed amount to support any cost items of the programme, equivalent to the minimum salary that researchers should receive during the first 2-to-3-year phase of the project (€6700), a long-term leave allowance and a special needs allowance, if applicable, for each supported researcher.

Read here for more information. 

Information session deadline, 9th of October 2025.

Application deadline, 3rd of December 2025, 17:00h CET