The Marie Curie Fellowship 2027 call, officially the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships call, is upcoming, not open. The European Commission lists an indicative opening date of 7 April 2027 and an indicative deadline of 8 September 2027. Pakistani researchers may prepare a European Postdoctoral Fellowship with an eligible host, but both dates remain marked “to be confirmed” on the official page.
Quick Overview
- Programme: Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027
- Provider: European Commission
- Applicant profile: Researchers holding a PhD
- Nationality: European Fellowships are open to any nationality
- Indicative opening: 7 April 2027, to be confirmed
- Indicative deadline: 8 September 2027, to be confirmed
- Indicative budget: EUR 459 million
- Current status: Upcoming
About the Fellowship
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships support researchers who want to develop new skills through advanced training and international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility. The application is made jointly by the researcher and an eligible beneficiary organization in the academic or non-academic sector.
This is not a university scholarship with one personal application form. A Pakistani researcher normally needs to identify a suitable host, develop the research proposal with that host and submit through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal when the call opens.
Financial Benefits
The MSCA funding model provides contributions for the recruited researcher and for the host organization. Researcher support normally includes a living allowance and mobility allowance, plus family, long-term leave or special-needs allowances where the applicable conditions are met. The beneficiary also receives research, training, networking, management and indirect-cost contributions.
The official 2027 call page does not yet publish final unit rates. Applicants should not treat figures from the 2026 call as guaranteed 2027 amounts. The host must explain the employment arrangement, deductions and country correction when preparing the application.
Fellowship Structure
European Postdoctoral Fellowships
European Fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality who move to or within an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. The official page gives a standard duration of 12 to 24 months. This is the pathway generally available to a Pakistani national who does not have European nationality or qualifying long-term residence.
Global Postdoctoral Fellowships
Global Fellowships have an outgoing phase of 12 to 24 months in a non-associated third country and a mandatory 12-month return phase in Europe. They are limited to European nationals or qualifying long-term residents. Pakistani citizenship alone does not satisfy that nationality or residence rule.
Eligibility Requirements
- Hold a PhD by the deadline under the final call rules.
- Apply jointly with an eligible academic or non-academic beneficiary.
- Meet the mobility rule: generally, the researcher must not have lived or carried out the main activity in the host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the deadline.
- Choose the correct European or Global fellowship route.
- Meet any research-experience limit, extension rule and Euratom-specific condition in the final 2027 call.
The European Commission recommends checking eligibility with the host and an MSCA National Contact Point. Do this before investing substantial time in the proposal.
Required Documents
The binding 2027 templates will appear on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. A serious preparation file should include:
- A research project concept developed with the proposed supervisor and host
- Researcher CV and track record information required by the template
- Host organization and beneficiary details
- Training, supervision, impact, implementation and dissemination plans
- Ethics, security and open-science information requested in the call
- Evidence needed to demonstrate PhD status, mobility and any claimed eligibility extension
Do not reuse an old proposal template without checking the 2027 portal documents after the call opens.
How to Apply
- Read the official MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027 page.
- Identify an eligible host and supervisor whose research environment fits the project.
- Check the mobility rule and the correct fellowship route before drafting.
- Develop the proposal jointly with the host and use the final 2027 templates.
- Submit through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before the confirmed deadline.
The Commission also points researchers to EURAXESS for hosting offers. A host’s expression of interest is not an award; the joint proposal must still pass eligibility and evaluation.
Further Opportunities for Pakistani Researchers
- HEC International Research Support Initiative Program
- Erasmus Mundus catalogue 2027 guide
- Clarendon Scholarship at Oxford
FAQs
Is the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship 2027 open?
No. The official page lists 7 April 2027 as the indicative opening date.
Can a Pakistani researcher apply?
Yes. European Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality, provided all PhD, mobility, host and call requirements are met.
Can a Pakistani citizen apply for a Global Fellowship?
Pakistani citizenship alone is not enough. Global Fellowships are for European nationals or qualifying long-term residents.
Is 8 September 2027 the final deadline?
Not yet. The European Commission currently marks that deadline as to be confirmed.
Related scholarship: Humboldt Research Fellowship 2027 guide.
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