More than 700 researchers will be able to build their careers in Europe thanks to an additional boost of over €210 million to the EU’s Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme – one of Europe’s flagship programmes for research careers.
The funding is part of Choose Europe, the European Commission’s initiative to position the EU as the main global magnet for scientific talent, research, and technological innovation.
The top-up was announced by Research Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva at a high-level event in Brussels, and responds to record demand for research career opportunities in Europe.
“Europe must be a place where talented researchers not only want to come, but where they can build their careers and their futures”, said Ms Zaharieva: “That is the ambition behind Choose Europe for Science. With more than €210 million in additional funding for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, we will create opportunities for more researchers to pursue their curiosity, develop new ideas and contribute to Europe’s research, innovation and competitiveness.”
The additional funding will strengthen two of the programme’s key actions: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships and Doctoral Networks leading to more opportunities for additional 700 researchers according to estimations.
The announcement comes as the Commission adopted the amended Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027 on 29 September. Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation running from 2021 to 2027 with a budget of close to €100 billion.
With the additional investment, the budget for both Postdoctoral Fellowships and Doctoral Networks will reach their highest-ever levels since they have been available.
For 2027, the budget for Postdoctoral Fellowships will increase to €459 million, and the budget for Doctoral Networks to €645 million.
On current estimates, the 2027 Postdoctoral Fellowships call could support more than 1,800 postdoctoral researchers, while the 2027 Doctoral Networks call could support more than 2,000 doctoral candidates. The Commission estimates that 700 additional researchers and candidates will be added to that total after today’s funding boost.
For 2026, the budget for Postdoctoral Fellowships will reach €434 million, while Doctoral Networks will receive €628 million.
