Most scholarships Pakistani students chase are attached to one university or one government. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) work differently. This is the European Union's main funding programme for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers under Horizon Europe, and the money goes to European host institutions and consortia, which then hire researchers of any nationality through open, competitive calls. If you are aiming at a PhD or a postdoc in Europe and want to be paid properly while doing it, MSCA should be near the top of your list. You can see the full scholarship details on our scholarship page.
It is a good fit for graduates in sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities who already have a clear research direction. It is a poor fit for anyone looking for a taught master's, or for someone who wants to apply once and wait. MSCA rewards people who search actively, write targeted applications and apply to several positions.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded, paid as an employment contract salary |
| Levels | PhD (Doctoral Networks) and Postdoctoral (Postdoctoral Fellowships) |
| Deadline | Varies by call and host institution. Doctoral Networks calls typically close in November, the Postdoctoral Fellowships call typically closes mid-September |
| Where | EU member states plus Horizon Europe-associated countries |
| Provider | European Commission, Horizon Europe Programme |
| Official site | MSCA official portal |
Two routes: Doctoral Networks and Postdoctoral Fellowships
MSCA runs several parallel actions, and the two that matter most for Pakistani applicants are these.
Doctoral Networks fund PhD positions inside joint training partnerships between universities, research centres and industry across at least three EU or Horizon Europe-associated countries. As a doctoral researcher in one of these networks you get structured supervision, international mobility and industry exposure built into the programme, often through secondments and placements with partner organisations.
Postdoctoral Fellowships fund individual researchers who already hold a PhD to spend one to two years at a host institution in Europe. There is also a Global Fellowship variant, where you spend an outgoing phase at an institution outside Europe and then complete a mandatory return phase in Europe.
The practical difference is how you get in. A Doctoral Network PhD is a job you apply for, like any vacancy. A Postdoctoral Fellowship is a proposal you write together with a supervisor, which the host institution then submits to the European Commission's central call. Treat them as two separate processes.
A salary, not a stipend
This is the part that surprises most people. MSCA researchers are hired on an employment contract, not given a stipend. That means full social security, health insurance and pension contributions, the same as other staff at the host institution.
Doctoral Network positions typically pay a gross salary in the range of €3,400-€5,000 per month. Where you land in that range depends on the country correction coefficient, which adjusts the living allowance for the cost of living in the host country. Remember that this is gross. Tax and social contributions come out of it, and the deductions differ from country to country, so do not plan your budget on the headline number.
On top of the salary, the package can include:
- A mobility allowance for researchers relocating internationally
- A family allowance for fellows with dependents
- Research, training and networking costs, covered separately by the host institution or consortium
- Secondments and industry placements, built into Doctoral Networks
- Access to the EURAXESS researcher support network across Europe
For a Pakistani researcher with a spouse or children, the family allowance is worth checking early in any vacancy you look at, because it can change whether a move is financially realistic.
Where you could end up
MSCA funds positions across all EU member states plus Horizon Europe-associated countries, including the UK, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and others. You do not pick a country first and then apply to MSCA. The country is decided by which host institution's position you apply to. If you have a strong preference for one country, filter your searches that way, but stay open, because narrowing too hard cuts your chances.
Eligibility, and the rule that trips people up
MSCA is open to researchers of any nationality worldwide. No EU citizenship or residency is required, so Pakistani applicants compete on the same footing as EU citizens. Beyond nationality, the rules depend on the route.
- For Doctoral Networks, you must not yet have a doctoral degree and must be in the first four years of your research career.
- For Postdoctoral Fellowships, you must hold a PhD (or have successfully defended your thesis) by the call deadline, with a maximum of 8 years of full-time-equivalent research experience since the doctorate.
- You need a strong academic record and a research proposal aligned with the funded project or the supervisor's research area.
The mobility rule
This is where applicants get caught. You must not have resided or carried out your main activity in the host country for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the deadline. If you did a master's in Germany two years ago, a German host may be off the table for you, even if the supervisor wants you. Pakistanis who did their PhD abroad face this most often at postdoc stage: applying to stay in the country where you finished your doctorate generally will not work. Check your own residence and study history against this rule before you spend weeks on any application.
What to have ready before you apply
Each host institution sets its own requirements, but most MSCA applications ask for some version of the following:
- CV or academic resume
- Motivation letter or research statement written for the specific position
- Degree certificates and academic transcripts
- Proof of English (or host-country language) proficiency where required
- Two to three academic reference letters
- A research proposal, which for Postdoctoral Fellowships is developed jointly with the proposed supervisor before submission
Reference letters are usually the slowest item for Pakistani applicants, because supervisors at home are busy and often unfamiliar with European formats. Ask early and give your referees the vacancy text so they can write to it. Our documents checklist for international scholarships covers how to prepare transcripts and degree copies.
There is no single MSCA application form
Because the money flows through host institutions, you never submit one universal MSCA application. The process looks like this:
- Search the EURAXESS Jobs portal and the MSCA-funded projects database for open Doctoral Network or Postdoctoral Fellowship positions in your field.
- Contact the named supervisor or consortium coordinator to discuss fit before you apply. For Postdoctoral Fellowships this step is not optional in practice, since the proposal is co-developed.
- Prepare the position-specific application (CV, motivation letter, transcripts, references) following that host institution's instructions.
- Submit directly to the host institution or consortium by their internal deadline. This is not a centralised MSCA deadline.
- For Postdoctoral Fellowships, the coordinating institution submits the joint proposal to the European Commission's central call by the annual deadline.
- Interview where required, then a funding decision, typically communicated 5-8 months after the call deadline.
How the yearly cycle runs
The calendar is easier to follow once you split it by route. Exact dates change per call, so confirm them on the official MSCA portal each year.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| April-May | Doctoral Networks call opens |
| November | Doctoral Networks call deadline. The coordinating institution submits the joint consortium proposal |
| April | Postdoctoral Fellowships call opens |
| September | Postdoctoral Fellowships call deadline. The joint applicant-supervisor proposal goes to the European Commission |
| February-May following year | Funding decisions |
One point confuses people: the Doctoral Networks deadline is when consortia submit their proposals, not when you apply as a PhD candidate. Once consortia are funded, their PhD positions are advertised on EURAXESS throughout the year, each with its own closing date. So a PhD applicant should be searching all year, not waiting for November.
Where applications go wrong
The most common mistake is sending a generic application. MSCA vacancies are tied to specific research questions, and a motivation letter that could go to any lab reads exactly like that. Read the project description, say which part of it you would work on, and connect your own thesis or experience to it.
The second mistake is contacting a postdoc supervisor too late. The research proposal is written together, so reach out 4-6 months before the deadline. Approaching someone a few weeks out leaves no time to build a competitive proposal.
Other habits that help:
- Set up saved searches on EURAXESS Jobs and check them weekly, since new positions open continuously.
- Apply to several positions across different consortia in your field rather than betting on one.
- Put any prior international mobility, publications and independent research front and centre. These are heavily weighted in MSCA evaluation.
- Check the mobility rule per country before you start, especially if you have studied or worked in Europe.
Once you have an offer, the visa stage still needs care. Our guide on visa rejection reasons for Pakistani students is a useful read before you file.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani students apply for MSCA positions?
Yes. MSCA has no nationality restriction, and researchers of any nationality worldwide can apply to open Doctoral Network or Postdoctoral Fellowship positions.
Is there one central MSCA application?
No. MSCA funds host institutions and consortia, which advertise and recruit for specific positions on EURAXESS. You apply directly to the vacancy, not to a central MSCA office.
Do MSCA researchers get a stipend or a salary?
A salary. You are hired under an employment contract with social security and pension contributions. Doctoral Network positions typically pay €3,400-€5,000 gross per month, depending on the host country.
Can I do a postdoc fellowship in the country where I did my PhD?
Generally no. The mobility rule requires that you have not resided or worked in the host country for more than 12 months in the 3 years before the deadline.
I already have a PhD from a few years ago. Am I too late for a Postdoctoral Fellowship?
Not necessarily. The limit is a maximum of 8 years of full-time-equivalent research experience since the doctorate, counted at the call deadline. Check the current call rules on the official portal for how experience is calculated.
When will I hear back?
Funding decisions are typically communicated 5-8 months after the call deadline. For an individual PhD vacancy, the host institution sets its own interview and offer timeline.
Before applying, check the current call details on the official MSCA website, search live vacancies on EURAXESS, and keep the MSCA scholarship page handy for the key facts.