The Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA) are run by the European Commission for researchers who already hold a PhD and want to do their next project somewhere new. This is not a scholarship for a degree. It funds a research post, built around a project you design with a host organization, and it is meant to move you across countries, disciplines or sectors. You can read the full scholarship details on our listing, but this guide is about how the fellowship actually works and whether it fits you.
For a Pakistani researcher, the short version is this: the European Fellowship is open to researchers of any nationality, so you can apply if you meet the other rules. The Global Fellowship is a different story, and most Pakistani nationals living in Pakistan will not qualify for it. More on that below.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded (allowances plus research, training and networking costs) |
| Level | Postdoctoral (you must hold a PhD or have defended your thesis) |
| Provider | European Commission |
| Where | EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries, plus non-associated Third Countries for Global Fellowships |
| Fields | All research disciplines, plus Euratom Research and Training Programme areas |
| Deadline | Varies by call. Confirm on the official site |
| Official site | MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships |
Two fellowships, two very different journeys
MSCA splits its postdoctoral funding into two types, and choosing the right one is the first real decision you make.
European Postdoctoral Fellowships are for researchers moving within Europe or coming to Europe from elsewhere in the world. The fellowship takes place in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country and lasts between 1 and 2 years. This is the route that makes sense for almost every Pakistani applicant, because nationality is not a barrier here.
Global Postdoctoral Fellowships fund researchers to go outside Europe. They last between 2 and 3 years: an initial 1 to 2 years in a non-associated Third Country, then a mandatory 1-year return phase at an organization in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. Only nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries can apply. If you are a Pakistani national who has been living in Europe for a long time, check carefully whether your residence status counts as long-term under the current call rules. If you are applying from Pakistan, this type is not for you.
Both types can include short-term secondments anywhere in the world (except during the return phase of a Global Fellowship). Researchers can also receive support for a placement of up to 6 months in a non-academic organization based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country at the end of the fellowship. That last option is useful if you are thinking about a move into industry later.
What the funding is made of
MSCA funding is paid as a set of allowances and cost categories, not a single stipend. The fellowship covers:
- A living allowance
- A mobility allowance
- A family allowance, if it applies to you
- A long-term leave allowance, if applicable
- A special needs allowance, if applicable
- Funding for research, training and networking activities
- Management and indirect costs, which go to the host organization
The exact amounts are set in the MSCA Work Programme and the Guide for Applicants for each call, so read those documents rather than relying on figures quoted on forums or by colleagues from earlier years. The family allowance in particular matters for applicants who plan to relocate with a spouse or children.
The three rules that knock most people out
The eligibility list looks short, but each rule has teeth.
You need the PhD by the deadline
You must hold a PhD at the time of the application deadline. If you have successfully defended your doctoral thesis but the degree has not formally been awarded yet, you are still considered eligible. Students who are still writing up or waiting for a defence date cannot apply in that call.
The 8-year research experience ceiling
You can have a maximum of 8 years of research experience counted from the date your PhD was awarded. The source of confusion is how that experience is calculated. There are specific guidelines for it, and a self-assessment tool on the portal. Use it before you spend weeks on a proposal. If you have had career breaks, read the guidelines closely rather than guessing.
The mobility rule
You must not have resided or worked in the country of your host organization for more than 12 months in the 36 months before the call deadline. This is the rule that catches Pakistani researchers who are already abroad. If you have spent the last two years as a postdoc in Germany, for example, a German host will likely not work for you, and you would need to look at a host in another eligible country. Researchers based in Pakistan generally meet this rule easily for a European host, but count your months honestly if you have had previous stays abroad.
For Euratom research there is an extra condition: you must be a national or long-term resident of an EU Member State or Euratom Associated Country.
Your host organization is half the application
You do not apply alone. The application is submitted jointly with a host organization, which can be a university, research institution, business, SME or other organization based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. You also need a supervisor there who will work on the project with you.
This is where most applicants from Pakistan lose time. They write a proposal first and then go looking for a host. It works better the other way round. Find a group whose work genuinely connects with yours, contact the supervisor with a short, specific project idea, and build the proposal together. The Euraxess portal lists hosting offers and expressions of interest from institutions that are actively looking for MSCA candidates, which is a far better starting point than cold-emailing dozens of professors.
How the application moves from idea to submission
- Decide which fellowship type fits you (European or Global). For most Pakistani nationals this will be European.
- Find a host organization and supervisor and develop the research project with them.
- Make sure the organization is registered and has a PIC number. Your host will usually already have one.
- Prepare the application jointly with the host.
- Submit the proposal through the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal.
The documents themselves are limited to three items: the proposal (including all annexes), the administrative forms, and the self-assessment tool for the 8-year research experience calculation. The light document list is misleading. The proposal is the whole contest, and it is evaluated by external experts after the deadline.
Because you are applying for a research post rather than a degree, the usual student paperwork is not part of the submission. If you are selected, you will still need visa and relocation documents later, and our guide to visa rejection reasons for Pakistani applicants covers mistakes that apply to researchers too.
When calls open and close
Call opening and submission dates vary from year to year. The opening is announced on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal, and the submission deadline is specified on the call page itself. Evaluation happens after the deadline and is carried out by external experts. Confirm the current call dates on the official MSCA website before you plan anything around them.
Realistically, start working with a host several months before you expect the deadline. A good proposal needs multiple drafts and input from your supervisor, and the host's research office will have its own internal timelines.
If you score well but miss out
Budgets are limited, and strong proposals do get rejected. MSCA awards a Seal of Excellence to applications with a total score of 85% or higher that cannot be funded because of budget limits. It is a quality label, not money, but it is worth having on your CV, and it shows you were close. A rejected proposal with good evaluator comments is often a strong base for the next call.
Practical advice before you start
- Contact the National Contact Point in your country for guidance on participation and rules. If you are already based in Europe, the National Contact Point there is the obvious first call.
- Run the 8-year self-assessment early. Finding out you are ineligible after drafting a proposal is a painful waste.
- Check the mobility rule against your exact dates of residence and work, not a rough estimate.
- Read the Guide for Applicants and the MSCA Work Programme for the financial details and rules. Do not rely on summaries, including this one.
- Submit early. Portal problems near the deadline are a real risk, and late submissions are not accepted.
- Show the mobility and skills angle. The fellowship is about gaining experience in new countries, disciplines and sectors, so a proposal that simply continues your PhD in a new building misses the point.
Who should skip this? Anyone who has not yet defended a thesis, anyone well past the 8-year mark, and anyone who wants a structured taught programme. MSCA rewards independent researchers who can design and defend their own project.
If you are comparing this with other options on the continent, see all Europe scholarships in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani researchers apply for the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships?
Yes, for the European Postdoctoral Fellowships, which are open to researchers of any nationality. The Global Postdoctoral Fellowships are limited to nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries.
Can I apply before my PhD degree is formally awarded?
Yes, as long as you have successfully defended your doctoral thesis by the deadline. Applicants who have defended but not yet received the degree are considered eligible.
Do I need a host before I apply?
Yes. The application is prepared and submitted jointly with a host organization and supervisor in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. Euraxess is a good place to find hosting offers.
Which fields are eligible?
All research disciplines are eligible, along with Euratom Research and Training Programme areas. Euratom research has its own nationality or residence condition.
How long does the fellowship last?
European Fellowships last between 1 and 2 years. Global Fellowships last between 2 and 3 years, including a mandatory 1-year return phase in Europe.
What is the Seal of Excellence?
A quality label given to applications that score 85% or higher but cannot be funded because of budget limitations.
Check the current call, the Guide for Applicants and the deadline on the official MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships site, and keep the full MSCA scholarship page handy as you prepare.