All actions: Is it possible for a candidate to be selected for two MSCA grants at the same time or at different times?

It is not possible for a researcher to be employed in different MSCA projects at the same time.

However, it is possible for a researcher to be funded by MSCA at different stages of their research career, without overlap. 

DN/ COFUND: Is it possible to check if a candidate has already been selected for or employed within another MSCA call (MSCA Doctoral Networks or MSCA COFUND) before proceeding with recruitment? Is there a platform under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme to check this information?

It is not possible to check if a candidate has already been selected for or employed within another MSCA call before proceeding with recruitment. There is no such platform.

DN: Should all tables be filled in font size 11?

Font size 11 will be strictly applied to the sections subject to the 30-page limit (Sections Excellence, Impact, and Implementation) in Part B1 to ensure fairness and prevent formatting bypasses but for sections without a page limit, flexibility will be exercised regarding font size, though it is highly encouraged to adhere to the size 11 standard for readability.

PF: How should periods of unemployment be treated if a researcher continued to publish scientific papers or contributed to a research project without having any formal employment contract?

It is the formal contractual relationship (or lack thereof) that counts. Publishing or voluntary activities do not count towards the eight years, in case the researcher was not employed or was employed in a non-research position. Applicants can consult this FAQ.

All actions: What should an organisation do if it is registered and validated with an inaccurate sector in the F&T Portal?

If the organisation believes its sector classification in the F&T Portal is inaccurate, the organisation’s Legal Entity Appointed Representative (LEAR) must contact the EU Validation Service via the F&T Portal to update its validated data.

DN: In the recently amended MSCA Work Programme for 2026-2027 the award criteria for Doctoral Networks ‘The magnitude and importance of the project’s contribution to the expected scientific, societal and economic impacts’ is no longer included. Should applicants still include it in their proposals?

The newly approved amendment applies only to 2027 MSCA calls. There are no changes for the currently open Doctoral Networks call, where the statement still appears in the standard application form for the 2026 call (see Section 2 “Impact” under “aspects to be taken into account”.

SE: A Doctoral Candidate’s scholarship ends in Month X, while the thesis defence will take place in Month Z. According to internal organisation rules, the person retains Doctoral Candidate status until the thesis defence. During this period, however, Doctoral Candidates no longer receive a scholarship, although they may undertake missions funded through their supervisors’ research funds. Will a secondment of such a Doctoral Candidate be considered eligible and reimbursable in MSCA Staff Exchanges?

If being registered as a PhD candidate in a concrete country/organisation is sufficient to be considered as a staff member, they are eligible, even if they do not have a working contract.

Furthermore, this organisation must be in the consortium, must have signed the MSCA-Staff Exchanges Grant Agreement, and must send their staff (i.e., PhD candidate) within the project duration.

On the specific issue of thesis defence pending, the PhD candidate must still be a staff member of their sending organisation while on secondment.

‘Staff’ means there is a contractual link that gives the sending organisation the legal means in terms of control, supervision, and instructions to impose on the secondee compliance with the Grant Agreement obligations (e.g. full-time work for the activities of the project, IPR, visibility of EU funds, confidentiality, etc.).

Beneficiaries should also consider all other eligibility criteria mentioned in the relevant and applicable Work Programme.

All actions: Are Russian researchers eligible to apply for MSCA?

Under the framework of Horizon Europe Work Programme 2026-2027, Russian natural persons who are subject to EU restrictive measures may not participate in EU grants.

However, even if natural persons are not subject to EU restrictive measures, natural persons (whatever their nationality) who have their habitual residence in Russia, Belarus or non-government-controlled territories of Ukraine cannot receive financial support.

This restriction is not targeting natural persons of Russian or Belarusian nationality if they do not have their habitual residence in one of these areas. Therefore, Russian individuals who are not attached to a Russian entity (private or public) and do not have their habitual residence in one of the areas mentioned, will in principle remain eligible, after a thorough screening against the EU sanctions list.

Applicants can check this FAQ on the Funding and Tenders Opportunities Portal as well.

PF: Can it be criticised that the same supervisor features in a high number of MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship applications?

There is no rule about what the optimal/ maximum number of supervised researchers is. Note: the supervisor would still need to ensure that they are able to fulfill their supervisory obligations, as outlined in the MSCA Supervision Guidelines, for any and all PF applications that are successful in which they are the designated supervisor.

PF: Is it possible to add a contact person for the outgoing host for Global Fellowships in the system?

The organisation involved in the outgoing phase participates as an Associated Partner. As such, it is not possible to add contact persons for Associated Partners in the portal for Horizon Europe calls. This is confirmed on p. 25 of the Proposal Submission Service User Manual.