PF: How are the 8-years research experience calculated - from the date of the proposal submission or from the date of call deadline?

On page 93 of the MSCA Work Programme, it’s mentioned that “At the call deadline, supported researchers must have a maximum of 8 years fulltime equivalent experience in research, measured from the date of award of the doctoral degree.”

Researchers need to satisfy the criterion as of 11 September 2024 which is the call deadline for the 2024 Postdoctoral Fellowships call according to the latest version of the Work Programme. Researchers need to measure this from the date of award of their doctoral degrees.

There are some exceptions calculating these 8 years of full time research experience. Years of experience outside research and career breaks will not count towards the above maximum, nor will years of experience in research in third countries, for nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries who wish to reintegrate to Europe.

Applicants can check the following pages for more information:

Postdoctoral Fellowships - call 2023

Guidelines on the calculation of 8-years research experience in Postdoctoral Fellowships under Horizon Europe

Postdoctoral Fellowships Self-assessment tool for the calculation of the 8-years research experience