COFUND: The national PhD stipend was increased, and beneficiaries wonder if they are obliged to increase their MSCA funded researchers to reflect this?

It is not mandatory to do so as the MSCA COFUND beneficiary is obliged only to adhere to amounts that were specified in the COFUND proposal, which becomes part of the Grant Agreement. The MSCA PhD is an employee and is not in receipt of a stipend so different systems apply. And last, REA doesn’t retrospectively increase amounts.

However, if after this increase the national stipend becomes higher than the MSCA salary – depending on the national rules, beneficiaries may have to increase the MSCA salary to keep it attractive and competitive.