Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships
The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships are designed to help early-career researchers enhance their skills and career prospects by working abroad.
The internal call for the 2026 round is now closed. Please contact msca@cardiff.ac.uk with any queries.
The scheme is open to all research fields and provides an opportunity for postdocs to conduct a specific research project in a new setting.
Funded by the European Commission, the MSCA European Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to researchers moving within Europe or coming to Europe from another part of the world to pursue their research career. These fellowships take place in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country and can last between 1 and 2 years. Researchers of any nationality can apply.
For more information about the fellowships, visit the MSCA webpages.
Who can apply?
Researchers must have a PhD and a maximum of 8 years’ full-time equivalent experience in research at the call deadline.
Researchers must also comply with the mobility rule – they must not have resided or carried out their main activity in the country of the host organisation for more than 1 year in the 3 years immediately before the call deadline.
Contact our European & International Research Office to check your eligibility.
How to apply?
Applications will be made jointly to the funder by the researcher and the host organisation.
To express your interest in applying:
- Check that you meet the eligibility criteria for the call
- Find an academic supervisor – explore our Academic School pages to identify a potential supervisor for your project and contact them directly to find out whether they will support your application
- From 9 April, complete the Online Registration and upload your Expression of Interest using the template provided
Your application will be shared with your chosen Academic School/Institute for review.
You can expect to have a response by the end of June.
Note that applications without the support of an academic supervisor will not be considered.
Support for selected applicants
Cardiff University’s European Team can offer support and guidance to applicants who successfully go through the internal selection process.
We can help with:
- providing feedback on Part A – the EU team can check whether the information in Part A of your application is complete and correct
- sharing resources like our comprehensive MSCA Writing Guide, including examples of successful proposals and an annotated Part B template
- our MSCA Drop-In Clinic – we offer virtual drop-in sessions where you can ask questions about the application process
- providing guidance on the application process and deadline reminders, as well as any other queries you may have
Why choose us?
Cardiff University is committed to achieving research excellence across various disciplines. We are a member of the research-intensive Russell Group of UK universities, and in the most recent UK-wide research excellence assessment of British universities, our research confirmed us as a top 20 university in the UK for quality, impact and environment.
At Cardiff, we have extensive experience in hosting MSCA Fellows across a range of research areas, including Archaeology, Catalysis, Cognitive Neuroscience, Genetic Engineering, Materials Engineering, Sustainable Development and more.
The University provides a supportive and inclusive environment for postdoctoral fellows. From comprehensive support services to mentorship programs, fellows receive the guidance and resources needed to excel in their research and professional development.
Contact
For further information, contact our European and International Research Office.