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MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships

The scheme MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships under the programme “Horizon Europe” (hereinafter – HE) aims to support the creative and innovative potential of postdoctoral researchers (researchers (holding a PhD degree at the time of the deadline September 9/ 2026) ) wishing to acquire new skills through advanced training, international, interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral mobility. MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships call under HE will be open to excellent researchers of any nationality.

Opening date: April 9, 2026

Deadline date: September 9, 2026
CALL ID:  HORIZON-MSCA-2026-PF-01-01​

Main information

Information about MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026

Types of MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships:

  • European Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality who wish to engage in R&I projects by either coming to Europe (i.e. in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country) from any country in the world or moving within Europe. Duration:  12 and 24 months.
  • Global Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to European nationals or long-term residents who wish to engage in R&I projects with organisations outside EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries (i.e. in a Third Country not associated to Horizon Europe). Duration: 24-36 months (12-24 months outgoing phase in a non-associated Third Country & 12 months mandatory return phase to a host organisation in EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country).

Key requirements:

  • Must have a maximum of 8 (eight) years experience in research, from the date of the award of their PhD degree, 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.
  • Mobility rules: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the beneficiary (for European Postdoctoral Fellowships), or the host organisation for the outgoing phase (for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline (09/09/2026).

! Important note: As from 2022, resubmission restrictions will apply for applications that received a score below 80% the previous year.

Additional funding opportunities:

ERA Fellowships call: if the developed MSCA PF application is not funded under MSCA PF call due to lack of the 2026 call budget, it will automatically be re-submitted to the ERA Fellowships call and have additional opportunity to be funded. This opportunity is available for the MSCA PF with a host organization located in the Widening Country (Lithuania).

Preparation of MSCA Project Application

Interested postdoctoral fellows prepare and submit an application together with the host organization – Kaunas University of Technology.

STEP 1. Eligibility check

Before starting application, each candidate for postdoctoral fellowships (hereinafter – Fellow) must check the 3 (three) main eligibility requirements*:

  • have a PhD degree at the time of the deadline for applications (09/09/2026).
  • have a maximum of 8 (eight) years of experience in research, from the date of the award of their PhD degree (till 09/09/2026).
  • should comply with mobility rule haven’t resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the beneficiary (for European Postdoctoral Fellowships), or the host organisation for the outgoing phase (for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline (09/09/2026).

Additional eligibility conditions:
• All domains of research and technological development are eligible for funding.
• Proposals involving the same recruiting (Host) organization (and for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships also the associated partner hosting the outgoing phase) and individual researcher submitted to the previous call of MSCA PF under Horizon Europe and having received a score of less than 80% must not be resubmitted the following year.
• Only one proposal per individual researcher can be submitted. In case of several proposals involving the same individual researcher, only the last submitted one will be considered eligible.
• If proposals with the same research objectives and work plan are submitted for different researchers, only the first submitted one will be considered eligible.

*if are raise any questions regarding the eligibility, please contact KTU Research and Innovation Projects Center for assistance (mipc@ktu.lt).

STEP 2. Finding a supervisor

Fellow itself is:

STEP 3. Approval of the researcher

Supervisor is responsible for organizing the meetings (selection) with the Fellow. After selection the appropriate Fellow, both Fellow and supervisor sign the Endorsement Letter KTU Endorsement Letter MSCA-PF-2026, the document approving the Fellow finds the supervisor. This document confirms that Fellow and supervisor claims for the postdoctoral position at Kaunas University of Technology within call ID HORIZON-MSCA-2026-PF-01-01.

STEP 4. Application development

Fellow together with supervisor are responsible for application development. KTU Research and Innovation Projects Center support during the MSCA PF proposal preparation and submission under EU Funding & Tenders Portal:

  • assists in providing all templates (application, guides, tips, etc.);
  • developing administrative A form;
  • provide individual consultations;
  • provide proposal review in order to check are all main call requirements are met;
  • organizes the MSCA PF trainings, hat supports Fellow in preparing of a competitive proposal.

STEP 5. Application review / proofreading

MCSA PF applications could be reviewed by National Contact Points (NCP) at Lithuania. Please contact KTU Research and Innovation Projects Center (mipc@ktu.lt) for assistance in advance. The deadline for providing the MSCA PF application is 03/08/2026.

STEP 6. Proposal submission

The application must be submitted till the deadline 09/09/2026. Recommendation: to submit the application 24 hours before the deadline and if necessary to resubmit it (the application can be resubmitted any time till the call closed). KTU Research and Innovation Projects Center can assist in this process if it needed. Please contact KTU Research and Innovation Projects Center for assistance (mipc@ktu.lt) in advance as opportunities are limited.

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Contacts

KTU Research and Innovation Projects Centre
K. Donelaičio St. 73, Kaunas
phone: +370 677 01395, +370 37 300 197, +370 665 15 897
email mipc@ktu.lt