Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships

What is MSCA-PF?

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA-PF) supports research training of early career scientists with an emphasis on comprehensive professional and career development.
Evaluators expect both:
(1) high-quality scientific proposal;
(2) presentation of career progress plan including the development of applicant´s professional skills under the guidance of an experienced supervisor. It is vital that apart from the research objectives applicant addresses how the fellowship will help to meet her/his professional ambitions.
Call is open to any research discipline, using bottom-up approach. The proposed research must be explained very clearly - evaluators are affiliated to distinct panels according to their research field but they still may not be experts in applicant´s specific research topic.
Unlike many other grant schemes, it is not essential to have the preliminary data since the applicant is expected to explore a new topic/field.
Special attention must be paid to the impact and outreach of the proposed research.
Engagement of the supervisor is very important during writing the proposal and implementation of the project too.

Eligible candidates comply the following conditions:

they are PhD holders who spent no more than 8 years working in research (since PhD)* or researchers who have successfully defended their PhD defence before the call deadline (11^th September 2024).
* with extensions for maternity/paternity leave, long-term sick leave, time not working in research etc.
They meet the 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.

What funding will you get?

MSCA fellow receives: (1) living allowance (= competitive salary), (2) mobility allowance and if applicable the fellow gets also (3) family, (4) long-term leave and (5) special needs allowances
Host institutions gets: (1) research, training and networking activities and (2) management and indirect costs

European Postdoctoral Fellowships for researchers of any nationality from anywhere in the world (incl. from within Europe) who wish to implement their MSCA PF in the institution located in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries. The standard duration is 12-24 months*.
Global Postdoctoral Fellowships for EU nationals or long-term residents who wish to implement the MSCA PF outside EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. The standard duration is 24-36 months*. Outgoing phase of 12-24 months in non-associated Third Country. Mandatory return phase of 12 months in EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country.

* Projects may include "non-academic placement" for an additional period of up to 6 months spent in non-academic sector.

OP JAK MSCA - proposals that achieved score of >70% will be eligible to apply for a so-called „MSCA-CZ“ funded from the Structural Funds and administered by MEYS - Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports),open from 1st March till 30th August 2024.
ERA Fellowships - an extra funding for postodcs applying with an institution from a Widening country (Czechia is one of them). In H2020, to get a Widening Fellowhsip you would have to score at least 90% (up to about 25 % of all applicants).

MSCA Work Programme 2023-2025
Towards winning MSCA PF step-by-step - supplementary information to Official Guide for Applicants (TBA)

Kateřina Ježová (jezova@sci.muni.cz) – individual proposal consultations, assistance with proposal preparation and submission, Project Support Office, Faculty of Science MU
Tomáš Lády (lady@sci.muni.cz) - individual proposal consultations, assistance with proposal preparation and submission, Project Support Office, Faculty of Science MU
Mirjana Stanojevic (mirjana.stanojevic@recetox.muni.cz) - assistance with proposal preparation and submission, RECETOX
Jakub Zeman (zeman@rect.muni.cz) - individual proposal consultations, assistance with proposal preparation and submission, Rector´s Office MU