Call window open MSCA Doctoral Networks 2026 — doctoral networks with universities and companies (Horizon Europe)
The MSCA Doctoral Networks 2026 call has €593 million for more than 130 doctoral programmes run by international consortia of universities, institutes and companies, with around 1,950 doctoral candidates. Proposals are submitted on Funding & Tenders by 24 November 2026.
- Who can apply
- International consortia made up of universities, research institutes, companies (including SMEs),…
- Total budget
- 593.03 million
- Funding amount
- Funding is calculated on the basis of per-person-month values (an "unit grant"), set out in…
- Submission period
- 28 May 2026 – 24 Nov 2026
Checked against official sources on · funder: European Commission · official source
The call window is open. The time left until the deadline decides whether we can still build your application in time, so call today.
Who can apply
International consortia made up of universities, research institutes, companies (including SMEs), public institutions, museums, NGOs and other socio-economic actors. The consortium must have at least three independent legal entities, each from a different EU Member State or another country associated with Horizon Europe, and at least one of them must be from an EU Member State. Universities, institutes and companies from Romania can be coordinators or partners.
What it covers
- The doctoral candidates' living allowance and mobility allowance
- Family, long-term leave and special needs allowances, where applicable
- Research, training and networking activities
- Management costs
- Indirect costs
Apply in the current call window
- We analyse whether you qualify and under which programme exactly.
- We build the application: business plan, budget, supporting documents.
- We submit during the call window and follow the evaluation.
- We stay with you through the reimbursement file and final payment.
Frequently asked questions
Until when can projects be submitted to MSCA Doctoral Networks 2026?
The call HORIZON-MSCA-2026-DN-01-01 opened on 28 May 2026, and the submission deadline is 24 November 2026. Submission is made in a single stage, on the European Commission's Funding & Tenders portal.
What is the budget of the MSCA Doctoral Networks 2026 call?
The indicative budget of the call is 593.03 million euro. It should fund more than 130 projects across all scientific fields and the training of around 1,950 doctoral candidates.
What consortium must an MSCA Doctoral Networks project have?
The consortium must include at least three independent legal entities, each from a different EU Member State or another country associated with Horizon Europe. At least one of them must be from an EU Member State. Universities, research institutes, companies, SMEs, public authorities and other socio-economic actors can take part.
What types of projects can be submitted?
Three types of projects can be submitted: standard doctoral networks, Industrial Doctorates, with joint academic and non-academic supervision, and Joint Doctorates, which lead to joint or multiple doctoral degrees.
How long does a project and a doctoral fellowship last?
A project lasts up to 4 years, and up to 5 years in the case of Joint Doctorates. An individual fellowship lasts between 3 and 36 months, and between 3 and 48 months for Joint Doctorates.
What mobility rule applies to doctoral candidates?
In the 36 months before recruitment, the doctoral candidate must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) for more than 12 months in the country of the recruiting organisation.
How long does it take to prepare the application?
It depends on the complexity of the project and the documents you already have. The first step is the eligibility analysis, which tells you what needs to be prepared.
What happens if I do not qualify?
We tell you before any contract is signed, and if another suitable programme exists, we point you to it.
Next step
Apply in the current call window — MSCA Doctoral Networks 2026 — doctoral networks with universities and companies (Horizon Europe)
Fill in the form and we will tell you whether you qualify. If you do not qualify under this programme, we will tell you which other one you could apply for — or that there is none, if that is the case.
or call us directly on 0755 167 167
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