The European Commission has just published the numbers for the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 call, and they are striking. 21,627 researchers applied. That is a new record. If you are thinking about your own MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship application for next year, this post is for you.
Competition keeps growing
The numbers have gone up fast. In 2024, there were 10,360 applications and a success rate of about 16%. In 2025, there were 17,066 applications and the success rate dropped to 9.6%. This year there are 21,627, almost 27% more than last year. The budget of €399 million is expected to fund about 1,600 projects. That means roughly 7 in every 100 proposals.
I don’t share these numbers to scare anyone. I share them because they change how you should plan.
What I saw in this summer’s reviews
I reviewed a good number of proposals this summer. One pattern was very clear. The candidates who sent me their drafts early got much more out of the review.
With time, we could go through several rounds of feedback. They could rethink the structure, rework the objectives or the work plan, and ask their supervisor for input. When a draft arrives two weeks before the deadline, the feedback can only go so far. There is time to fix sentences, but not always time to fix the project.
Start your MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship application now
Maybe you didn’t apply this year. Maybe you ran out of time, or you decided to wait. Either way, the next call will come faster than you think. The deadline is usually in early September, and the months before it fill up quickly.
You don’t need a full draft today. But you can start doing something now. Here is what I would focus on.
- Choose your host and supervisor carefully. The match between you, your supervisor and the host institution matters a lot. Evaluators look at whether this is the right place for you and your project, and whether the host can offer what you need to grow. Look for a supervisor who is willing to read your drafts and give you feedback on the proposal. This is a good sign in itself. A supervisor who supports you during the writing is likely to support you during the fellowship too.
- Don’t leave it for the end of summer. Many supervisors are on holiday in July and August. So are many research office and administrative staff. You may need letters, internal approvals, information about the host’s facilities, or help with the ethics section. All of this is harder to get in August. Plan your timeline so that the key conversations happen in spring.
- Remember that this is a career development grant. A good research idea is the starting point. But the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship is designed for your development as a researcher. Many candidates explain very well why their project matters for the field right now. Fewer explain why this fellowship matters for them, at this point in their career. Evaluators look for both. This question runs through the whole proposal. In Excellence, it shows in the fit between your profile, the host and the two-way transfer of knowledge. In Impact, it shows in how the fellowship will move your career forward. In Implementation, it shows in how your training and activities are planned in time. I wrote more about this in my post on how to write a strong MSCA training plan.
High scores, small margins and some luck
For those who do apply, it helps to know what to expect. The scores needed for funding are very high. In some panels, a single point can separate a funded proposal from an unfunded one, for example 97% and 96%.
At this level, there is also an element of luck. Each proposal is read by several evaluators, and who reads yours makes a difference. This is not something you can control. What you can control is the quality of your proposal and the time you give it. I say this to help you keep things in perspective. A proposal that just misses the threshold can still be an excellent proposal.
An unfunded proposal is not the end
I have supported candidates who received very high scores and still did not get funded. Some of them went on to get another postdoc position with the same project, adapted to a new call or host. They told me that developing the MSCA proposal, going through training and getting feedback made a real difference.
Proposals that score 85% or more but cannot be funded also receive a Seal of Excellence, which some countries and institutions use to fund their own fellowships. So even when the result is not what you hoped for, the work is not lost. You have a well-developed project, a clearer idea of your career path and, often, a stronger relationship with your host.
To everyone who submitted in September
Good luck! The evaluation runs until February 2027, when results are expected. Whatever the outcome, you have already done a lot of work, and that work will serve you.
If you are preparing an MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship application for 2027 and would like support, you can find more information on my MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship support page or write to me at escudero@tanyaescudero.com
