The 2026 MSCA PF call was launched on 9th April and will close at 16.00 BST (17.00 Brussels local time) on 9th September 2026.

DAMTP Internal Deadline: midday (BST) Monday, 20th July 2026

Prospective Starting Date: based on our experience with Fellowships funded under last year’s call, targeting a start date no earlier than June 2027 is recommended to allow sufficient time for internal procedures e.g. visa applications. The latest start date for the supported projects is 1 September 2028.

Tenure: 24-36 months depending on the Fellowship type.

The objective of Postdoctoral Fellowships (PFs) is to support researchers’ careers and foster excellence in research. This is a prestigious and high-value scheme aimed at early/mid-career researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers. PFs help researchers gain experience in other countries, disciplines, and non-academic sectors.
Through the implementation of original and personalised research projects, MSCA PFs aim to promote excellence through advanced training and international mobility. They strive to equip researchers with new skills and competencies to address current and future challenges. Fellowships will be provided to excellent researchers undertaking international mobility. 

Applications must be submitted jointly by the researcher and a beneficiary in the academic or non-academic sector and are open to all domains of research and innovation, chosen freely by the applicants in a fully bottom-up manner.
In order to apply for an MSCA PF, fellows must be postdoctoral researchers at the date of the call deadline, i.e. in a possession of a doctoral degree.

MSCA PFs can either take place in Europe (i.e. in an EU Member State or Associated Country - European Fellowships) or in a Third Country not associated to Horizon Europe, with a mandatory return phase to an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country (Global Fellowships). The UK is an Associated Country from 2024 onwards.

European Fellowships (EFs)

• Open to researchers of any nationality to either move within Europe or to Europe from another part of the world to pursue their research career
• Host must be in EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country

Global Fellowships (GFs)

• Open to European nationals or long-term residents
• Letter of commitment from host of outgoing phase required

Please assess the risks when applying for Global Fellowships, as there have been instances where the host organisation for the outgoing phase withdrew its support, resulting in the termination of the project.

Due to the numbers of candidates applying to this scheme, applications will be subject to an internal review and selection by DAMTP Directors Committee (DDC). 
Potential applicants should first contact a member of DAMTP academic staff in an appropriate area to discuss the possibility of submitting a pre-application to the DDC.
Once applicants have identified a member of DAMTP academic staff to sponsor their application, a pre-application may be made by submitting:

• CV
• Publication list
• Draft of the application to the scheme (not necessarily a final version)
• Two letters of reference, at least one of which must be from outside Cambridge.

Pre-applications should be sent to grants@damtp.cam.ac.uk with attachments as pdf or Word document format files.

Applicants must also ask their referees to submit their reference letters to the above email address. In addition, they must arrange for the DAMTP academic staff member to send a statement of support.

In order to be considered, pre-applications and reference letters must be received no later than midday (BST) on Monday, 20th July 2026. We expect to inform all applicants of the outcome in the week commencing 27th July.

Successful pre-application candidates will be provided with support and advice to develop their application before submission to the EC.

Timeline:

• Deadline for selection by the DDC - midday (BST) Monday 20th July 
• One week turnaround for review and selection
• Selected candidates informed in w/c 27th July
• Applicants liaise with DAMTP Grants team
• Financial and administrative aspects finalised by close of play Friday, 7th August
• Internal Cambridge Research Office deadline - 16.00 (BST) Monday, 7th September 
• Final submission to the funder - Wednesday, 9th September 2026.