Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions 2026:  Funding opportunities for doctoral networks

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) under Horizon Europe are renowned for supporting cutting-edge research and innovative training for researchers across all disciplines. MSCA Doctoral Networks are encouraged to lead to Industrial or Joint Doctorates. The call for proposals, with an indicative budget of EUR 563 million, is due to open in late May 2026. Learn more about these actions and how Spinverse can support your success.

Indicative timeline

Here are some indicative key dates for the MSCA call for proposals:

• 28 May 2026: launch of the call for proposals (TBC)
• 24 November 2026: deadline for submitting proposals (TBC)
• April 2027: notification of call results to applicants (TBC)
• July 2027: grant agreement signature for successful projects (TBC)
• August 2027: the first EU-funded projects start (TBC)

Objective of doctoral networks

The objective of doctoral networks is to implement doctoral programmes by partnerships of organisations from different sectors across Europe and beyond to train highly skilled doctoral candidates, stimulate their creativity, enhance their innovation capacities and boost their employability in the long-term.

Types of doctoral networks

1. Industrial Doctorates: They train Ph.D. candidates who wish to develop their skills and step outside academia, in particular in industry and business. Individual participants must be enrolled in a doctoral programme and be jointly supervised by the academic and non-academic partners.
2. Joint Doctorates: They provide a highly integrated type of international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration in doctoral training leading to a joint doctoral degree or multiple doctoral degrees awarded by the participating institutions. Ph.D. candidates must be enrolled in a joint programme and be jointly supervised.

Who can apply?

Doctoral Networks are open to international consortia of universities, research institutions, businesses SMEs and other non-academic organisations. They should include

• At least three independent legal entities, each established in a different EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country and with at least one of them established in an EU Member State
• On top of this minimum, other organisations from any country in the world can also join
• Specific conditions apply to Industrial and Joint Doctorates.

The 2026 MSCA doctoral network call will offer significant opportunities to address societal, scientific and industrial challenges. The deadline for proposal submission is 24th November 2026, making this the ideal time to start shaping your application and securing expert support.

How Spinverse can help you succeed

We have extensive experience in EU funding and innovation consulting and have strong competencies in this funding instrument. Navigating the highly competitive MSCA funding landscape requires strategic planning, consortium building and thorough understanding of the call requirements. We are ready to guide you through every step:

• Ideation and project scoping: We help refine your project concept to align with MSCA priorities and maximise impact.
• Consortium building: Making use of our wide European network, we help you identify and attract the right academic, industrial and public partners.
• Proposal writing: Our experts support you in preparing a compelling, compliant and competitive proposal, including impact strategy and budgeting.
• Innovation consulting: We advise on all aspects of project implementation from training activities to exploitation of results.
• Maximising success: Our track record in EU-funded projects and deep knowledge of MSCA mechanisms increase your chances of securing funding.

Take the next steps with us! 

Whether you are a research group, university, SME, or industry leader, Spinverse can help you unleash the full potential of your project under the MSCA Actions 2026. Start early to build a winning proposal and form a strong consortium. Contact us today to discuss your MSCA application and explore how we can work together to turn your ideas into impactful projects.

Let Spinverse help you succeed in the 2026 MSCA call and drive the next wave of innovation in Europe. Get in touch today!

Senior Director, Health Technologies, Ph.D., MBA, Adjunct Professor
rohit.sood@spinverse.com
Tel. +358 50 530 2863 (Finland)