MSCA MaRaThoN 2026

We are looking for experienced researchers (in possession of a PhD at the deadline of the call), with an excellent course track and a good track record (for example, a publication without the PhD supervisor, a publication as first author, a monograph). We are looking for talents who are open to challenges and willing to collaborate with the University's research teams.

The training course is open to 50 potential MSCA candidates. 2 places are reserved for candidates of African nationality. The University of Padova will support the travel and accommodation expenses of the selected participants. Reservations and payments will be managed directly by the University and there will be no refunds to participants.

At the time of application, it is necessary to check and select the type of Fellowship (European or Global) in which you intend to participate. Participants must comply with the MSCA Mobility rule.

To participate in the MSCA Marathon 2026 you must meet the following requirements by the deadline of the MSCA-PF 2026 call (September 9, 2026):

• Be in possession of a Ph.D. degree
• Have gained a maximum of 8 years of full-time research experience from the date of PhD (exceptions are made according to MSCA-PF rules)
• Comply with the MSCA Mobility Rule
• Choose the University of Padova as the host institution.

An important note regarding resubmissions: from HORIZON-MSCA-2026-PF call onwards, the resubmission threshold corresponds to a score of 80% (instead of 70% applicable under previous HORIZON-MSCA-PF calls). As per the official Work Programme this means that: “proposals involving the same recruiting organisation (and for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships also the associated partner hosting the outgoing phase) and individual researcher submitted to the previous call of MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships under Horizon Europe and having received a score of less than 80% must not be resubmitted the following year”.

The evaluation of candidates is mainly based on the search profile, the project presented and the completeness of the application.

Before applying, you should review the "Application Attachments" section below and contact a potential supervisor at the University of Padova by following the instructions below.

In order to apply, it is necessary to have the Letter of Acceptance of the Department signed by the Director of the Department.

The deadline for submitting applications is March 9 , 2026 at 1 p.m. (Italian time).

You need to download the documents below (all forms are mandatory, incomplete applications will not be accepted), fill out the Google form and upload all the documents, after filling them out:

Several researchers from our University are available to play the role of supervisors in MSCA-PF applications. Candidates are free to choose and contact the supervisor of their choice. For those who do not yet have contacts at Unipd, an up-to-date  list of potential supervisors is available below:

List of potential MSCA supervisors at the University.
Download the document to apply filters in the Excel table.

As a further reference, you can consult the complete list of Unipd departments.

Unipd professors available to serve as supervisors of an MSCA Fellow are invited to fill out the following form.

Last updated: March 2026

Have you chosen the University of Padova as the host institution for the MSCA-PF call, but your project has not been selected by the European Commission for funding? Don't worry. If you have received the prestigious "Seal of Excellence – MSCA" the University offers you alternative funding under the MSCA Seal of Excellence @ University of Padova syllabus.

Once the Seal of Excellence is issued, you can apply for a grant that covers an employment contract for the duration of the project, and a budget for research, networking and training.