The Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) contribute to excellent research, boosting jobs, growth and investment by equipping researchers with the new knowledge, skills and international and intersectoral exposure to fill the top positions of tomorrow and solve current and future societal challenges.
IF aims at supporting the international mobility of researchers within (European Fellowships) and beyond Europe (Global Fellowships) as well as helping to attract the best foreign researchers to work in the EU. The grant usually covers two years' salary, a mobility allowance, research costs and overheads for the host institution.
Individual Fellowships (IF) are for experienced researchers to undertake their own research project at a host organisation in another country, thus gaining new skills through advanced training and possibly, intersectoral mobility.
There are two types of Individual Fellowships: European Fellowships and Global Fellowships:
Researchers based in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico or any other Latin American and Caribbean country willing to move to Europe for their fellowship can apply for a European fellowship. The research projects are carried out in the EU or associated countries and last for one to two years. Depending on their situation, candidates choose to apply either for a standard fellowship (scientific panels), a re-integration grant, a career restart grant or a society & entreprise grant in the non-academic sector.
Individual researchers based in Europe can also apply to a European fellowship for mobility within the EU or associated countries.Researchers based in Europe can apply for a Global fellowship to carry out research of up to 2 years in a third country - such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico or any other LAC country - and return to Europe for 1 year.
This is an excellent opportunity for LAC higher education institutions/research institutes/private sector firms to host a high-level Europe-based researcher, fully funded by the European Commission.
Both types of Fellowship can also include a secondment period of up to three or six months in another organisation in Europe.
All research areas can be funded, from physics to linguistics, and from health-sciences to mathematical modelling.
WHO? experienced researchers of any nationality, i.e. reserchers holding a doctoral degree or at least four years’ full-time research experience by the time of the call deadline.
Mobility rule: In most IF modalities, the researcher must not have resided or carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the host organisation's country for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the call deadline. Make sure you check all specific requirements in the guide for applicants.
Individual researchers submit proposals for funding written in liaison with their planned host organisation in Europe. Proposals are judged on their research quality, the researcher's future career prospects, and the support offered by the host organisation.
More details on the call here.(2020)
Interested in applying? The first step is to read the guide for applicants 2019. You can also check a step by step made by EURAXESS Worldwide team on how to submit a proposal.
Additional resources
MSCA - What's in it for Brazilian researchers and institutions?
MSCA - What's in it for Latin American and Caribbean researchers and institutions?
- Step by step on how to submit a proposal.
MSCA-Individual Fellowship Handbook 2019, by Net4Mobility+
Individual Fellowships applications tips for Brazilians: New opportunities for Brazilian researchers and Brazilian host institutions by Elisa Natola, MSCA National Contact Point for Brazil, Brazilian National Council of State Funding Agencies (CONFAP)
Contacts:
MSCA National contact point (NCP) in Brazil: Ms. Elisa Natola, CONFAP, elisa.confap@gmail.com
MSCA National contact points (NCPs) in other LAC countries and in Europe: http://bit.ly/Horizon_NCPMSCA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): https://mariecurieactions.blogspot.de/
LAC researchers interested in going to Europe (European Fellowships): Please also read here the interview with Marcela Uliano da Silva, a Brazilian computational biologist who was awarded the MSCA Individual Fellowship grant in MSCA IF 2017 call.
LAC research institutes or universities interested in receiving European based researchers (Global Fellowships): Please read here our interview with Daniel PRAEG, Swiss researcher who came from France to Brazil (PUC-RS) with a Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions (MSCA) global fellowship.
Research organisations (public or private, academic or not) in LAC can host Marie Skłodowska-Curie Global fellows at their own institute. They are encouraged to express their interest by posting a hosting offer on the EURAXESS portal. Check how in our tutorial at http://bit.ly/HowtoPost_HostingOffers
I want to go to Europe with an MSCA IF European Fellowship. How do I find a host?
Search the EURAXESS Database of Hosting Offers.
Search the Net4Mobility+ Database of Expressions of Interest.
Be proactive! Contact your network of European collaborators, and ask for assistance from your supervisor, research colleagues or International Relations Office.
I want to host a researcher with an MSCA IF Global Fellowship at my institution in Latin America and the Caribbean. How do I find a fellow?
Post your hosting offers on the EURAXESS portal. Follow this step-by-step guide.
Do inform your research network and colleagues based in Europe of your institution’s hosting offer.