Universities

UNIVERSITIES

European funding programmes for researchers

We are experts in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, COST Actions and European Research Council grants, supporting you whether you are a researcher looking to advance your career and research or a university aiming to attract talent, strengthen research capacity and secure European funding.

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Discover how we can strengthen your MSCA DN proposal. Contact us

MSCA, ERC and COST Actions

European researchers can access different funding routes depending on whether they want to develop research talent, pursue frontier science or build an international scientific network.

Zabala Innovation supports researchers, universities and research organisations in identifying the right European funding programme and preparing competitive proposals for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), European Research Council (ERC) grants and COST Actions.

Which European research funding programme fits your objective?

Marie Skłodowska-Curie

Develop research talent, mobility and international training.

MSCA supports doctoral education, postdoctoral careers, international and intersectoral mobility, knowledge exchange and institutional research programmes. Best suited to researchers, universities, research organisations and other organisations looking to attract talent, train researchers and strengthen international research careers.

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MSCA

European Research Council

Fund ambitious frontier research led by outstanding researchers.

ERC grants support Principal Investigators and their teams in pursuing high-risk, high-gain research across all scientific fields.

They are particularly relevant for researchers seeking substantial long-term funding and the freedom to develop an ambitious research agenda at a host institution in Europe.

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European Research Council

COST Actions

Build scientific communities and create the foundations for future European research collaborations.

COST Actions enable young researchers and innovators in their first career stages to build international scientific communities around shared research challenges, connecting complementary expertise across countries, disciplines and career stages.

They are particularly suited to researchers and universities seeking to strengthen their European scientific networks, increase international visibility, develop shared research agendas and create lasting collaborations that can lead to future European research initiatives.

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COST Actions

Our figures

50

European Research Council (ERC) proposals submitted and reviewed

65

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks proposals submitted or reviewed

+20%

Success rate in Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks

Explore the main MSCA Actions

Competitive PhD training programmes delivered in international and intersectoral consortia — including joint and industrial doctorates.

  • 24 Nov. 2026

Funding for hosting researchers with international mobility, focused on boosting scientific output and skills transfer.

  • 9 Sept. 2026

Short-term mobility for researchers and innovation staff across academia and industry, strengthening partnerships and knowledge exchange.

Co-funding to enhance the reach, quality and international appeal of existing training schemes.

Funding for public outreach, including the European Researchers’ Night, to bring science closer to society.

Preparing for 2027

Upcoming opportunities include MSCA COFUND, Choose Europe for Science, Staff Exchanges and MSCA and Citizens. Preparing an MSCA proposal? We can assess your eligibility, proposal strategy and support needs before submission.

TALK TO AN MSCA EXPERT

COST Actions

COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) supports international research and innovation networks across all scientific and technological disciplines.

A COST Action normally runs for four years and allows researchers and innovators to develop a shared scientific network through meetings, Working Groups, Training Schools, Short-Term Scientific Missions, Virtual Mobility and other knowledge-sharing activities.

COST does not fund the research itself. COST funding is used for networking, research coordination and capacity building.

This makes COST particularly useful for research communities that want to strengthen international cooperation, develop shared methodologies or roadmaps, increase visibility and prepare the ground for future European collaborative projects.

COST Actions 2026 at a glance

main-dates

Main dates

Opening date: 31 July 2026
Deadline: 28 October 2026
Duration: 4 years

new-actions

Expected new Actions

up to 80

research-fields

Research fields

For the 2026 Open Call, proposals must involve researchers and innovators representing at least seven COST Full or Cooperating Members. At least half of the countries represented must be Inclusiveness Target Countries, and at least 40% of proposers must be Young Researchers and Innovators.
Each person may participate as Main Proposer or Secondary Proposer in only one proposal in the Open Call collection.

Planning a COST Action?

We can help assess the network, proposal strategy and preparation needs ahead of the deadline.

TALK TO A COST FUNDING EXPERT

European Research Council grants

The European Research Council supports frontier research driven by outstanding researchers. ERC funding is bottom-up and open to all scientific fields. Applications are built around an ambitious research idea, a Principal Investigator and a host institution.

For researchers establishing their independent research career and developing their own research team or programme.

For researchers who are consolidating an independent research team or research programme.

For established research leaders with a strong record of significant research achievements.

For small groups of Principal Investigators who need to work together to address an ambitious research question that could not be tackled by one researcher alone.

For existing ERC grantees seeking to explore the commercial or societal potential of results generated through ERC-funded research.

A long-term funding route for exceptionally ambitious frontier research projects requiring greater scale and time.

Preparing or resubmitting an ERC proposal?

REQUEST AN ERC PROPOSAL REVIEW

How we support MSCA, ERC and COST proposals

1. Proposal review and support

Review of the proposal against the evaluation criteria used by the relevant funding body.

*This service is available for ERC and MSCA proposals.

2. Full proposal support

Technical support throughout proposal preparation and, where applicable, grant agreement preparation for Horizon Europe calls.

*This service is currently available for MSCA proposals.

3. Funding and eligibility assessment

We analyse the project, researcher profile and organisation to identify the most appropriate programme and funding route.

4. Network and consortium support

For collaborative MSCA schemes and COST Actions, we can support the development and positioning of international networks and consortia.

*This service is offered for the MSCA and COST Programme.

5. ERC interview preparation

For ERC applicants invited to interview, we support the preparation of the presentation and panel question-and-answer process.

*This service is offered for the ERC Programme.

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Frequently asked questions

  • What are the main EU funding programmes for researchers?

    MSCA, ERC and COST are three important European funding routes for the research community. MSCA focuses on research careers, training and mobility; ERC finances frontier research led by outstanding researchers; and COST supports international research and innovation networks.

  • What is the difference between MSCA and ERC?

    MSCA primarily supports researcher training, career development and mobility through several individual and institutional actions. ERC grants provide long-term funding for ambitious frontier research led by a Principal Investigator, with scientific excellence at the centre of the evaluation.

  • What is the difference between MSCA and COST Actions?

    MSCA can finance researcher and research-related costs depending on the action. COST Actions fund networking, coordination and capacity building and do not finance the underlying research activities.

  • Does a COST Action fund research?

    No. COST finances activities that enable researchers and innovators to collaborate, including meetings, Working Groups, Training Schools, scientific missions, virtual networking and communication. Research activities themselves must be funded from other sources.

  • Who can submit a COST Action proposal in 2026?

    A COST Action proposal must be submitted by an international network meeting the Open Call requirements.

    For the 2026 call, the proposer network must represent at least seven COST Full or Cooperating Members. At least 50% of the countries represented must be Inclusiveness Target Countries, and at least 40% of proposers must be Young Researchers and Innovators.

  • What is an MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship?

    An MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship supports researchers holding a PhD who want to develop new skills through advanced training, international mobility and an individual research project hosted by an eligible organisation.

  • What are the main ERC grants?

    The ERC portfolio includes Starting, Consolidator, Advanced, Synergy and Proof of Concept grants, as well as the new ERC Plus funding route.

  • Can Zabala Innovation review an ERC proposal?

    Yes. Zabala Innovation provides specialised proposal review support for ERC applicants, assessing the application against the programme’s evaluation criteria and helping researchers strengthen the clarity and positioning of their proposal.

  • Can Zabala Innovation support an MSCA proposal?

    Zabala Innovation supports MSCA applicants at different stages, including funding assessment, proposal strategy, proposal preparation and expert review, depending on the MSCA action and the applicant’s needs.

  • Can Zabala Innovation support COST Actions?

    Zabala Innovation can support research organisations preparing COST Action proposals with strategic analysis, network positioning and proposal development support according to the needs of the application.