EU opens €593 million funding round for doctoral research programs
The European Commission is accepting applications for its Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks, a €593 million funding initiative supporting over 130 doctoral programmes and more than 2,000 researchers across Europe and beyond.
Doctoral Networks bring together organizations to run PhD-level training programmes across all scientific fields. Participating researchers receive employment, training, and skills development while working on cross-border, interdisciplinary projects that span both academic and industry sectors.
New AI funding stream added
The European Commission introduced a pilot initiative this year called RAISE Doctoral Networks for AI in Science, which provides additional funding for projects integrating artificial intelligence into scientific research.
Researchers interested in AI research or generative AI and LLM applications can explore how these technologies apply to their doctoral work through this new funding stream.
Key dates
- Application deadline: 24 November 2026
- Online information session: 3 June 2026
Researchers planning to apply should attend the information day to understand programme requirements and funding details.
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