What Is a Fellowship? (vs Scholarship)

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships show what a fellowship is: their objective is to support researchers' careers and foster excellence in research. The Postdoctoral Fellowships action targets researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers. Postdoctoral Fellowships help researchers gain experience in other countries, disciplines and non-academic sectors. Our guide on fellowship vs internship vs traineeship compares the three words.

Last updated: November 2026.

What types of fellowship are there?

There are 2 types of MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships.

🌍 European Postdoctoral Fellowships: open to researchers moving within Europe or coming to Europe from another part of the world to pursue their research career. European Postdoctoral Fellowships take place in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country and can last between 1 and 2 years, and researchers of any nationality can apply.

🌐 Global Postdoctoral Fellowships: fund the mobility of researchers outside Europe. The Global Postdoctoral Fellowship lasts between 2 and 3 years, of which the first 1 to 2 years will be spent in a non-associated Third Country, followed by a mandatory return phase of 1 year to an organisation based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. Only nationals or long-term residents of the EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries can apply.

✈️ Short-term secondments: both types of fellowships may also include short-term secondments anywhere in the world during the fellowship (except during the return phase of a Global Fellowship). A secondment is a period of time during which the hosting organisation sends the researcher to a different institution.

🏢 Non-academic placement: researchers can receive additional support to carry out a placement of up to 6 months in a non-academic organisation based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country, and the placement needs to take place at the end of their fellowship.

UK Government funding also comes through a Chevening Fellowship: applicants for a Chevening Scholarship who have previously received that funding may apply for a scholarship only after five years have passed since completing their fellowship. Our guide on Erasmus Mundus covers the EU scholarship for joint Master's programmes.

How is a fellowship different from a scholarship?

In the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships, the beneficiary, which is the organisation receiving EU funding, needs to recruit the researcher for the total period of the fellowship, while DAAD scholarships usually consist of a monthly scholarship payment.

🔬 MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships: the EU provides support for the recruited researcher in the form of a living allowance, a mobility allowance and, if applicable, family, long-term leave and special needs allowances. Interested researchers submit an application together with a host organisation.

🎓 DAAD scholarships: DAAD scholarships do not have to be paid back and usually consist of a monthly scholarship payment and a flat-rate travel allowance.

🎓 Chevening Scholarships: Chevening Scholarships allow exceptional individuals to study for a one-year master's degree at a UK university.

📄 Scholarship and fellowship: the France Excellence Eiffel regulations use "Eiffel scholarship" and "France Excellence Eiffel fellowship" for one scholarship.

Our guide on scholarships compared with Erasmus+ grants explains another pair of words that gets mixed up.

Who can apply for a research fellowship?

For the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships, researchers should have a PhD degree at the time of the deadline for applications.

🎓 PhD: applicants who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will also be considered eligible to apply for the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships.

⏳ Research experience: researchers must have a maximum of eight years experience in research, from the date of the award of their PhD degree; years of experience outside research and career breaks will not count towards the maximum, nor will years of experience in research in third countries, for nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries who wish to reintegrate to Europe.

✈️ Mobility: researchers should comply with mobility rules: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the beneficiary (for European Postdoctoral Fellowships), or the host organisation for the outgoing phase (for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the call deadline.

🏢 Host organisation: the host organisation can be a university, research institution, business, SME or other organisation based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country, and all disciplines are eligible.

Our guide on DAAD scholarships covers funding for graduates, doctoral students and postdocs in Germany.

How do you apply for a research fellowship?

For the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships, you will need to develop an application jointly with your chosen host organisation. You will also need to start preparing your application to an open funding call published on the Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal. To find a host organisation, your network will be an invaluable source. You can also check the list of hosting offers (expressions of interest) published on Euraxess and other job portals from research institutions interested in supporting your application. You will need to check carefully the requirements to make sure you are eligible to apply. Our guide on government scholarships in Europe covers national awards.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a PhD for a fellowship?

Yes for the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships: researchers should have a PhD degree at the time of the deadline for applications. Our guide on DAAD scholarships covers funding for graduates, doctoral students and postdocs in Germany.

Is a fellowship paid?

Yes in the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships: the EU provides support for the recruited researcher in the form of a living allowance, a mobility allowance and, if applicable, family, long-term leave and special needs allowances. Our guide on scholarships compared with Erasmus+ grants covers the other funding words.

Where can you go from here?

Our guide on fellowship vs internship vs traineeship compares the three words. Our guide on scholarships compared with Erasmus+ grants covers the other funding words. The Youth Works Hub pages below cover the next steps.

👉 Fellowships: youthworkshub.org/?tab=fellowships