Direct comparison
MSCA DN vs SE vs COFUND vs Postdoc
MSCA Doctoral Networks, Staff Exchanges, COFUND & Postdoctoral Fellowships compared: eligibility, consortium rules, duration, funding, per ec.europa.eu.
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How do Doctoral Networks, Staff Exchanges, COFUND, Postdoctoral Fellowships compare side by side?
The table below compares Doctoral Networks, Staff Exchanges, COFUND, Postdoctoral Fellowships across 8 procurement-relevant dimensions, from grant holder through mobility check.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | Doctoral Networks | Staff Exchanges | COFUND | Postdoctoral Fellowships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant holder | Multi-country consortium | Multi-country consortium | Single lead organisation running its own programme | One individual researcher, jointly with a host organisation |
| Who is funded/mobile | Doctoral candidates not yet holding a PhD | Existing staff of participating organisations, any career stage, research or non-research roles | Doctoral or postdoctoral researchers recruited into the host programme | A researcher who already holds a PhD |
| PhD required to apply? | No -- must not yet hold one | Not applicable -- no degree-milestone requirement | Depends on sub-type (doctoral or postdoctoral programme) | Yes, at the call deadline (thesis defended-not-yet-awarded accepted) |
| Minimum consortium/structure | 3 legal entities, 3 countries, 1+ in an EU Member State | 3 organisations, 3 countries, 2+ in EU/Associated Countries, academic + non-academic sectors | 1 lead organisation; partners optional | 1 researcher + 1 host organisation |
| Maximum project duration | Up to 4 years (5 for Joint Doctorates) | Up to 4 years | Up to 5 years | 1-2 years (European track); 2-3 years total (Global track) |
| Individual duration | 3-36 months per candidate (up to 48 for Joint Doctorates) | 1-12 months per secondment | Set by the host programme | 1-2 years (European); 2-3 years total (Global) |
| Funding mechanism | EU-wide unit costs per researcher-month | EU-wide unit costs (mobility, subsistence, activities) | Fixed EU co-funding allowance per researcher, topping up the host programme | EU-wide unit costs per researcher-month |
| Mobility check | Standard 12-of-36-month prior-residency rule | Built into the secondment structure (staff return to sending org) | Set by the host programme within MSCA principles | Standard 12-of-36-month prior-residency rule |
Common questions
Common questions about Doctoral Networks vs Staff Exchanges vs COFUND vs Postdoctoral Fellowships
Can a researcher who already holds a PhD apply to a Doctoral Network?
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No. Doctoral Networks recruit candidates who do not yet hold a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment -- a researcher who already has a PhD should look at Postdoctoral Fellowships or a COFUND postdoctoral programme instead.
What is the practical difference between COFUND and a Postdoctoral Fellowship?
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A Postdoctoral Fellowship is an individual researcher applying directly to the EU together with one host. COFUND co-funds an institution's own doctoral or postdoctoral programme -- the institution runs its own recruitment and the EU contributes a fixed per-researcher allowance rather than running the competition itself.
Do MSCA Staff Exchanges fund new hires?
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No. Staff Exchanges fund temporary secondments of staff who already hold a position at a participating organisation, sending them to a partner organisation (often in another country or sector) for one month to one year, with an expectation they return to their sending organisation afterward.
Can one institution be involved in more than one of these actions at the same time?
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Yes. An institution can simultaneously host a Doctoral Network, run its own COFUND programme, participate in a Staff Exchanges consortium, and host individual Postdoctoral Fellows -- the four actions are not mutually exclusive.
