Step 1: get familiar with how funding works

Have a look at the Doctoral Networks page and key resources for an introduction to the scheme’s features. 

Consult the MSCA Work Programme and annexes for all details about the call. Doctoral Networks offer several funding modalities to set up doctoral programmes with specific incentives for Industrial and Joint Doctoral Networks – check which one matches the project you have in mind.

Check thoroughly the basic resources to dig deeper into the programme’s requirements

• The Funding and Tender Opportunities Portal is the one-stop-shop for future applicants, offering useful resources such as:
  • the Guide for Applicants (coming soon), the best starting point for any consortium interested in the scheme
  • a set of official Frequently Asked Questions
  • Proposal templates and application forms, evaluation forms and evaluation criteria, and many other resources
• Attend webinars and hands-on workshops to learn more about the call:
  • Register for the Information Session on Doctoral Networks 2023 that the European Research Executive Agency (REA) is organising on 14 June 2023
  • MSCA National Contact Points and Euraxess Worldwide organise information sessions regularly. Contact them to find out about the next sessions.
• The MSCA-NET project, run by MSCA National Contact Points, offers complementary resources to support applicants:
  • Doctoral Networks: Handbook and resources, these resources will be updated very soon with information about this call.
  • Frequently Asked Questions
• CORDIS, the official projects’ database of the European Commission, can help you find examples of previously funded Doctoral Networks

Step 2: make sure your organisation can apply

Organisations from all socioeconomic sectors in any country can apply to Doctoral Networks. This includes organisations such as

• higher education institutions
• research institutions and infrastructures
• private sector organisations, including industry, businesses, and small and medium-sized enterprises
• public sector organisations, including national, regional, and local governments, agencies, and museums
• other socio-economic actors, including NGOs, charities, etc.

Organisations based in Member States and countries associated to the Horizon Europe programme are automatically eligible to funding. Organisations based in low and middle-income countries can also apply and receive funding from the EU (see specific conditions in the MSCA Work Programme). 

If you are not sure about your country’s status, have a look at the list of participating countries to Horizon Europe.

If your organisation is taking part in an EU-funded programme for the first time, you will need to register your organisation and get a participant identification code (PIC) number to participate in this call.

Step 3: find the best partners to prepare your proposal

To apply you will need to build an international and diverse consortium of leading organisations in the proposal’s research field (see specific conditions in the MSCA Work Programme). 

You could start by exploring the existing links that your department and organisations have with institutions around Europe and worldwide. You can also use this call to explore new collaborations and expand your networks. Every consortium has a coordinating institution and partner organisations that contribute to the implementation of the doctoral programme.

The following resources may help you find new partners to work with and advertise your organisation

• MSCA Matchmaking platform
• Funding and tender opportunities portal (see “Partner Search Announcements”)
• If you are looking for partners beyond academia or seeking advice for research-business collaboration, especially for Industrial Doctoral Networks, reach out to the European Enterprise Network’s contact points

If you are still uncertain about the eligibility of your consortium, MSCA National contact points can help you go through the criteria.

Step 4: start drafting your application

To draft a successful application, you will need to get familiar with the award criteria and the specific requirements of the call and stick to them. The call’s page on the Funding and tenders portal offers several resources to learn more about them.

• Award criteria and budget structure (MSCA Work Programme, pp. 85 to 87)
• The Horizon Europe Programme guide offers more guidance on specific aspects evaluated under the award criteria such as
  • Gender dimension and inclusiveness (p. 16-20)
  • Dissemination and exploitation of research (p. 31-39)
  • Open science (p. 40-55)
• You can also watch evaluators’ briefing videos, including on
  • how to evaluate open science in Horizon Europe proposals
  • how to evaluate social sciences and humanities (if your proposal is in this field)
  • how to evaluate strategy for intellectual property management
  • how to evaluate dissemination, exploitation, and communication

In addition, all future Doctoral Networks will be required to address these core aspects in their proposal.

• Recruitment of researchers: selected projects will need to select doctoral candidates from all over the world in an open, transparent and merit-based process and offer attractive working conditions, in line with the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers and the European Charter for Researchers
• Research and training activities: Networks should exploit complementarities within the consortium, share knowledge and foster networking activities. They should offer training in research-related, as well as transferable skills and competences. Selected networks should expose researchers to industry, business, SMEs and relevant non-academic activities whilst promoting an innovation-oriented mind-set and ensure their long-term employability, following the EU Principles for Innovative Doctoral Training
• Supervision: Particular attention is paid to the quality of supervision and mentoring arrangements as well as career guidance in line with the Guidelines for MSCA supervision. Joint supervision of the researchers is mandatory for Industrial and Joint Doctorates
• Career Development Plans: the network will have to establish such plans jointly with supervisor and each recruited doctoral candidate. In addition to research objectives, this plan comprises the researcher's training and career needs, including training, teaching, planning for publications and participation in conferences and events aiming at opening science and research to citizens

Step 5: check your application with your peers

If you want to receive feedback on your draft and get advice from former applicants and experts, you can also reach out to

• the MSCA National Contact Point in your country
• your organisation, which may also have resources to verify and submit your application

Step 6: submit your application

The 2023 call for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks will open on 30 May with a deadline to apply by 28 November 2023, 17:00 (Brussels time).

During this period, you and your partners can prepare and submit your application and learn more about the submission process on the call page on the Funding and Tenders Opportunities Portal and through the portal’s online manual. Become familiar with the electronic submission service, which is the online system you must use to submit proposals.

Submit your proposal as early as possible before the deadline expires to avoid last-minute problems. You can update, download, or withdraw your proposal up until the deadline. You can see an overview of the evaluation process on REA’s website.