What MSCA Pays: Monthly Rates and Allowances
Living plus mobility allowances are standard. Family, long-term leave and special needs are conditional. The euro rates and country coefficients sit in the Work Programme, and every amount is gross.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
3 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
What the official pages actually say
Both the Doctoral Networks page (updated 29 September 2026) and the Postdoctoral Fellowships page (updated 30 September 2026) list the same researcher support:
- a living allowance
- a mobility allowance
- if applicable, family, long-term leave, and special needs allowances
On top of that comes institutional funding for research, training and networking activities, and for management and indirect costs. The action pages give no euro amounts. The unit rates and country correction coefficients are in the MSCA Work Programme 2026–2027. Doctoral Network vacancies must publish the gross salary on the notice.
Monthly unit rates in the Work Programme
| Per person-month | Doctoral Networks | Postdoctoral Fellowships |
|---|---|---|
| Living allowance (before country coefficient) | EUR 4,250 | EUR 6,350 |
| Mobility allowance | EUR 710 | EUR 710 |
| Family allowance (if applicable) | EUR 660 | EUR 660 |
| Long-term leave allowance (if applicable) | EUR 4,960 × % covered by the host | EUR 7,060 × % covered by the host |
| Special needs allowance (if applicable) | Requested unit ÷ number of months | Requested unit ÷ number of months |
The living allowance is multiplied by the host country’s coefficient. Examples from Table 1 of the Work Programme: Germany 101.5%, Spain 94.2%, Netherlands 111.8%. So the DN living allowance in Germany is about EUR 4,314 a month and the PF one about EUR 6,445, before tax and social contributions. These are EU unit contributions to the host, not a promised take-home pay. The host must pay you at least the living allowance minus compulsory deductions, and may add a top-up.
Which researcher allowances apply to you?
Living and mobility are standard. The rest are conditional. Planning tool only.
- 1Family obligations (marriage, equivalent partnership, or dependent children) now or during the action?
- 2Possible leave longer than 30 consecutive days?
- 3Certified long-term disability that requires special-needs items or services?
Always: living allowance + mobility allowance. Conditional extras selected: 0. Hosts also receive research, training and networking plus management and indirect contributions — those are institutional, not your pocket money.
Gross, coefficients, and contracts
The Work Programme states that a country correction coefficient applies to the living allowance so purchasing power is comparable. The living allowance is a gross amount. Employer and employee social contributions and taxes come out under national law. Two hosts in the same country can still pay different net amounts.
The beneficiary must recruit you under an employment contract or equivalent with full social security, except in narrow cases set out in the Work Programme. A rare fixed-amount fellowship halves the living allowance. The mobility allowance covers private mobility costs, not conference travel — that sits under the research, training and networking contribution.
Call-level money (not your salary)
EUR 628.03 million for consortia after the 1 October 2026 top-up. At the original EUR 593 million, MSCA expected over 130 projects and about 1,950 doctoral candidates.
EUR 434.05 million after the top-up. At the original EUR 399.05 million, MSCA expected nearly 1,600 projects. European and Global Fellowships have separate budgets.
The amended Work Programme budgets the 2027 calls at EUR 645.99 million (DN) and EUR 459.70 million (PF). The call pages still show EUR 574.62 million and EUR 388.57 million, all TBC. Source: MSCA news, 1 October 2026.