DKFZ Marie Skłodowska-Curie MasterClasses

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Do you want to do excellent research supported by one of the most prestigious postdoctoral programs in Europe? Do you want to work at a leading research institution with colleagues from all over the world? Do you want to be mentored by world-class scientists? Do you want to expand the frontiers of your knowledge by accessing cutting-edge research facilities and state-of-the-art labs? Do you want to contribute researching for a Life without Cancer? Our DKFZ Marie Skłodowska-Curie MasterClasses support you achieving it.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 | Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions are granted by the European Commission and fund postdoctoral research projects for up to 24 months. Benefits include: 

  • Postdoc salary including social security contributions and health insurance.
  • Budget for research, training and networking.
  • Access to a worldwide network of fellows and alumni.
“The DKFZ Marie Skłodowska-Curie MasterClass attracts an exceptionally strong pool of applicants – reflected significantly in the fact that 95% of our applicants received a Seal of Excellence in 2025.”

Dr. Juan Pablo Rigalli - DKFZ Scientific Grant Advisor

Our support actions

Is this your first time writing a research proposal? Are you unsure about how to write a successful research plan? Not sure, who can be your supervisor? We help you with this:

  • List of available Principal Investigators at DKFZ.
  • You submit your pre-application and we check your eligibility for this call and put you in contact with the Principal Investigators of your choice.
  • If there is a match between you and a DKFZ PI, we support you during the whole application process.
  • Marie Skłodowska-Curie MasterClasses: three online workshops between June and July 2026 on how to plan and write a successful proposal.
  • 1 to 1 feedback and consultation with experienced grants experts during the whole preparation and application process. 

Please, note that the application to the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship is highly competitive. To guarantee a high-quality support during the whole process, only the candidates with the best success chances for this fellowship will be pre-selected to participate in the DKFZ Marie Skłodowska-Curie MasterClasses. 

“The sessions and the power points were very useful for writing the proposal. The reviewing of the proposal and feedbacks were very project-specific and helpful to improve the quality of the proposal.”

Participant of the DKFZ Marie Skłodowska-Curie MasterClass 2024

Eligibility

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To be eligible for the call 2026 of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships you: 

  • Need to hold a PhD degree. Your thesis must be defended before September 9, 2026.
  • Must have a maximum of 8 years of postdoctoral research experience from the date of defense of your PhD and until September 9, 2026. Career breaks (parental leave, military service, work outside research, etc.) do not count towards the amount of research experience.
  • Must not have resided or worked in Germany for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before September 9, 2026. 
“I am really thankful for all your feedback and support along the process. The material was super helpful and crucial to apply to such a complicated grant having little time or other compromises. Even if I don't get the fellowship, I learned a lot of new project management and writing skills during the application process. thank you for your support!”

Participant of the DKFZ Marie Skłodowska-Curie MasterClass 2024

How to participate?

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Submit your application via Indico. Please, fill in the registration form with your personal information and the names of up to 3 DKFZ PIs from the list. In addition, upload the following documents:

  • CV including list of publications (max. 3 pages) – at least one publication as first author (or shared first authorship) is required to be considered for the fellowship. 

  • Motivation letter (max. 1 page): tell us about your research interests and career plans. Why would these three principal investigators be a good match for you? What can you bring to their groups? Do you have any project idea you would like to implement with the support of the fellowship?

The deadline for the submission of applications is May 18, 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact us via mariecuriemasterclass(at)dkfz-heidelberg.de.

DKFZ Principal Investigators

You may choose up to three Principal Investigators from the following list (indicate your choice in the Indico-form under “Selection of DKFZ Principal Investigators”). The topics and keywords should help you identifying the best fit for your future career. 

To select the PIs, consider also: do you have scientific interest or experience in the topic? Do you have practical experience in the models and techniques? Can you bring new expertise to the group? If the answer to all or most of these questions is yes, then this could be one of your three potential Principal Investigators. 

Research projects located at DKFZ in Heidelberg/Mannheim

Research projects located at DKFZ partner sites

Next steps

  • Submit your application not later than May 18, 2026.
  • Shortlisted pre-candidates will be contacted by one or more DKFZ Principal Investigators in May and June. The final decision, whether a candidate submits a proposal for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF) is made by the Principal Investigators.
  • If there is a match, you will write a proposal for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF) together with the PI and with our support.
  • Selected candidates will be invited to join three online seminars (MasterClasses) organized by the DKFZ Grants Office on June 24, July 1 and July 8, 2026.
  • If you are selected by a DKFZ Principal Investigator, the deadline for the submission of the MSCA-PF proposal to the European Union is September 9, 2026.
  • The decision on the award of the MSCA-PF is expected in February 2027 and the earliest fellowship start is expected to be April 2027. Note: Submission of a proposal and participation in the support activities do not guarantee a postdoctoral position at the DKFZ. An employment contract may only come to place in case of award of the MSCA-PF by the European Commission.

  • For any inquiries, do not hesitate to contact us via mariecuriemasterclass(at)dkfz.de.

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