Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowships at the University of Antwerp
Are you a postdoctoral researcher thinking about your next career move?
Are you looking for a young and dynamic university to supervise your postdoctoral research?
Then applying for a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship with the University of Antwerp as host institution might be the right thing to do for you.
The Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (MSCA IF) fund promising postdoctoral researchers with a view to develop their academic and transversal skills and enhance their career prospects by moving and working abroad.
The University of Antwerp allows you to work in a first class research environment located within the vibrant city of Antwerp and to work on your academic and transversal skills.
Short intro into the Individual Fellowships
Only experienced researchers can apply for an Individual Fellowship: either you have a doctoral degree or you have an equivalent four years full-time research experience by the time the call closes.
There are roughly two different types of fellowships: the European Fellowships (EFs) and the Global Fellowships (GFs).
European Fellowships (EFs) are intended for promising postdoctoral researchers from any nationality who wish to work elsewhere in Europe or to return to Europe. To be more precise: researchers need to move (or having moved) from any country to the EU Member State or Associated Country where the host institution is located.
- In addition to these standard European Fellowships, the EF programme also offers career prospects to postdoctoral researchers of any nationality who are looking for research funding opportunities after a stay abroad and are eager to return to a host institution within Europe (Reintegration European Fellowships).
- The EF programme provides similar support for postdoctoral researchers who wish to restart their research career after a career break of at least one year (Restart European Fellowships).
Financial support for EFs is provided for a period of minimum 12 and maximum 24 months.
Global Fellowships (GFs) are intended for promising postdoctoral researchers who are nationals or long-term residents of an EU Member State or Associated Country and who wish to work outside Europe.
Financial support for GFs is provided for a period of minimum 24 and maximum 36 months, including a mandatory return to an institution in Europe for at least one year.
The EFs and GFs may also include a secondment to another organisation within Europe for 3 to 6 months, provided this secondment boosts impact.
What does the University of Antwerp offer?
An excellent research environment that supports international scholars
The University of Antwerp is a young and dynamic university with high standards in education, internationally competitive research and entrepreneurial approach. For several years now the University ranks top-15 in the “Top 50 Universities Under 50 years”.
The University has for instance an excellent and long-standing track record as to participating in EU framework R&D programmes, collaborative research, ERC grants, and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowships and Networks. The University continues its active participation in the Horizon 2020 framework programme.
With no fewer than 88 nationalities represented among its staff members (and around 130 nationalities among its students), the University of Antwerp has an excellent international reputation and offers a well-suited setting for international scholars.
The University was rewarded with the logo “HR Excellence in Research”: it has an active HR policy and strives to offer staff the best opportunities for personal development.
A dynamic and prosperous city
Antwerp is a dynamic and prosperous city in the north of Belgium with a rich historical past and a vibrant cultural life. It also has a thriving fashion, design, food and nightlife scene. The city is well connected by train to major European cities like Brussels (30 minutes), Amsterdam (75 minutes), London (3 hours) and Paris (2 hours).
Find out more about Antwerp on the University’s webpage Antwerp Life.
How to prepare your application?
- Make sure you have an excellent project idea for an MSCA Individual Fellowship and verify your eligibility;
- Write your project ideas down on a one-pager and convince a professor at UAntwerp to become your supervisor and host;
- Get in touch with the Grants Office of UAntwerp (research@uantwerpen.be). They may help you with verifying your eligibility, finding a supervisor at UAntwerp and with your application in general;
- Read the call documents carefully and make sure you fully understand what (applying for) a MSCA Individual Fellowship is all about;
- Write the proposal in close collaboration with the supervisor at UAntwerp and with support from the Grants Office (June-July);
- Send your draft proposal (80% ready) to the Grants Office for feedback (August);
- Ask the Grants Office for administrative support (e.g. help with completing part A of the proposal);
- Submit your proposal through the participant portal in a timely way and at the very latest by the final submission deadline.
Who is involved in the application?
Applicant (called 'Fellow' or 'Experienced Researcher'): the postdoctoral researcher (or someone with at least 4 years of equivalent research experience at the time of the deadline) who will be preparing the fellowship application.
Supervisor (or ‘Primary Coordinator Contact’): the UAntwerp professor who will be supervising the fellow and the project. The fellow should develop the project proposal in liaison with the supervisor.
Beneficiary (also called 'Host Institution'): this is the University of Antwerp, validated by the EU as a 'legal entity' with name Universiteit Antwerpen, short name UAntwerpen and PIC 999902870.
Administrative Coordinator Contact: the administrative person responsible on behalf of the beneficiary. For the UAntwerp this is Anne Adams, email anne.adams@uantwerpen.be or research@uantwerpen.be