The MSCA-PF First-Timer’s Roadmap
A 5-Day Email Course on how to start your draft before you "feel" ready, write sections your readers can give feedback on, and build an ambitious and feasible career plan.
Avoid These 5 Mistakes First-Timers Make Writing A European MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship Proposal
Written by Matilde Frias Costa, who's…
Supported a Horizon Europe specialist during a five-month graduate course
Wrote a 16-part email series in Italian that turned dense funding information into clear steps and frameworks
Built this minicourse from the Guide for Applicants, the Work Programme and evaluator guidance, alongside university handbooks, fellows’ guides and online posts
What did a Horizon Europe specialist say about my work?
“Matilde, with her ‘rigorous curiosity’ and extremely professional approach to the tutoring role… Her end-of-session reports are an example of how to add value to a task often seen as simple logistical or administrative support for the teaching, which she turned into facilitation of learning.”
I haven’t submitted a proposal yet, but I’m preparing a research project following the MSCA guidelines.And now, you can read what I’m learning for FREE.
Here's what you'll get inside the MSCA-PF First-Timer’s Roadmap
Day 1: A 30-minute exercise to write your project aims before you “feel” ready
Day 2: 5 principles, including a 2-question read-back test, to write for readers who can give you useful feedback
Day 3: The 3-part “learn → do” formula to make your profile read like an aspiring fellow’s, not a student’s
Day 4: A 3-scenario journaling prompt to explore career paths in academia and beyond, and turn intentions into measures
Day 5: A 3-column checklist to make your work plan match everything you promised in Excellence and Impact
In the 2025 call, roughly 9 out of 10 proposals weren’t funded.Avoidable mistakes shouldn’t be the reason yours is one of them.
The ideas shared in The MSCA-PF First-Timer’s Roadmap course are not official Horizon Europe guidance. They are well-meaning suggestions based on my research and on my experience as a fresh PhD preparing a research project following the MSCA-PF guidelines.
Rules and scoring details can change between calls, so always check the current Guide for Applicants and call documents.
Done! Your MSCA-PF First-Timer’s Roadmap is on the way.
Look for an email from Matilde Frias Costa in the next minute or two.Just a heads up: Emails hide in Promotions sometimes. If that happens, drag it to Primary so you get all the five mistakes.See you there!