Navigating the 2025 MSCA Doctoral Networks – evaluation criteria for equally scored proposals
20th August 2025 at 11:47 am
The call for proposals for the next Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks (DN) is currently open, with a deadline on 25 November 2025. This year, the competition for funding is expected to be as intense as ever, with a substantial budget of €597.80 million aiming to support close to 150 projects and train more than 1,800 doctoral candidates. To help you stand out, we’re sharing key insights into the evaluation criteria and, most importantly, what happens when proposals receive the same score.
Main evaluation criteria – Excellence, Impact, and Implementation
In our recent blog post, we summarised the key changes to the 2025 MSCA DN proposal template, including noteworthy updates to the Part B1 structure. As you prepare for your submission this year, it is equally critical to understand how your proposal will be evaluated. While the specific template has seen adjustments, the fundamental evaluation criteria continue to be structured around three main criteria:
- Excellence (50%): This criterion assesses the quality of research, innovation, and training aspects of your proposed DN. It covers the scientific ambition, interdisciplinary nature, intersectoral dimension, and the quality of research methodology. The excellence of the supervision, the planned research activities, the research environment and individual research projects are also key.
- Impact (30%): Here, evaluators look at the potential of your network to generate scientific, societal, and economic impact. This includes the expected contribution to human capital development, the planned dissemination and exploitation of results, and the communication activities. The policy relevance and the potential for long-term impact on the researchers’ careers are also important.
- Quality and efficiency of the implementation (20%): This criterion evaluates the effectiveness of the proposed management structure, the roles and responsibilities of the participating organisations, the allocation of resources, and the financial management. The appropriateness of the recruitment process, supervision arrangements, and the overall feasibility of the project are also assessed.
Pro tip: Think of these evaluation criteria as interconnected. An excellent proposal seamlessly weaves its scientific ambition (Excellence) into its potential for real-world change (Impact) and demonstrates a robust plan to achieve both (Implementation).
Tie breakers – priority criteria for equally scored proposals
With the highly competitive nature of the MSCA DNs, it is inevitable for some proposals to achieve equally high scores (ex-aequo proposals). When this occurs and given the tight budget to fund every excellent project, the Research Executive Agency (REA), the managing body of the MSCA DN programme for the EC, must determine a precise order of priority. These instructions are clearly stated in the MSCA Work Programme 2023-2025, with priority order established as follows:
- Proposals are first prioritised based on ‘Excellence’ scores. Should the ‘Excellence’ scores be equal, priority will be determined by the score for ‘Impact’.
- Should a distinction be impossible, the gender balance among the supervisors named in the proposal will be used as an additional prioritisation factor.
- If a tie persists, the evaluation panel may consider further factors such as the alignment to Horizon Europe objectives, such as:
- Environmental considerations in line with the MSCA Green Charter
- Gender and other diversity aspects in the research activities
- Participation of the non-academic sector (e.g. SMEs, industry partners)
- Geographical diversity
- International cooperation
- Favourable employment and working conditions
- Relationship to the Horizon Europe objectives in general
Pro tip: Approach each section as a critical component of the proposal. Your ‘Excellence and ‘Impact’ criteria are your sharpest tools to rise above equally scored proposals. Meanwhile, strengthen these sections and ensure that your consortium reflects the strategic clarity, from gender balance to geographical reach.
How accelopment can support your MSCA DN
At accelopment, we have guided numerous MSCA DN consortia through successful submissions, helping new DN proposals or resubmissions of previously submitted DN proposals surpass the cut-off and secure funding. As an Associated Partner in three new Horizon Europe DNs, namely BioTransform, INT2ACT and PANIONS, seven ongoing DNs DarChem, MobiliTraIN, BREAKthrough, CONCISE, MITGEST, MIRELAI and SYNSENSO, as well as many completed H2020 ITNs, we at accelopment have gathered a great deal of practical experience in Proposal Writing, Project Management and Dissemination support as well as Transferable Skills Training geared toward DNs. If you are interested in our support for your upcoming DN proposal preparation, feel free to contact us.
