Resubmitting an MSCA Doctoral Network proposal in 2025? In this blog post, we take you through our team’s top recommendations on how to turn last year’s near miss into a successful application in 2025.
The competition for 2025 MSCA DN proposals is expected to be high again. In our blog post, we summarise the priority criteria for proposals with equal scores and some useful tips on writing your next successful proposal.
The Excellence section makes up 50% of an MSCA DN proposal’s score, yet many submissions fall short. Common pitfalls include vague objectives, weak integration of projects and limited methodological detail. This blog outlines how to avoid these mistakes and turn weaknesses into strengths ahead of the 25 November 2025 deadline.
The Impact section of an MSCA Doctoral Network proposal accounts for 30% of your final score. It is crucial to demonstrate the relevance of your project and its sustainable impact for Europe. Based on our experience with reviewing and improving previously unsuccessful proposals, we have identified common weaknesses and provide insights on how to avoid them as you prepare your DN proposal for the upcoming deadline.
With only weeks left until the MSCA Doctoral Networks deadline on 25 November 2025, writing a competitive proposal may feel impossible. In this blog, we share how to set the right priorities, avoid common pitfalls and use proven strategies to still prepare a strong DN proposal under tight timelines.
The Implementation section of your MSCA DN proposal accounts for 20% of your final score. Even minor oversights here can negatively impact your score. We have identified common weaknesses in the Implementation section and provide insights on how to avoid them as you prepare your DN proposal.
The MSCA Doctoral Networks 2025 call attracted 1,616 proposals, the highest number to date and part of a continued trend of rising competition. With an indicative budget of €597.8 million and over 150 projects expected to be funded, success rates may fall below 10% for the first time in Horizon Europe.