The European Commission has awarded the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Seal of Excellence Certificate to 2,885 researchers for the outstanding quality of their research proposals, despite not being awarded the MSCA Individual Fellowship. Applicants awarded this Certificate will gain access to funding from regional, national or institutional sources.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: “To become a researcher is more than just a job, it is a vocation. I see the dedication of all those researchers who apply, and with this Seal of Excellence, they will have access to greater financial support for their projects. I wish them all the very best in their careers. It is a source of pride for the European Union to have such a depth of great research talent.”

The highly competitive 2020 Individual Fellowship calls, under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, attracted a record number of 11,382 proposals, of which only 1,630 could be funded. The Seals of Excellence were awarded to applications whose proposals scored at least 85% in the evaluation process but could not be funded. To date, 12 countries have set up funding schemes to support Seal of Excellence holders. A complete list of the available support schemes for MSCA Seal of Excellence holders can be found here. More information on this year's MSCA Seal of Excellence certificates award can be found here.