Eligibility criteria for the applicants

Researchers must be early-stage researchers (ESR), i.e. at the date of recruitment be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and have not been awarded a doctoral degree.

'Full-time equivalent research experience' is measured from the date when the researcher obtained the degree entitling him/her to embark on a doctorate (either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the researcher is recruited or seconded) – even if a doctorate was never started or envisaged.

Researchers must comply with the mobility rule.
Researchers may not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment (ITN)
For 'international European interest organisations' or 'international organisations', the researchers may not have spent more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the call deadline/recruitment, in the same appointing organisation.

Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not taken into account.

Horizon 2020
Work Programme 2016 - 2017
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, p. 58 – 59

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/wp/2016_2017/main/h2020-wp1617-msca_en.pdf