There are many funding opportunities that support international research, but these are subject to various limitations and practical considerations. What to apply for will depend on factors such as where the researchers in question are based and what form collaboration will take, as options vary from international mobility schemes to those which support dedicated international research collaborations between the UK and partner countries.
Below is a summary organised by funder type, beginning with what UKRI guidance states about support for international collaboration. It is designed to help you understand the international research funding landscape and set your expectations accordingly.
UKRI
For international researchers who want to do research in the UK:
- Many UKRI schemes are open to international researchers coming to the UK, but you should keep in mind that specific eligibility requirements can differ between funding opportunities. Generally speaking, the project lead must be based in the UK, but international researchers could be part of the bid as a project co-lead (international) or team member (note that individual research councils and UKRI programmes can choose when they would like to use these roles in funding opportunities).
Joint funding for UK and non-UK based researchers:
- There are a limited number of international opportunities that support international research collaborations between the UK and a range of partner countries, for example the International Science Partnerships Fund.
- Lead agency opportunities are jointly funded by UKRI and its partner funders around the world. These fixed bilateral partnerships (such as those currently in place with funders in Brazil, Luxembourg and the US) involve an agreed framework for the review of funding applications, with each funding partner responsible for awarding the successful applications in their respective countries.
OTHER MAJOR UK FUNDERS
Leverhulme Trust (all disciplines) – for example:
- Research Project Grants can in include limited roles for international researchers:
- Where appropriate, it is possible to employ an overseas research assistant if the relevant research takes place outside the UK, and it is more suitable to employ personnel local to the area than a UK-based person paid to travel to the region.
- The costs of one or more consultants (including overseas) may also be included where specialist expertise is critical and cannot be provided by an academic co-applicant, but they can only provide consultancy and not actively work on the project. Cost of consultants should not exceed more than £5,000 per year.
- Research Fellowships welcome projects with an international research focus and proposals can include visits to an overseas host research institution to develop new knowledge, skills and/or collaborations.
- Visiting Professorships are for UK institutions to invite an eminent senior professor from overseas to bring genuinely novel expertise and enhance the skills and knowledge of academic staff and students in an underrepresented area of research.
British Academy (humanities and social sciences) – for example:
- International Interdisciplinary Research Projects: the involvement of Co-Applicants based overseas is required and must involve extensive interdisciplinary collaboration as opposed to short-term exchanges.
- International Fellowships: for international researchers to work for two years at a UK institution.
- Small Research Grants: applications from international groups of scholars are welcome, provided there is a UK-based scholar as lead applicant for the duration of the award period.
EU FUNDING
The following opportunities are offered under different ‘pillars’ (strategic foci) of the Horizon Europe programme. They apply to research organisations in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries, including the UK.
European Research Council grants (all disciplines) – for example:
- Synergy Grants designed for ambitious projects requiring two to four PIs with complementary expertise.
Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
These calls (most of which are addressed through collaborative, multi-national/multi-partner opportunities) are organised into six clusters:
- Health
- Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
- Civil Security for Society
- Digital, Industry and Space
- Climate, Energy and Mobility
- Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
A published work programme for each cluster details broad sub-topics for which grants are available. An effective way of navigating these is to download the appropriate work programme in PDF format and scan its contents for relevant topics.
While these large-scale funds are relatively flexible in terms of eligible costs, they are highly competitive in their requirement for PIs to demonstrate a strong track record of significant research achievements. It can, therefore, be helpful to use smaller awards such as a British Academy Small Research Grant or Pump Priming funding as proof of concept or to otherwise leverage an EU grant application.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (all disciplines) – for example:
- Postdoctoral Fellowships: international mobility scheme for early career researchers to carry out their research abroad.
- Doctoral Networks: funding for doctoral training through partnerships between organisations across Europe.
Sign up to receive UK National Contact Point (NCP) updates about Horizon Europe funding opportunities, news and events related to your areas of interest.
SUMMARY
Although researchers’ time is likely to be the main expense, comprehensive funding options that cover salaries and institutional overheads are limited. The most promising large-scale funds for this approach are likely to be EU funding opportunities in the form of ERC grants and Horizon Europe calls under the Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness pillar. Other options are likely to involve compromising on location or method of delivery, for example by embracing mobility or focusing on support for doctoral/postdoctoral training.