Welcome to the ESRC's International pages. ESRC is committed to raising awareness of UK social science internationally, and enabling UK social scientists to collaborate with the best researchers across the globe. Here you will find links to all the available opportunities to research overseas, to welcome overseas collaborators to your institution, or get involved in international research networks.
Interested? Before you apply, you might want to check what disciplines we fund, in our Research Remit. Depending on the nature of the research some proposals might be strengthened by aligning with our Key Research Challenges. Details of previous international awards, where available, can be found under each relevant section.
International Funding Opportunities
You can access details of all ESRC-funded international opportunities:
By theme
By region
International Policy and Strategy
Working internationally is a key priority of the ESRC's Strategic Plan.
Learn about the ESRC's International Network and its priorities.
International Research Resources
Research resources form the foundation upon which research is conducted. Traditionally research resources were predominately focused within national boundaries, but with ever growing globalisation and interdependence there is a clear need to share data, expertise in research methods, and develop tools and techniques for successful undertaking of cross-national research. Acknowledging this need and in support of more internationally focused research, the ESRC has been developing a number of initiatives brining together social scientists from the UK and overseas aiming to promote international co-operation and to advance research resource infrastructure through data sharing and collaborative analysis.
More information can be found on the ESRC's Research Resources.
Research Councils UK Overseas Offices
The Research Councils have had an overseas presence since the opening of the UK Research Office in Brussels (UKRO) in 1984. There are now also RCUK offices in the US, China and India.
Further Information
For all general enquiries about international opportunities, please contact: international@esrc.ac.uk, telephone: +44 (0)1793 413198