We are 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 Strategic Plan.

Funding opportunities

You can access details of all ESRC-funded international opportunities by theme.

Our funding statistics provide further information about the funding we provide.

Information for international students applying for ESRC studentship

All studentships are allocated to accredited Doctoral Training Centres (DTCs). Studentships can only be held on accredited pathways within a DTC. Prospective international students must apply directly to a DTC in order to secure an ESRC studentship and they will decide which students are eligible for funding. 

DTCs have strict internal processes for selecting students and must abide by UK Government regulations in determining residential eligibility. As such, students should contact the DTC at the earliest opportunity.

International policy and strategy

• Working internationally is a key priority of the ESRC's Strategic Plan.
• We have signed up to the EUROHORCs Money Follows Researcher Scheme. This allows researchers funded by an RCUK grant to continue their funded research when they move to another participating European country, thus promoting researcher mobility in Europe.
• The ESRC hosts the UK National Contact Points for both the Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities (SSH) and Science in Society (SiS) programmes of Framework Programme 7.
•  We have a bilateral agreement with FAPESP in Brazil

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 bringing 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.

One such initiative is the Collaborative Analysis of Microdata Resources – Pathfinder Research Projects.

More information can be found in the research resources section.

Research Councils UK international offices

The Research Councils have had an overseas presence since the opening of the UK Research Office (UKRO) in Brussels in 1984. There are now also RCUK international offices in the US, China and India.

Further information

For all general enquiries about international opportunities, please email international@esrc.ac.uk.