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International Exchanges (UK researchers – natural sciences)

The Royal Society

International Exchanges grants provide support for scientists based in the UK to stimulate new research collaborations with leading scientists overseas. Grants can cover either a one-off short visit to explore opportunities for building lasting networks or bilateral visits to strengthen emerging collaborations.

The objectives of the International Exchanges scheme are to:

Stimulate the development of new research collaborations between UK researchers and researchers from around the world
Provide seed corn funding to establish partnerships, gather preliminary data, develop research ideas and strengthen applications for further funding
Enable UK and international research groups to exchange research staff, to share expertise and exchange ideas

There are multiple calls for applications open each year which are run as Global rounds and Cost Share rounds.

Global rounds

The Global rounds are available for travel to/from all countries/territories outside the UK. The amount of funding available is dependent upon the length of the visit and can be used for both the UK and overseas partner.

The Global rounds also include the possibility to be supported through specific funds:

Royal Society - Yusuf and Farida Hamied Foundation International Exchanges Grant: Supported by the Yusuf and Farida Hamied Foundation, for collaborations with researchers in India.
Royal Society - Sino-British Fellowship Trust (SBFT) International Exchanges Grant: Supported by the Sino-British Fellowship Trust (SBFT), for collaborations with researchers in China.

Cost Share rounds

The Cost Share rounds cover cooperation arrangements that the Royal Society has in place to co-fund International Exchanges grants with overseas funding bodies. The Royal Society provides funding for the UK partner and the overseas funder provides funding for the overseas partner. The UK applicant submits an application to the Royal Society and the overseas applicant simultaneously submits a parallel application to the overseas funder.

The Royal Society currently partners with the following bodies to co-fund International Exchanges grants:

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy (CNR)
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)
National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan (NSTC)

The Royal Society recognises that diversity is essential for delivering excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Society wants to encourage applications from the widest range of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to maximise innovation and creativity in science for the benefit of humanity. We regularly review and revise policies and processes to embed equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles in all aspects of the grant making process and ensure all talented applicants have an equitable chance to succeed as per the assessment criteria.

See below for details of adjustments we can provide for disabled applicants.

What does the scheme offer?

Funds can cover travel, subsistence and research expenses.

Global rounds

The funding available is dependent upon the length of the visit:

up to £3,000 for a one-off visit lasting up to three months
up to £6,000 for multiple visits to be completed within one year
up to £12,000 for multiple visits to be completed within two years

Cost Share rounds

Grants are available for multiple visits to be completed over a fixed period of two years:

up to £12,000 from the Royal Society
an additional up to £12,000 equivalent from the Royal Society’s overseas cost-share funding partner

Full funding details can be found in the scheme notes for the Global round and the Cost Share rounds.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

🎯 1. Outstanding Scientific Excellence & Fit

Proposals must align strictly with the Royal Society’s remit—natural sciences (biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, mathematics) .

They prioritize high‐quality, discovery-led research, whether early-career fellowships or grants for seasoned researchers .

🧩 2. Choose the Right Scheme & Read Scheme Notes Carefully

The Society offers a wide spectrum of fellowships and grants—e.g., Research Grants for newer independent investigators, Fellowships for career-stage progression, and International Collaboration Awards .

Each scheme has tailored eligibility, objectives, and documentation requirements. Reading the scheme notes fully is essential to avoid administrative triage.

🏛 3. Host Engagement & Institutional Support

Early consultation with your host department or institution is required. For fellowships, clear support must be demonstrated—e.g., lab space, mentorship, training, and potential proleptic academic appointments .

🧪 4. Career Stage Alignment

Research Grants (€30 K, 12 months) are designed for newly appointed PIs (≤5 years) or academics returning to research .

Newton International Fellowships support outstanding early-career non-UK researchers to build independent careers in the UK .

International Collaboration Awards facilitate building UK-led international partnerships for newly independent researchers .

✅ 5. Robust Application Process

Applicants must:

Use the Flexi-Grant portal

Ensure host institution and referees submit required approvals by the deadline

Follow costing policies and adhere to formatting and document guidelines .

Late or incomplete applications are automatically rejected .

🧑‍🔬 6. Merit-Based, EDI-Promoting Review

Applications undergo peer review by expert panels. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral, with reviewers trained to mitigate bias .

All proposals are assessed on excellence, inclusivity, flexibility, openness, and fairness .

⚙️ 7. Excellence in Panel Deliberation & Tie-Breaking

For high-demand schemes, panels first shortlist strong applications, then Chairs make final funding recommendations .

Schemes sometimes employ lottery tie-breakers for equally-ranked proposals .

🎯 8. Emphasis on Planning & Public Engagement

Applicants should include clear planning for mentoring, public or outreach engagement, and optional international collaboration .

🧭 Summary Table

Success Factor	What to Demonstrate
Scientific excellence	Innovative, rigorous research aligned with remit
Scheme fit	Choose correct scheme; follow notes strictly
Host backing	Secure lab space, mentorship, institutional sign-off
Career stage appropriateness	Be eligible for scheme (e.g., early-career PI)
Complete & compliant applications	Use Flexi-Grant; include all documents
EDI commitment	Showcase diverse perspectives and bias-mitigated process
Peer review readiness	Well-written, methodologically sound proposal
Tie-breaker readiness	Be clearly fundable to benefit from lottery if needed

🔧 Practical Tips

Start early—discuss with your host and support office before applying.

Draft meticulously, keeping scope realistic and your CV focused.

Include training and outreach—funders value broader engagement.

Seek feedback before submission; peer review can find critical issues early.

Understand the scoring process, and aim to be one of the top-rated applications.

Specialties

Data Science

Eligibility Requirements

This scheme is for you if:

You have a PhD or have equivalent research experience
You hold a fixed or permanent contract at an eligible organisation for the duration of the project (ineligible organisations include industrial, private and commercial organisations, university spin-out companies and government bodies)
You are based in the respective countries/territories at the time of application
Your research is within the Royal Society’s remit of natural sciences, which includes but is not limited to biological research and biomedical sciences, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and physics. For a full list, please see the breakdown of subject groups and areas supported by the Royal Society.

Collaborations should be based on a single project and travel can only take place between the UK and a country/territory where the overseas collaborator is based.

This scheme is not intended to support continued research activities between a UK applicant and a co-applicant who was a former colleague or PhD student or to support other existing or recent collaborations between the applicant and co-applicant. Rather, the scheme is intended to stimulate new collaborations between scientists in the UK and overseas.

Read the scheme notes for further information on eligibility. Please ensure that you meet all eligibility requirements before applying.

Eligible Countries:

United Kingdom

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: The Royal Society

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG

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