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International Exchanges Global Round 1

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 funding from:

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.
Royal Society - American Friends of the Royal Society (AFRS) International Exchanges Grant: Supported by the American Friends of the Royal Society for collaborations with researchers in the USA.

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. Investigator Excellence (Most Important Factor)

Royal Society funding is people-focused, not project-heavy.

Strong predictors include:

A high-quality publication record relative to career stage

Evidence of original contributions (not incremental work)

Intellectual independence from PhD/postdoc supervisors

Clear trajectory toward international scientific leadership

🔑 For fellowships (URF/Dorothy Hodgkin): the person matters more than the project.

2. Original, Curiosity-Driven Science

The Royal Society prioritizes:

Fundamental research questions

High-risk, high-reward ideas

Long-term scientific value (not short-term application)

Projects that are:
❌ overly applied
❌ narrowly translational
❌ framed mainly around impact metrics

…are typically less competitive.

3. Career-Stage Fit to the Scheme

Each Royal Society scheme targets a very specific career window.

Examples:

URF → early-career researchers with exceptional promise and independence

Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship → excellent researchers needing flexible working

Research Grants → established investigators with strong track records

International Exchanges → collaborative, bilateral research

🎯 Mismatch between applicant stage and scheme is a common reason for rejection.

4. Clear Scientific Vision (Not Over-Detailed Methods)

Successful proposals emphasize:

Big scientific questions

Why the problem matters fundamentally

Why you are uniquely placed to solve it

Royal Society reviewers prefer:
✔ conceptual clarity
✔ intellectual ambition
✔ long-term vision

…over exhaustive experimental detail.

5. Independence and Leadership Potential

Especially for fellowships, reviewers look for:

Clear distinction from previous supervisors

Evidence of initiating ideas, collaborations, or techniques

Mentoring, supervision, or leadership activities (as appropriate)

🔑 Future Fellow of the Royal Society potential is an implicit (but real) consideration.

6. Host Institution Strength & Commitment

For fellowships:

The host department must provide a strong research environment

Clear institutional support (space, facilities, integration)

No expectation of teaching overload during fellowship

Weak or generic host support letters reduce competitiveness.

7. International Standing or Potential

The Royal Society is globally focused.

Predictors include:

International collaborators

Invitations, talks, or visiting positions

Publications with global visibility

Strong case for international leadership (for UK-based schemes)

8. Discipline-Agnostic Excellence

Unlike many funders, The Royal Society:

Does not prioritise thematic calls

Does not require societal impact narratives

Evaluates purely on scientific excellence

This favors:
✔ theoretical work
✔ blue-sky research
✔ cross-disciplinary science

🧠 Common Reasons for Unsuccessful Applications

❌ Applicant not sufficiently independent
❌ Solid but not exceptional publication record
❌ Project too incremental or applied
❌ Weak articulation of long-term vision
❌ Poor career-stage fit
❌ Generic host support

Specialties

Others

Technology Development

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.

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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