Apply Now: International Bilateral Visits Program (UK)

Deadline: 21-Oct-2026

The International Bilateral Visits Program supports short-term research collaborations between Scotland-based researchers and researchers from selected international partner academies. The program, supported through formal international partnerships with the Royal Society of Edinburgh, is designed to strengthen research capabilities, develop international collaborative links, and encourage participation in global research programs. Grants of up to £3,000 per visit help cover international travel and living-related costs for eligible Scotland-based researchers undertaking short-term visits to partner countries.

About the International Bilateral Visits Program

The International Bilateral Visits Program is designed to foster research collaboration between researchers based in Scotland and counterparts in countries whose national academies have a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Through short-term research visits, the program aims to: - Strengthen research capabilities. - Develop international research collaborations. - Establish and expand links between researchers. - Support participation in international research programs. - Encourage knowledge exchange across countries and disciplines. The program focuses on building meaningful research relationships that can potentially contribute to longer-term international collaboration. Who Can Apply? The program is intended for individual researchers based in Scotland who wish to undertake short-term research visits to eligible international partner countries. Each application supports one individual researcher only. Applicants should therefore demonstrate a clear research purpose for the proposed visit and explain how the international collaboration will contribute to their research and broader professional development. International Partner Academies

Eligibility depends on the international partner academy involved in the proposed visit

The program works with academies in countries that have a formal Memorandum of Understanding with the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Examples of partner academies include those in: The eligible research disciplines can vary depending on the specific partner academy. Research Areas Supported The program encourages applications across a broad range of disciplines, although the exact scope depends on the partner academy.

Potential fields include:

- Natural sciences. - Social sciences. - Arts. - Humanities. Some partner academies have more specific disciplinary requirements. For example, the Australian Academy of Science focuses on biological and chemical sciences related to natural ecosystems. Other partner academies, including those in Hungary, Poland, Taiwan, Slovakia, and Slovenia, consider applications across natural sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. Applicants should therefore check the relevant partner academy’s disciplinary requirements before applying. Purpose of the Research Visit The grant supports short-term international research visits designed to establish or strengthen collaboration. A proposed visit may provide an opportunity to: - Work with an international research counterpart. - Exchange research knowledge and expertise. - Develop collaborative research links. - Strengthen research capacity. - Explore future international research opportunities. - Contribute to participation in wider global research programs. The visit should have a clear research or collaboration purpose rather than being primarily for general travel. Funding Available The maximum funding available for each visit is £3,000, approximately US$3,810. The funding is intended to support the costs associated with the international research visit.

Funding covers:

- International travel. - Economy-class travel or equivalent. - Per-diem support for the Scotland-based awardee. The per-diem allowance includes costs associated with: - Accommodation. - Subsistence. - Travel costs. Applicants should plan their proposed visit and budget within the maximum grant limit. One Person Per Application Each application can support only one researcher. The program does not permit co-applications. This means that researchers planning related collaborative activities should submit individual applications where appropriate rather than applying jointly through a single application. One Application Per Funding Round Applicants may submit only one application per funding round. Researchers should therefore carefully select their proposed international collaboration and ensure that their application presents their strongest research case. Submitting multiple applications during the same funding round is not permitted. Incoming Visits to Scotland The arrangements are different for researchers seeking to visit Scotland. For incoming visits to Scotland, applicants should contact their respective national academy to obtain information about the specific: - Terms and conditions. - Eligibility requirements. - Application procedures. - Application forms. This means that incoming applicants should not assume that the same application process or conditions apply as those for Scotland-based researchers travelling abroad. How the Program Supports International Research International research collaboration can provide researchers with access to new expertise, research environments, methodologies, and professional networks. The International Bilateral Visits Program helps facilitate these connections through targeted short-term visits. By bringing researchers from Scotland into contact with international counterparts, the initiative can help establish relationships that support future collaboration and participation in global research programs. Benefits for Scotland-Based Researchers Successful applicants can benefit from both financial and professional support.

The program provides:

- Up to £3,000 toward an eligible research visit. - International travel support. - Per-diem assistance. - Opport