Research and education in science and engineering benefit immensely from international cooperation. The U.S. National Science Foundation enables and encourages U.S. scientists, engineers and their institutions to enhance their research and education programs through international cooperation.
NSF also provides opportunities for future generations of U.S. scientists and engineers to gain the experience and outlook they need to be productive and collaborative in an international research and education environment.
Below are examples of current international collaboration opportunities. For information on other opportunities, please contact the NSF program director for a particular country.
On this page
All countries
Special opportunity: International collaboration supplements in quantum information science and engineering research
Invites requests for supplemental funding from existing quantum information science and engineering research awardees to add a new — or strengthen an existing — international dimension to their award.
While collaboration with Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom are of particular interest, requests for international supplements to collaborate with other countries will also be considered.
The Quad (Australia, India, Japan and the United States)
Dear Colleague Letter: Special Guidelines for Submitting Joint Proposals under the Quad AI-ENGAGE Collaborative Research Opportunity
NSF is partnering with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) of Australia, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to implement the first use-inspired basic research collaboration under the Quad. Get more information about AI-ENGAGE.
Canada
NSF and NSERC Collaborative Research Opportunities in Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Science
NSF, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) support collaborative international research through bilateral activities and multilateral arrangements.
The following opportunities offer support for collaborations between researchers in the U.S. and Canada:
NSF and NSERC Collaborative Research Opportunities in Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Science invites collaborative U.S.–Canadian research proposals focusing on discoveries and innovations in artificial intelligence and quantum science.
Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF) supports materials design and development through the integration of experiments, computation and data-driven methods, while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and training the next generation of the materials R&D workforce.
Czech Republic
Special Guidelines for Submitting Collaborative Proposals under the National Science Foundation and Czech Science Foundation Collaborative Research Opportunities
Invites collaborations between the U.S. and Czech research communities in the areas of artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, plasma science and cybersecurity and privacy. Download the NSF-GACR expression of interest form.
Proposals addressing these topics will be accepted to the following NSF programs:
Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering
- Core programs:
- CCF: Algorithmic Foundations
- CCF: Communications and Information Foundations
- CCF: Foundations of Emerging Technologies
- CCF: Software and Hardware Foundations
- Division of Computer and Network Sysems
- IIS: Human-Centered Computing
- IIS: Information Integration and Informatics
- IIS: Robust Intelligence
- OAC: OAC Core Research
- Foundational Research in Robotics
Directorate for Engineering
- Core programs in the following divisions:
Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences
- Core programs in all divisions (excluding Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants)
NSF Directorate for Engineering
Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering
- Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace: small projects only
- OAC: OAC Core Research: small projects only
European Union
Research Collaboration Opportunity in Europe for NSF Recipients
Encourages supplemental funding requests from current NSF recipients to support research visits to European Research Council-funded research groups.
France
NSF and the French Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) support collaborative international research through bilateral activities and multilateral arrangements.
The following directorates, divisions and programs offer specific collaborations between NSF research directorates and ANR:
Division of Integrative Organismal Systems
- Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience: Supports collaborative research projects and the sharing of data and other resources for the study of computational neuroscience.
Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences
- NSF-French National Research Agency (ANR) Quantum Information Science and Engineering Lead Agency Opportunity: Invites collaborative proposals between U.S. and French researchers in quantum information science and engineering. Read the submission procedures.
Directorate for Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering (CISE) core programs
- Special Guidelines for Submitting Collaborative Proposals under U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and French Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) Collaborative Research Opportunities: Invites U.S.–French collaborative research proposals to CISE's core programs.
Division of Computing and Communication Foundations
- NSF-French National Research Agency (ANR) Quantum Information Science and Engineering Lead Agency Opportunity: Invites collaborative proposals between U.S. and French researchers in quantum information science and engineering. Read the submission procedures.
Division of Information and Intelligent Systems
- Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience: Supports collaborative research projects and the sharing of data and other resources for the study of computational neuroscience.
Crosscutting
- Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience: Supports collaborative research projects and the sharing of data and other resources for the study of computational neuroscience.
Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems
- NSF-French National Research Agency (ANR) Quantum Information Science and Engineering Lead Agency Opportunity: Invites collaborative proposals between U.S. and French researchers in quantum information science and engineering. Read the submission procedures.
Division of Chemistry
- NSF ANR Chemistry Lead Agency Opportunity on Sustainable Chemistry: Catalysis with Earth-Abundant Elements: Encourages U.S.-French collaborative research proposals to develop sustainable catalysts and catalytic strategies using earth-abundant elements, focusing on organometallic catalysis, organocatalysis, and photocatalysis. Download the Expression of Interest Form.
Division of Mathematical Sciences
- Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience: Supports collaborative research projects and the sharing of data and other resources for the study of computational neuroscience.
- NSF-French National Research Agency (ANR) Quantum Information Science and Engineering Lead Agency Opportunity: Invites collaborative proposals between U.S. and French researchers in quantum information science and engineering. Read the submission procedures.
Division of Physics
- NSF-French National Research Agency (ANR) Quantum Information Science and Engineering Lead Agency Opportunity: Invites collaborative proposals between U.S. and French researchers in quantum information science and engineering. Read the submission procedures.
Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences
- Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience: Supports collaborative research projects and the sharing of data and other resources for the study of computational neuroscience.
India
Special Guidelines for Submitting Collaborative Proposals under U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) of India Collaborative Research Opportunities
Encourages collaborative U.S.-India research proposals to support knowledge, technologies and innovation that advance biotechnology and promote the bioeconomy.
Ireland
United States-Ireland-Northern Ireland R&D Partnership
The United States, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have formed a partnership to increase the level of collaborative research and development among researchers across the three jurisdictions that will generate innovation and lead to improvements in society.
Israel
U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) Collaboration/NSF-BSF
NSF and the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) have signed a memorandum of understanding on research cooperation to encourage collaboration between U.S. and Israeli research communities.
Proposals will be accepted to the following directorates, divisions and programs. Contact emails are listed within the relevant solicitation or program description unless provided in the listings below:
Crosscutting programs involve the participation of multiple NSF directorates and may involve additional agencies within the U.S. government or other science and engineering funding agencies around the world.
Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience
CRCNS involves the NSF directorates of Biological Sciences (BIO), Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Engineering (ENG), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) and Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE).
Small category only in CPS involves the NSF Directorates of CISE and ENG.
- Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future
Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases
EEID involves the NSF directorates of BIO, Geosciences (GEO) and SBE.
Foundational Research in Robotics
Contact email: Robotics@nsf.gov.
Molecular Foundations for Biotechnology
Note: Before submitting an application, U.S. principal investigators should check with the program directors listed in the solicitation because not all divisions that participate in MFB also participate in the NSF-BSF binational program.
Contact email: mfb@nsf.gov.Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace
Small and Medium category only in SaTC involves the NSF directorates of CISE, ENG, EDU, MPS and SBE.
Contact email: satc@nsf.gov.Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Data Science
SCH involves the NSF directorates of CISE, ENG, MPS and SBE.
Contact email: SCH_correspondence@nsf.gov.Computational and Data-enabled Science and Engineering
CDS&E involves the NSF directorates of CISE, ENG, GEO and MPS.
Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation
Biocomputing through EnGINeering Organoid Intelligence (BEGIN OI) - Involves the NSF directorates of BIO, CISE, ENG, MPS and SBE.
Division of Biological Infrastructure:
Contact emails: DBIBioinformatics@nsf.gov (Bioinformatics), DBIInstrumentation@nsf.gov (Instrumentation), DBIInnovationMethods@nsf.gov (Research Methods), DBICyberinfrastructure@nsf.gov (Cyberinfrastructure).
- Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research (Innovation)
- Infrastructure Capacity for Biological Research (Capacity)
Division of Environmental Biology:
Contact email: NSFDEB-BSF@nsf.gov.
Division of Integrative Organismal Systems:
Contact email for IOS programs: NSF-IOS-BSF@nsf.gov.
- Division of Integrative Organismal Systems Core Program
- Enabling Discovery through Genomic Tools (EDGE) Program
- Organismal Response to Climate Change (ORCC)
Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences:
CISE accepts submissions to its Core Programs only in the SMALL category (up to $600,000 over three years for the NSF-funded portion).
Division of Computing and Communication Foundations:
- Computing and Communication Foundations Core Programs
Small category.
Division of Computer and Network Systems:
- Computer and Network Systems Core Programs
Small category.
Division of Information and Intelligent Systems:
- Information and Intelligent Systems Core Programs
Small category.
Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems:
- Biophotonics
- Biosensing
- Catalysis
- Cellular and Biochemical Engineering
- Combustion and Fire Systems
- Disability and Rehabilitation Engineering
- Electrochemical Systems
- Engineering of Biomedical Systems
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Sustainability
- Fluid Dynamics
- Interfacial Engineering
- Nanoscale Interactions
- Particulate and Multiphase Processes
- Process Systems, Reaction Engineering and Molecular Thermodynamics
- Thermal Transport Processes
Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation:
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Biomechanics and Mechanobiology
- Civil Infrastructure Systems
- Dynamics, Control and Systems Diagnostics
- Engineering Design and System Engineering
- Engineering for Civil Infrastructure
- Humans, Disasters, and the Built Environment
- Manufacturing Systems Integration
- Mechanics of Materials and Structures
- Mind, Machine and Motor Nexus
- Operations Engineering
Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems:
Contact email for all GEO programs: GEO-BSF@nsf.gov.
NSF GEO program descriptions or solicitations under the following divisions are participating in the NSF-BSF lead agency opportunity.
Division of Astronomical Sciences:
Contact email: Hans Krimm, hkrimm@nsf.gov.
Division of Materials Research:
- Biomaterials
- Ceramics
- Condensed Matter and Materials Theory
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Electronic and Photonic Materials
- Metals and Metallic Nanostructures
- Polymers
- Solid State and Materials Chemistry
- Topical Materials Research Programs
Division of Mathematical Sciences:
Contact email for DMS programs: dms-bsf@nsf.gov.
- Algebra and Number Theory
- Analysis
- Applied Mathematics
- Combinatorics
- Computational Mathematics
- Foundations
- Geometric Analysis
- Mathematical Biology
- Probability
- Statistics
- Topology
Division of Physics:
Division of Chemistry:
Disciplinary Research Programs
For program contacts, please access NSF 22-605.
- Chemical Catalysis
- Chemical Measurement and Imaging
- Chemical Structure, Dynamics, and Mechanisms B
- Chemical Synthesis
- Environmental Chemical Sciences
- Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry
Disciplinary Research Programs: No Deadline Pilot
For program contacts, please access NSF 22-606.
Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Developmental Sciences
- Linguistics (participating in the NSF-BSF opportunity as a pilot)
- Perception, Action, and Cognition
- Science of Learning and Augmented Intelligence
- Social Psychology
Division of Social and Economic Sciences:
Contact email: K. Andrew (Andy) DeSoto, kadesoto@nsf.gov.
- Decision, Risk and Management Sciences (Decision Science only)
- Economics
- Sociology
Office of Director/Office of International Science and Engineering
Contact email: Paul Raterron, praterro@nsf.gov.
OISE helps to coordinate the overall engagement between NSF and BSF.
Italy
NSF-Italian Ministry of Universities and Research Lead Agency Opportunity in Artificial Intelligence
Encourages U.S.–Italy collaborative research proposals for research in the area of artificial intelligence.
Nordic region
Nordic-U.S. Research Collaboration on Sustainable Development of the Arctic
Encourages interdisciplinary research proposals in collaboration with Nordic and Canadian research communities to engage Indigenous perspectives and address security, natural resources and societal changes for the sustainable development of the Arctic.
Participating NSF directorates, divisions and programs include:
The directorate encourages researchers to leverage the directorate's investments in the Arctic region, such as the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON).
Division of Environmental Biology programs: Principal investigators (PIs) with projects that address foundational evolutionary and ecological processes at the level of populations, species, communities and ecosystems should reach out via debquestions@nsf.gov to inquire about this funding opportunity.
Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
Office of Polar Programs (OPP):
- Arctic Research Opportunities
- Specifically, proposals focused on Arctic natural sciences, Arctic social sciences and Arctic systems science.
- Up to $200,000 per project, up to a total of four awards. Proposers must contact Arctic Research Support and Logistics prior to pre-proposal submission, and any logistics costs that NSF is expected to cover must fall within the $200,000 project limit.
Division of Undergraduate Education:
Division of Graduate Education:
Romania
NSF and the Romanian Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI) Lead Agency Opportunity in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Encourages international collaboration in mathematical and physical sciences by enabling U.S. and Romanian researchers to submit a single proposal for joint review, thus streamlining the research process. Download the NSF-UEFISCDI expression of interest form.
Proposals will be accepted to the following programs within the NSF Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences:
- Chemical Catalysis
- Chemical Measurement and Imaging
- Chemical Mechanism, Function, and Properties
- Chemical Structure and Dynamics Program
- Chemical Synthesis
- Chemical Theory, Models, and Computational Methods
- Chemistry of Life Processes
- Environmental Chemistry Sciences
- Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry
Switzerland
NSF-Swiss NSF Lead Agency Opportunity
Invites U.S.-Swiss collaborations at the intersection of the Swiss National Science Foundation's three research divisions and participating NSF programs. Download the NSF-Swiss NSF expression of interest form.
The participating NSF directorates, divisions and programs are:
Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems:
- Chemical Process Systems cluster
- Engineering Biology and Health cluster
- Environmental Engineering and Sustainability cluster
- Transport Phenomena cluster
Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation:
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Biomechanics and Mechanobiology
- Civil Infrastructure Systems
- Dynamics, Control and Systems Diagnostics
- Engineering Design and System Engineering
- Engineering for Civil Infrastructure
- Humans, Disasters and the Built Environment
- Mechanics of Materials and Structures
- Mind, Machine and Motor Nexus
- Operations Engineering
Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems:
Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
Division of Earth Sciences:
- Chemical Evolution of the Solid Earth and Volcanology
- Life and Environments Through Time
- Structure and Physics of the Solid Earth
- Water, Landscape and Critical Zone Processes
Division of Ocean Sciences:
Office of Polar Programs:
Division of Astronomical Sciences:
Division of Mathematical Sciences:
- Algebra and Number Theory
- Analysis
- Applied Mathematics
- Combinatorics
- Computational Mathematics
- Foundations
- Geometric Analysis
- Mathematical Biology
- Probability
- Statistics
- Topology
Division of Physics (PHY):
Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences:
- Archaeology Program Senior Research Awards
- Archaeometry
- Biological Anthropology Program Senior Research Awards
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Cultural Anthropology Program Senior Research Awards
- Developmental Science
- Human Networks and Data Science
- Human-Environment and Geographic Sciences
- Linguistics
- NSF Dynamic Language Infrastructure - NEH Documenting Endangered Languages
- Perception, Action & Cognition
- Science of Learning and Augmented Intelligence
- Social Psychology
Division of Social and Economic Sciences:
- Accountable Institutions and Behavior
- Decision, Risk and Management Sciences
- Law and Science
- Science and Technology Studies
- Science of Organizations
- Science of Science: Discovery, Communication and Impact
- Security and Preparedness
- Sociology
SBE Office of Multidisciplinary Activities:
Ukraine
International Multilateral Partnerships for Resilient Education and Science System in Ukraine (IMPRESS-U)
Invites multilateral collaboration with the U.S., Ukraine and Poland or Baltic countries in the global research community for support in scientific and engineering research, education and innovation.
United Kingdom
NSF and UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) have a long history of collaborating through bilateral activities and multilateral arrangements. Download the NSF-UKRI expression of interest form.
The following NSF directorates offer specific opportunities for collaborations between NSF and UKRI:
- Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases: Supports research on the ecological, evolutionary, organismal and social drivers that influence infectious diseases and increase quantitative and/or computational understanding of pathogen transmission dynamics.
- UKRI/BBSRC- NSF/BIO Lead Agency Opportunity in Biological Informatics, Systems Understanding of Host-Microbe Interactions, Synthetic Cells and Cellular Systems, and Synthetic Microbial Communities: Encourages transatlantic collaborative research proposals in the biological sciences focused on areas at the intersection of the National Science Foundation and the UK Research and Innovation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
- Division of Environmental Biology core programs: : Supports research and training on evolutionary and ecological processes acting at the level of populations, species, communities, ecosystems, macrosystems and biogeographic extents.
- NSF Engineering - UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Lead Agency Opportunity: Supports collaborative U.S.–U.K. research across several domains supported by the NSF Directorate for Engineering and the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council of United Kingdom Research and Innovation.
- NSF/GEO - UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Lead Agency Opportunity: Invites collaborative U.S.–U.K. research proposals to programs in the divisions of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, Earth Sciences and Ocean Sciences and the Office of Polar Programs.
- NSF Engineering - UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Lead Agency Opportunity (ENG-EPSRC): Supports collaborative U.S.–U.K. research across several domains supported by the NSF Directorate for Engineering and the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council of United Kingdom Research and Innovation.
- SBE- United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) Lead Agency Opportunity: Supports transatlantic collaborative research in the social, behavioral and economic sciences in areas at the intersection of the National Science Foundation and United Kingdom Research and Innovation missions. Proposals may be submitted to programs in the divisions of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences and Social and Economic Sciences.
OISE contacts by region
- Africa (Sub-Saharan): anesa@nsf.gov
- Americas (including Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, South and Central America): amer@nsf.gov
- East and South Asia and Pacific: eap@nsf.gov
- Europe and Eurasia (including European Commission and Central Asia): ee@nsf.gov
- Middle East and North Africa: menainfo@nsf.gov
