The Arts and Humanities Research Council of the UK and the Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate (SBE) of the US National Science Foundation have been collaborating in support of research of mutual interest for several years. A Memorandum of Understanding is in place to encourage interdisciplinary research and facilitate the peer-review and joint-funding of US-UK collaborative research in areas at the intersection of the two agencies’ missions. Prospective Principal Investigators (PIs) should review the programs supported through SBE’s two research divisions, the Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences and Division of Social and Economic Sciences, as well as the AHRC for further information on each of the agency’s areas of support. Researchers are also encouraged to discuss topics for possible joint support with agency personnel.
If you are interested in US-UK collaborative research opportunities, please review the special guidelines to learn more about the review process and criteria established under the MOU.
Please refer to the above links to the relevant NSF webpage for information on specific programme deadlines.
Eligibility for UK-based element of project
Investigator: The application must include only ONE investigator from a UK organisation which is eligible to apply to the AHRC. This Investigator must meet the AHRC’s current eligibility criteria to be a Principal Investigator on a Research Grant proposal. Please consult the AHRC’s Funding Guide for further information on eligibility.
Research Assistants: Research Assistant employed by the UK organisation needs to meet the AHRC’s threshold of being of postdoctoral standing (either having a PhD or equivalent research experience).
Project studentships: Funding may be sought for one or two full-time (three years) PhD project studentships whose work will contribute to the project as a whole. PhD Project Students must be supervised by a Principal Investigator named on the proposal. The supervisor must be based at the HEI where the project student is registered.
The studentship must fall completely within the duration of the project. Funding cannot be sought to complete a PhD which has already started or will start prior to the start date of the Research Grant project.
Each studentship must provide added value to the project, but also allow the student sufficient independence to make their own original contribution to scholarship. The project should be a viable project without the contribution of the project student (i.e. it cannot be using the PhD student as a de facto research assistant), but the student(s) should benefit from working within the structure of the project as a whole. Project studentships may, on the advice of reviewers, be removed from a project before funding is confirmed.
In order to be eligible, the student must meet certain conditions relating to residency and academic qualifications. Please refer to the AHRC Postgraduate Studentships: Guide to Student Eligibility (pdf 449kb) for detailed information.
You should contact the AHRC if you are unsure about your eligibility.
Costing
The UK-based applicant must cost the UK component of the project in accordance with TRAC and using the AHRC financial guidelines to complete the Summary of Resources form below.
Summary of Resources form (word document 308kb)
Please note, under the AHRC-NSF agreement, UK applicants can apply for a total full economic cost of between £20,000 and £350,000 per grant application. This funding limit is specific to this programme and applies to the UK component of the project only.