International Research Experiences for Students | 20 598

Opportunity Information: Apply for 20 598

The National Science Foundation (NSF) International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) program funds projects that give U.S. undergraduate and graduate students hands-on, research-focused experiences in international settings. The central idea is to place students in high-quality research and research-related activities tied to NSF-supported areas in science and engineering, while also building the professional and cultural skills needed to work effectively in a global research environment. Through these experiences, IRES aims to help develop a diverse pipeline of globally engaged researchers and strengthen long-term U.S. leadership in science and engineering, with the broader economic goal of preparing the next generation of research leaders.

IRES proposals must be submitted by U.S.-based organizations, and all principal investigators (PIs), co-PIs, and other senior personnel listed on the proposal must be affiliated with U.S. organizations. International collaborators are involved as partners, but they are typically listed as "unfunded collaborators" rather than as funded lead personnel on the NSF award. A key participation rule is that student participants supported by IRES funding must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or U.S. permanent residents. Students also do not apply directly to NSF for IRES support; instead, they join IRES-funded projects run by NSF-funded investigators. Students looking for opportunities are expected to identify existing projects by consulting the directory of active IRES awards and then applying through the specific program or research group running the experience.

The solicitation offers two distinct tracks, and proposers must choose one track when submitting. Track I, called IRES Sites (IS), is built around cohort-based experiences in which a group of undergraduate and/or graduate students participates directly in collaborative research, generally at an international host site such as a university lab, field station, or research institute. These projects emphasize sustained mentorship from researchers at the host location and are organized around a coherent intellectual theme that can be within a single NSF-supported discipline or span multiple disciplines. The emphasis in Track I is on deep research immersion and the development of world-class research skills through teamwork, mentorship, and active contribution to ongoing research.

Track II, called Advanced Studies Institutes (ASI), supports intensive, short-duration training programs that bring advanced graduate students together for focused learning and research engagement at the frontiers of a specific area. ASIs are typically 10 to 21 days long and are generally expected to be held outside the United States. Proposals for an ASI must justify why the international location is essential, for example because of specialized facilities, unique datasets, field sites, regional expertise, or strong concentrations of leading scholars. These institutes are designed to combine advanced instruction with research-related activities, and they are expected to expand students' technical capabilities and professional networks by bringing together distinguished researchers from the U.S. and other countries for mutual benefit.

Across both tracks, NSF strongly encourages proposers to plan for virtual, hybrid, or other alternative collaboration approaches to maintain and strengthen international partnerships if travel is disrupted or cannot occur. These options are also encouraged as complements to travel, with the expectation that ongoing remote engagement can extend collaboration beyond the dates of the international experience and improve the overall educational and research value of the project.

Administratively, this opportunity is an NSF discretionary grant program within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category, with CFDA listings that include 47.041, 47.049, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.079, and 47.083. The opportunity number is 20-598, and the original posting indicated an expected number of awards of about 32. The listing shows an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates that a fixed ceiling is not specified in the summary record and applicants must consult the full solicitation and program guidance for budget expectations and constraints.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "International Research Experiences for Students" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041, 47.049, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.079, 47.083.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 11, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 12, 2020 Track - I IRES Sites Track - II Advanced Studies Institutes. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 32 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 20 598

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