Working Remotely from Outside the United States
Overview
Faculty, staff, students, and other researchers may conduct University research or research-related work while located outside the United States for a variety of reasons, including international travel, extended research visits, sabbaticals, field research, collaborations, or other approved activities.
Many researchers routinely perform research activities while traveling internationally without additional requirements. However, depending on the location, duration of the activity, research being performed, sponsor requirements, and the information or equipment involved, additional review may be appropriate before work begins.
Working remotely from another country may involve research security, export control, sponsor, cybersecurity, privacy, employment, tax, immigration, or other institutional requirements. The Office of Research Security (ORS) assists researchers in identifying applicable research security, export control, sponsor, and institutional considerations and coordinates with other University offices, as appropriate.
REQUEST AN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH REVIEW
Contact ORS Before You
Contact ORS before you:
- Conduct University research while located outside the United States for an extended period.
- Work remotely on a federally sponsored research project from another country.
- Access export-controlled technology, software, technical information, government-controlled information, or other controlled research information while abroad.
- Access sponsor-restricted or institutionally restricted research information from another country.
- Work remotely from a sanctioned or embargoed country.
- Work remotely from a Country of Concern.
- Take University-owned research equipment or research materials outside the United States.
- Accept an appointment or affiliation with a foreign institution while conducting University research remotely.
- Are uncertain whether research security, export control, sponsor, or other institutional requirements apply.
Key Considerations
The type of research being performed is often more important than where the work occurs.
Additional review may be appropriate when remote work involves:
- Export-controlled technology
- Government-controlled information
- Sponsor-restricted information
- Controlled-access research data
- Proprietary or confidential research information
- International collaborations
- Research involving foreign organizations
Researchers working remotely may access University systems, research data, software, cloud services, collaboration platforms, and other electronic resources. Researchers should determine whether applicable requirements permit research information to be accessed, stored, processed, or transmitted while they are located outside the United States.
Depending on the research activity and applicable sponsor or institutional requirements, additional information protection or cybersecurity measures may be necessary.
Working remotely outside the United States may involve taking University-owned laptops, research equipment, storage devices, laboratory materials, or other research assets abroad.
Export control regulations, sponsor requirements, and institutional policies may apply depending on the equipment, destination, and research activities. Researchers should consult ORS before taking research assets outside the United States whenever they are uncertain whether review is required.
Some federal sponsors establish award terms and conditions that affect where sponsored research may be conducted or how research information may be accessed from outside the United States.
ORS can assist investigators in identifying sponsor-specific requirements before remote work begins.
Working remotely outside the United States may also involve employment, immigration, tax, information security, privacy, research computing, or other institutional requirements administered by other University offices.
ORS can coordinate with the appropriate University offices, as needed, when these considerations arise in connection with a research security review.
Related Guidance
| Related Guidance | Description |
|---|---|
| Conferences, Professional Activities & External Appointments | Guidance for participating in conferences, meetings, seminars, workshops, professional societies, external appointments, teaching, lectures, and other scholarly activities involving international organizations or conducted outside the United States. |
| International Collaborations | Guidance for planning, establishing, conducting, and managing research collaborations with international researchers, institutions, companies, and organizations. |
| International Travel | Guidance for international travel involving research, teaching, field work, conferences, or other University activities. |
| International Transfers (Shipping, Hand-Carry & Electronic Transfers) | Guidance for shipping, mailing, hand-carrying, or electronically transferring research equipment, materials, software, technology, technical information, or research information internationally. |
| Sharing Research Information | Guidance for sharing research information, data, software, technology, technical information, presentations, publications, or other research outputs with collaborators, sponsors, companies, government agencies, or other third parties. |
| Working with Government Information | Guidance for receiving, accessing, using, storing, sharing, and protecting government information, including CUI, FCI, Government-Furnished Information (GFI), and other government-controlled information. |
| Working with Proprietary & Confidential Research Information | Guidance for receiving, accessing, using, storing, sharing, and protecting proprietary or confidential research information received from sponsors, collaborators, companies, universities, and other external organizations. |
| Protect Export-Controlled Equipment, Technology, & Information | Guidance for protecting export-controlled equipment, materials, software, technology, technical information, and other research assets from unauthorized access. |
| Federal Sponsor Risk Matrices | Compare sponsor-specific research security expectations for common international research activities and identify activities that may require additional review or sponsor notification. |
| Countries of Concern | Learn about countries that may require additional review because of export control regulations, federal research security requirements, sponsor expectations, or institutional policy. |
| Sanctions & Embargo Programs | Guidance for understanding U.S. sanctions programs and conducting research activities involving sanctioned destinations. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from another country while conducting University research?
Possibly. Many researchers perform research activities while traveling internationally. However, depending on the location, duration, research activities, sponsor, and information being accessed, additional institutional review may be appropriate.
Does working remotely outside the United States require an export control review?
Not always. Many remote work activities do not involve export-controlled technology or information. ORS can determine whether export control regulations apply based on the specific research activities, location, and information being accessed.
Does it matter which country I am working from?
Yes. Some countries may present additional export control, sanctions, sponsor, research security, or institutional considerations that require review before research activities begin.
Can I access University systems and research data while working overseas?
Possibly. Access may depend on the type of research information involved, the country from which access will occur, sponsor or contractual requirements, export controls, privacy requirements, cybersecurity requirements, and other institutional considerations.
Does ORS approve remote work outside the United States?
No. ORS reviews research security, export control, sponsor, and related compliance considerations associated with proposed research activities. Depending on the circumstances, additional review or approval by other University offices may also be required.
Need Assistance?
Working remotely outside the United States is a common part of international research and, in many cases, may proceed without additional restrictions. However, because research security, export control, sponsor, and institutional requirements depend on the specific circumstances of each activity, early consultation helps identify applicable requirements before work begins.
Contact the Office of Research Security before conducting University research from another country whenever you are uncertain whether research security, export control, sponsor, or other institutional requirements apply.