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How to access SHARE data

A short guide to accessing SHARE data, managed directly by SHARE-ERIC through the SHARE Research Data Center.

SHARE data are made available free of charge to the international scientific community by SHARE-ERIC, in compliance with European and national data protection rules. To use the data, you need to register individually and accept the SHARE Conditions of Use.

Registration in three steps

The procedure is managed directly by the SHARE Research Data Center.

  1. 1

    Read the Conditions of Use

    Before submitting your application, carefully read the conditions governing the purposes, protection, storage and citation of the data. Acceptance is mandatory.

    Read the Conditions of Use
  2. 2

    Fill in and sign the SHARE User Statement

    All applicants must complete and sign the first page of the form. Those affiliated with a university or research institution must state their affiliation, preferably using an institutional e-mail address. The second page is required only for applicants without a scientific affiliation, who have to use it to describe a specific research project.

    Download the SHARE User Statement
  3. 3

    Send the form

    The completed and signed form must be sent by e-mail to share-rdc@centerdata.nl or by post to:
    SHARE Research Data Center
    c/o Centerdata, Tilburg University
    P.O. Box 90153
    5000 LE Tilburg
    The Netherlands

    Open the official registration guide

Verifying credentials normally takes a few working days. Once the registration is approved, the user receives a personal ID by e-mail along with instructions for setting a password. The link to set your password expires after 72 hours.

Access the SHARE Research Data Center

Managing your credentials

Credentials are personal and must be kept secure. If the e-mail address, scientific affiliation or other information provided in the application changes, the user must notify SHARE-ERIC; in some cases a new User Statement must be submitted.

Releases, waves and documentation

From the Research Data Center, registered users can access the releases of the various SHARE waves and the additional datasets made available by SHARE-ERIC. The SHARE Data Releases page lists the latest versions and the DOIs to be used in citations.

The Gateway Harmonized SHARE datasets are derived products, harmonised ex post to facilitate comparison with other major longitudinal surveys on ageing, such as the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Registered SHARE users can download them from the Research Data Center. For specific documentation and support, please refer to the Gateway to Global Aging Data.

Visit the Gateway to Global Aging Data
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Tools for analysis

Before starting an analysis, it is advisable to consult the documentation of the release used, the questionnaires and the methodological information. The main tools are:

  • SHARE Data & Documentation Tool — lets you search variables and metadata and generate PDF codebooks without downloading the data first
  • Data Documentation — collects release guides, questionnaires, methodology volumes, wave overviews and comparisons across waves
  • FAQ and support — answers on access, formats, documentation, weights, merging and common problems

Conditions of use

Scientific use only. SHARE data may only be used for scientific research. Commercial use is excluded.

  • Each user must register individually. Even within the same project, all team members working with the microdata must have their own account.
  • Credentials and downloaded files must not be transferred, shared or made accessible to third parties.
  • Every publication, including working papers and theses, must cite the datasets used with their DOIs and include the required acknowledgements. Publication details must also be reported to SHARE-ERIC.
See the official citation requirements
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Support

Registered users receive e-mails with information on new releases, data corrections and updates to the conditions of use. For problems with access, lost credentials or questions about the use of the data, check the official FAQ or contact the SHARE Research Data Center.

Want to learn more?

To register, download data, read the documentation or get support, use the official SHARE-ERIC services.

Go to Useful links

The official SHARE-ERIC website and the SHARE Research Data Center are the only official sources for information on the project, documentation and data downloads. Materials found on third-party sites may be incomplete, out of date or unauthorised. This SHARE Italy page is for information and orientation only; in case of discrepancies, the conditions and instructions published by SHARE-ERIC always prevail.