Open access policy news

Consultation now open for the REF 2029 open access policy (posted March 2024)

The consultation for the REF 2029 open access policy is now open. There are several proposed changes, including the inclusion of monographs, edited collections and book chapters in scope of the policy. You can find policy details and how to submit to the consultation on the REF 2029 website. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Library open access team on oaenquiries@sheffield.ac.uk.

In the mean time, please continue to follow the guidance on this page until further notice. The University has a new Research Publications and Copyright Policy which will support you in making your research articles open access to comply both with current funder policies and future REF requirements.

UKRI open access requirement for monographs (posted October 2023)

Monographs, book chapters and edited collections published on or after 1st January 2024 will come in scope of the UKRI open access policy for the first time, and will need to be made open access under a creative commons licence no more than 12 months after publication. More information can be found on our UKRI open access policy guidance page. 

UKRI open access block grant update (posted May 2023)

We have now received the 2023/24 open access block grant from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). If you are acknowledging funding from AHRC, BBSRC, ESRC, EPSRC, MRC, NERC, STFC or Innovate UK on journal articles or conference proceedings you may be eligible to apply for funding to cover Article Processing Charges (APCs) from this grant.

APCs can now only be paid from the block grant for articles in fully open access journals or Jisc-approved transformative journals. If you are not eligible for block grant funding (because you are publishing in a non-transformative hybrid journal), please check whether your chosen journal is covered by a transitional agreement. Otherwise, you must ensure you follow these steps in order to be compliant with the UKRI open access policy. Page charges and colour charges can no longer be paid for from the block grant.

Open access charges for monographs and book chapters can not be paid for from the block grant. We hope that in the coming weeks UKRI will release information about the funding arrangements for monographs, book chapters and edited collections, which will come in scope of the open access policy from 1st January 2024. For more information, see our UKRI open access policy guidance or contact oaenquiries@sheffield.ac.uk with any questions.

UKRI announces new open access policy (posted November 2021)

UKRI have announced the details of their new open access policy, which will come into effect for journal articles submitted on or after 1 April 2022, and for monographs, book chapters and edited collections published on or after 1 January 2024.

We have produced some guidance for UKRI funded researchers affected by the policy change. If you have any questions, please contact OAEnquiries@sheffield.ac.uk

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New Wellcome Trust Open Access policy from 1 January 2021 (posted December 2020)

The Wellcome Trust’s new open access policy applies to all original research articles submitted after 1 January 2021. You can read about the policy on our Wellcome Trust open access policy page.

Articles submitted before 1 January 2021 will still fall under the old policy. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with OAEnquiries@sheffield.ac.uk if you have any questions.