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This page explains exemptions to UKRI's open access policy on long-form outputs, and whether they are suitable for your publication.
A policy exemption may be available if you are UKRI-funded and it is not possible to meet UKRI's open access requirements when publishing a monograph, book chapter or edited collection. UKRI expects authors to review its guidance on using exemptions, discuss alternative options with publishers and the UCL Open Access Team, and investigate all options for publishing open access before using an exemption. Exemptions must be registered with UKRI by the UCL Open Access Team.
UKRI expects authors to make publishers aware of its open access requirements at the earliest opportunity: when submitting your book proposal to the publisher, or at the start of the collaboration discussions if you are contributing a book chapter (if so, inform the editor of the collection). In both cases, this should be done before entering into any contractual agreement for the publication.
Exemptions
Exemptions may be available where:
- A publishing contract has been signed before 1 January 2024 and does not include a compliant open access option.
UKRI encourages open access in this scenario, and UKRI open access funding may still be available.
- The publication is the outcome of a UKRI Training Grant.
This exemption recognises that publication may occur some time beyond the lifetime of a training grant. UKRI encourages open access in this scenario, and UKRI open access funding may still be available. UKRI’s open access requirements for theses still apply.
- The only appropriate publisher is unable to offer a compliant open access option.
UKRI expects authors to consider its open access requirements when identifying suitable publishers. This exemption may be available if both of the following conditions are met:
- your preferred publisher has no open access options or capability, including no policy on self-archiving the final published version or the author's accepted manuscript (Green open access), and
- you have confirmed that there is no suitable alternative publisher, having discussed options with the UCL Open Access Team.
If so, you should liaise with the publisher to seek an open access option (e.g. self-archiving on an ad hoc basis) before using this exemption. The Open Access Team can advise or assist with discussions with publishers.
- Reuse permissions for third-party materials cannot be obtained, and the publication would not make sense without it.
See our page on managing third-party content when publishing UKRI-funded long-form publications. This exemption should only be used if:
- clearance to use the material in an open access version cannot be obtained,
- the third-party material cannot be removed, replaced, linked to or 'tombstoned' in the open access version, and
- removing the third-party content from the main body of the work severely compromises the presentation of the arguments or discussions, and/or means the publication no longer makes sense.
Contact us
Contact the Open Access Team to discuss an exemption.