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FAQs: Wellcome and open access

These FAQs provide supplementary information for UCL researchers about the Wellcome open access policy.

FAQs 

Wellcome only funds open access costs in fully open access journals. Does this mean I can’t use UCL’s transformative agreements to publish Gold OA in a subscription journal?

Wellcome does not pay for open access costs in subscription (hybrid) journals, and does not contribute funding for subscription journals in UCL's transformative agreements. However, UCL authors can still take advantage of UCL's agreements to publish in a subscription journal with CC BY. As long as the article is OA with CC BY and uploaded to Europe PMC immediately on publication, it is Wellcome compliant.

My paper does not report original research. Does it need to meet Wellcome's requirements, and am I entitled to open access funding?

Wellcome's open access policy applies to publications that report original research. Articles published in a fully open access journal, but that do not report original research, are not eligible for funding. 

If you have a query about a particular article type, contact UCL's Open Access Team.

Is my output a journal article or a book chapter for the purposes of Wellcome's policy?

Wellcome treats all publications indexed in MEDLINE as journals, even if they are marketed as book series.

My output was not funded by Wellcome, but Wellcome funding contributed to it indirectly. Does Wellcome's policy apply?

Wellcome's policy applies to original, peer-reviewed research articles that are supported in whole, or in part, by Wellcome; and to original scholarly monographs and book chapters authored or co-authored by Wellcome grantholders as part of their grant-funded research. Wellcome's policy provides more detail on the scope of being funded "in whole or in part".

What tools are available to help me check whether a journal complies with Wellcome's policy?

Wellcome has sponsored a general journal checker tool to help authors find out how to comply with their funder's policy. However, to obtain complete, UCL-specific information about compliance routes, UCL recommends that authors:

  1. Check whether your journal (whether subscription (hybrid OA) or fully open access) is covered by UCL's transformative agreements. If not:
  2. Use the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) to check whether your journal is a Gold fully open access journal. Funds are available for Wellcome-funded research articles in fully open access journals. Complete this form to request funding.
  3. Follow the instructions on our Wellcome webpages, or contact UCL's Open Access Team for advice, if you are submitting to any other journal. 

Do any journals offer a Wellcome compliant Green open access option? 

Yes, some journals explicitly allow authors to comply with the Wellcome policy by depositing their accepted manuscript for immediate open access in Europe PMC, with a CC BY licence. Examples include Science (AAAS) and ACM and Royal Society titles. 

  • If a Green compliant journal is also in UCL's transformative agreements (e.g. Royal Society and ACM titles), and the corresponding author is at UCL, you can publish with Gold open access through the agreement.  
  • If a Green compliant journal is also in UCL's transformative agreements (e.g. Royal Society and ACM titles), and the corresponding author is not at UCL, you can comply with the Wellcome policy without using rights retention: upload your accepted manuscript to Europe PMC with the CC BY licence, immediately at publication. It is not necessary to include Wellcome's rights retention statement in your submission.
  • If a Green compliant journal is not in UCL's transformative agreements (e.g. Science), you can comply with the Wellcome policy without using rights retention: upload your accepted manuscript to Europe PMC and choose the CC BY licence, immediately at publication. It is not necessary to include Wellcome's statement on rights retention in your submission.

UCL's Open Access Team can advise on journal policies and rights retention. 

Can I use UCL's transformative agreements to comply with the Wellcome policy if the corresponding author is not at UCL?

No, but you may be able to publish with Gold open access through the corresponding author's instiution, if they have an equivalent agreement that includes the journal. If they don't, use rights retention to make your accepted manuscript version available in Europe PMC immediately on publication, with a CC BY licence. 

I want to submit to a subscription (hybrid) journal not in UCL's transformative agreements. Will the publisher object to rights retention?

Some publishers, e.g. AAAS (Science), have amended their policies to allow authors to make the accepted manuscript version of their papers Green open access under CC BY in a repository on publication.

Most other publishers will agree to allow this if the corresponding author, supported by UCL's Open Access Team, includes the rights retention statement when they submit. You can also take the opportunity, before submission, to ask the editorial office whether the publishing agreement will allow immediate OA to the accepted manuscript under CC BY. Contact UCL's Open Access Team for advice.

If I submit to a subscription (hybrid) journal that is not in UCL's transformative agreements and pay for Gold open access myself, will my paper comply?

Normally if you are submitting to a subscription (hybrid) journal that is not in UCL's transformative agreements, you should use the rights retention statement and upload your accepted manuscript to RPS and Europe PMC. However, if you or a non-UK institution wishes to pay for Gold open access, your paper will comply if you choose the CC BY licence. Wellcome's funds may not be used for this. Many other funders also prohibit authors from using their funds to pay the cost of open access in subscription (hybrid) journals.

I'm part of a collaboration. My Wellcome funding is being acknowledged in a paper on which I'm not the corresponding author. How do I comply?

We recommend that you explain to your collaborators that Wellcome requires open access on publication under the CC BY licence, and that the paper will comply if:

  1. It is published Gold open access through a transformative agreement at the corresponding author's institution (see UCL's transformative agreements).
  2. It is published in a Gold/fully open access journal or platform (outside a transformative agreement).
  3. The accepted manuscript is made Green open access under CC BY in RPS and Europe PMC on publication. In this case, the corresponding author must include the rights retention wording when submitting.

UCL's Open Access Team can help advise your collaborators and support you and them in discussions with publishers.

If my article is being published Gold open access, do I need to deposit in Europe PMC?

If you are publishing Gold open access through UCL's transformative agreements or in a fully open access journal, your publisher should deposit the version of record in Europe PMC on your behalf. Very occasionally a publisher is unable to deposit in Europe PMC (for example, if the journal is new and is not yet indexed there). In that case, you would need to deposit the version of record in Europe PMC, on publication, yourself.

Is funding available for non-open access publication fees (e.g. page and colour charges)?

Wellcome does not fund page and colour charges, either through research grants or as part of UCL's Wellcome open access block grant. UCL's Open Access Team has no alternative funds to cover these charges. Authors are advised to ask their journal's editorial office, before submission, whether any non-open access publication charges apply, and, if so, request a waiver. This applies to all journals, including those in UCL's transformative agreements, some of which still charge additional publication fees. Where necessary, UCL's Open Access Team can confirm to the publisher that no funds are available to cover publication fees.

What will happen if I don't follow Wellcome's requirements?

Wellcome has confirmed that researchers and organisations who do not comply with the policy will be subject to appropriate sanctions, which may include Wellcome not accepting new grant applications, and in extreme cases suspending funding to organisations.

If you are concerned about how to comply, contact UCL's Open Access Team, who can provide support for all UCL Wellcome authors, including those who wish to submit to non-compliant journals. For information about how to comply if you are submitting to a non-compliant journal, see I want to submit to a subscription (hybrid) journal not in UCL's transformative agreements. Will the publisher object to rights retention?

How do I check that my papers are in Europe PMC (e.g. for reporting to Wellcome)?

Search for your paper in Europe PMC. Wellcome may require you to report the PMCID number. If your paper is not in EPMC, you can deposit it using EPMC Plus.

If my paper complies with Wellcome's open access policy, will it also meet the REF open access requirements?

Yes. If you are complying with Wellcome's policy through Green open access, using rights retention, you should also upload your accepted manuscript to RPS on or before the first online publication date. See our REF: what do I need to do? page.