Open Access Policies

All researchers have a responsibility to make their work open access in accordance with their funders’ policies. Even researchers without a specific funding grant must make their work open access in accordance with the REF Open Access Policy.

We have summarised the policies of the largest funding bodies that support research at the University of Bristol and explained how to follow them within our procedures. Please look at your funder’s requirements below. If you have multiple funders, you must abide by the requirements of all of them.

If your funder is not on this list, please check with them for their open access policy, or contact the library research services team.

Open access policy guides

REF open access policy (All UoB Researchers)
All researchers at the University of Bristol need to ensure that their work is made open access in line with the REF open access policy.
University of Bristol open access policy
The University of Bristol open access policy is designed to support authors in following the REF open access policy.
UKRI
If you acknowledge funding from AHRC, BBSRC, ESRC, EPSRC, Innovate UK, MRC, NERC, Research England, or STFC in your research you must follow the UKRI Open Access Policy.
The Wellcome Trust
If you acknowledge funding from The Wellcome Trust in your research you must follow the Wellcome Trust Open Access Policy.
ERC/Horizon Europe
If you acknowledge funding from The ERC or Horizon Europe in your research you must follow the ERC Open Access Policy.
Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
If you acknowledge funding from CRUK in your research you must follow the CRUK Open Access Policy.
British Heart Foundation (BHF)
If you acknowledge funding from BHF in your research you must follow the BHF Open Access Policy.
National Institute of Health Research (NIHR)
If you acknowledge funding from NIHR in your research you must follow the NIHR Open Access Policy.

Other funders, such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust, also have requirements around open access publication of the research they fund.

For information on some common funders' Open Access policies, please see this collection of ‌Additional Funder Open Access Polices (PDF, 203kB). Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. Always check with your funder to ensure you are compliant with their policies.

For further advice on meeting your funder’s requirements, please contact your Research Support Librarian.