REF 2029 Open Access Requirements

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a national assessment of research quality and informs how public funding for research is allocated in the UK. 

The current REF, which concludes in 2029, assesses research outputs published between 2021 and 2028, along with other research indicators. 

Open Access requirements apply to journal articles and conference proceedings with an ISSN. The requirements currently in effect will change on 1 January 2026. 

For any article that is not made Open Access immediately by the publisher, you should deposit your author-accepted manuscript into SOAS Research Online. Even if you anticipate Open Access publication, we advise you to deposit the accepted manuscript in case there is any delay. 

Requirements by date of publication

Outputs published up to and including 31 December 2025:

• Must be deposited within 3 months of acceptance for publication.

• Have an embargo allowance of: 

  • 12 months (main panels A and B)

  • 24 months (main panels C and D)

• Have no specified or required licence but 'suggested' CC licences.

Outputs published between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2028:

• Must be deposited within 3 months of publication.

• Have an embargo allowance of:

  • 6 months (main panels A and B) 

  • 12 months (main panels C and D) 

• Must be made open access under a Creative Commons (or similar) licence, with a preference for CC BY.