Are you an early career researcher in the arts or humanities looking to publish your work open access? UC Libraries is extending its existing pilot fund to help cover the costs.
What Is the Fund?
The UC Libraries Arts & Humanities Open Access Fund is a pilot program that pays article processing charges (APCs) for eligible early career authors publishing in arts and humanities journals. Funding is provided via the California Digital Library, not campus budgets, and covers the full cost of open access fees for qualifying articles.
Why Does This Matter?
Existing UC-wide open access publishing agreements already cover about 55% of UC publishing activity, but these agreements tend to benefit authors in STEM fields. Arts and humanities scholars, especially those early in their careers, are less likely to have grant funding to pay OA fees out of pocket. This fund is designed to close that gap.
Who Is Eligible?
The fund is open to early career authors, including:
- Pre-tenure faculty
- Graduate and undergraduate students
- Postdoctoral researchers
- Other non-tenured early career authors
Eligible authors must be the corresponding author on the article and affiliated with one of the participating campuses: Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Cruz, or San Francisco. Each author may receive funding for one article during the pilot period.
Which Journals Qualify?
The fund covers articles published in arts and humanities journals on a pre-approved list of more than 3,600 titles. These are non-profit or society publisher journals not already covered by an existing UC open access agreement. If your target journal is not on the list, there may still be options, and you can contact UCLIB-ARTS-HUMANITIES-OAFUND-L@listserv.ucop.edu to ask.
How Do You Apply?
Simply fill out the online application form. You will receive confirmation that your application was received, and a decision will be made within five business days. You can apply before your article is accepted, but you will need to submit proof of acceptance before receiving reimbursement. Articles must be accepted for publication after November 21, 2025 to be eligible. Articles published prior to this date are not eligible. The pilot program runs until June 30, 2027.
Questions?
Visit the UC Libraries Arts & Humanities Open Access Fund webpage for full details, or reach out with questions:
- OA Fund: UCLIB-ARTS-HUMANITIES-OAFUND-L@listserv.ucop.edu
- UC Berkeley Library Scholarly Communication & Information Policy office: schol-comm@berkeley.edu