FAQs
About UCL Press
Do you publish open access materials?
All UCL Press books and journal content is open access. We are proud to have been the UK’s first fully open access in 2015.
How is UCL Press funded?
UCL Press is subsidised to a large degree by its parent institution, UCL, to provide open access publishing and delivers significant impact for the university. Its books and journals have been downloaded in the millions around the world since it launched in 2015. UCL is committed to an Open Science future and believes that research should be made freely available to all. It therefore sees UCL Press’s open access model as a valuable and necessary investment. UCL Press has income streams from print sales, BPCs, grants and consultancy, which offset some of the institutional investment.
Books
What kind of books does UCL Press publish?
UCL Press publishes monographs, edited collections and textbooks from a wide range of areas. All UCL Press books are open access.
How do I submit a proposal for a new book?
To submit a proposal for a new book, please visit Submitting your book proposal
Does UCL Press publish work from non-UCL authors?
Yes. UCL Press publishes work from a wide range of authors from across the world. Non-UCL Press authors may b
Do I have to pay to publish with UCL Press?
We’re able to offer full funding to:
- authors and editors who work at UCL
- non-UCL co-authors and co-editors working with UCL-based collaborators
- non-UCL contributors to edited volumes where an editor is based at UCL
- non-UCL authors and editors who qualify for the waiver scheme
- non-UCL authors whose books are published in a book series managed by a UCL series editor
BPC Waiver Scheme
We offer a BPC waiver scheme for up to 5 non-UCL projects per year.
To be eligible for this scheme, projects must:
- be of exceptional quality
- offer a distinct voice
- have the potential to make an impact
- be written in an engaging and accessible tone
For more information, please visit Financing your book
Does UCL Press pay royalties?
No. Our open-access books are free to read and they generate no income. Our printed publications are made available at low cost, and any income is put back into helping us fund open-access publications. We make no profit and have no monies to share in royalties.
How will my book be distributed and sold?
Open access titles are available via a number of platforms to suit your needs. These currently include:
- Direct from UCL Press. All PDFs are hosted on UCL Discovery
- By the chapter on JSTOR
- OAPEN
- Google Books
Print editions of UCL Press books are distributed via two main distributors:
- Ingram Publisher Services UK (World, excluding North America)
- Chicago Distribution Centre (North America)
Our distributors work with our sales agents to ensure that books are sold via wholesale, retail (both online and bricks and mortar) and library supply channels. All formats are published simultaneously, and books are printed on demand. Additionally, retailers may also stock low-cost epub editions of our books.
How can I track my book’s downloads?
UCL Press has a book statistics dashboard that allows authors and editors. Visit the dashboard on out statistics page here. Information is updated monthly and published around the 10th (NB: this can vary). For more information on how we collect our readership data click here.
How are UCL Press open access books preserved?
UCL Press works with JSTOR’S open access books programme. As part of this programme, UCL Press books are preserved by Portico, a community-supported preservation archive that safeguards access to e-journals, e-books, and digital collections. They ensure that ensures that the content they preserve will remain accessible and usable for researchers, scholars, and students in the future. Both JSTOR and Portico are owned by ITHAKA, a US-based non-profit organisation.
What identifiers will be assigned to my book?
UCL Press books are assigned the following identifiers:
- An ISBN for each format
- Book level DOI
- Chapter level DOI (via JSTOR)
I would like an inspection copy
Due to our open access model, we do not offer print inspection or adoption copies of titles for course use. All UCL Press books are available to download for free to all.
I would like a print copy to review in a publication
Please contact the marketing team via uclpresspublishing@ucl.ac.uk to discuss your request further.
Journals
Where can I find your open access journals?
All UCL Press journals are open access, and can be found at journals.uclpress.co.uk
How do I submit an article to one of your journals?
For information on submitting your article to our journals, please refer to the individual journals’ page here.
I would like to propose a new journal
We welcome proposals for new journals. To enquire, please email uclpressjournals@ucl.ac.uk
What is the fee for publishing an article with you?
For information on Article Processing Charges please refer to the individual journals’ page here.
Where can I find metrics about my journal article?
View and download information can be found on your article’s page.