UG and UMCG participate in national open access agreement with publisher PLOS

The University of Groningen (UG) and the UMCG participate in a national open access agreement with the publisher PLOS. The agreement applies to seven journals. All publication types are covered under the agreement.

• PLOS ONE

• PLOS Complex Systems

• PLOS Computational Biology

• PLOS Digital Health

• PLOS Genetics

• PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

• PLOS Pathogens

Research funders NWO and ZonMW are also contributing financially to the agreement. 

Different implications for UG and UMCG authors

New: Authors will receive a €0 publication quote from PLOS. However, the deal has different financial implications for UG and UMCG authors: 

• UG authors receive a 100% fee waiver

• UMCG authors will receive a 50% discount applied on the Article Processing Charges, and 100% discount when project research funding by NWO or ZonMW is acknowledged. NB: If your main affiliation is the UMCG, please read this information carefully.

What are the conditions for using this agreement?

You can benefit from the agreement if you submit your article and list University of Groningen or the UMCG as your affiliation.
Please follow these guidelines during the submission process. 

When is the agreement valid?

The contract takes effect as of 1 January 2025, and will be valid for two years. The date of editorial acceptance determines eligibility.

What should I do if I receive an invoice?

If your article is accepted in 2025, you should not receive an invoice for publishing in any of the eligible PLOS journals listed above. If you still receive an invoice from PLOS, please contact openaccess rug.nl or openaccess umcg.nl.

Who finances the publication costs?

NWO and ZonMW also participate in the deal. For articles from UG-authors acknowledging their funding, publication costs will not be internally charged to projects, faculties, or departments. Authors do not need to submit claims for reimbursement to ZonMW or NWO budgets.

Important: If your article results from research partially funded by NWO and/or ZonMW, ensure the correct funding information is acknowledged in your article.