Choosing an access level for your thesis in Apollo

When you deposit your thesis in Apollo, you must choose an access level. This controls who can view or request your thesis, and how it can be used. Choosing the right access level protects your work and helps you meet legal, ethical and publishing requirements.

Use this guidance to choose the access level that best suits your situation.

On this page:

• Open access
• Embargoed access
• Controlled access
• Time-limited restricted access
• Indefinitely restricted access
• Access levels summary
• Changing your access level
• Further help and support

Open access

Open access means anyone can download your thesis from Apollo as soon as it is deposited. 

Choose open access if:

• your thesis does not contain third-party copyright or sensitive material that you don't have permission to reuse in your thesis, and
• you do not plan to publish your thesis as a book or article, or
• you do plan to publish your thesis as a book or article and your publisher does not treat open theses as prior publications.

Benefits

• increases visibility and discoverability of your work, potentially leading to greater citations and increased potential for future collaborations
• provides a stable link you can share
• protects against plagiarism by establishing your authorship
• allows you to track and promote the impact of your research.

Embargoed access

Embargoed theses have a record in Apollo but the file is not openly accessible during the embargo period. Users can request a copy and you decide whether to share it. 

Choose embargoed access if:

• you are seeking permission for third-party material, or
• you want to delay access for a short time, e.g., while developing further publications.

Important points:

• requests to access the file are sent to you. You can decide whether or not to share the file
• the default embargo period is 12 months
• your thesis will automatically become open access when the embargo ends
• you (the student) must complete the Embargo Extension Form if you want to extend the embargo. You can extend the embargo when the initial embargo is due to expire. The maximum embargo permitted is 6 years from the date of first deposit
• some funders (such as UKRI) permit a maximum embargo duration of 12 months. 

Controlled access

Controlled access means your thesis is not available online but may be requested through Apollo. The Library manages these requests.

Choose controlled access if your thesis contains third-party material that you cannot remove or get permission to reuse. 

Important points:

• your thesis is not published online, so UK copyright laws for unpublished works apply to it
• requesters must agree to terms of use before access is granted
• the Library manages access requests, not you
• some funders (such as UKRI) permit a maximum embargo duration of 12 months. However, they also acknowledge that this may be inappropriate in some circumstances (for example, if your thesis contains third-party copyright material that cannot be redacted)

Time-limited restricted access

These theses have a basic metadata record in Apollo but the file is not available to view or request. The thesis becomes open access once the time limit ends. 

Choose this option if your thesis contains information that is only sensitive for a fixed period. This could include a pending patent or non-disclosure agreement.

Important points

• if choosing this level, the Degree Committee must agree, and sign the Thesis Access Form. This can delay the processing of your thesis because the Degree Committees meet at set times during the term
• your access level will change automatically after the restricted period ends
• this option is not suitable for publication purposes only
• some funders (such as UKRI) permit a maximum embargo duration of 12 months. However, they also acknowledge that this may be inappropriate in some circumstances (for example, if your thesis contains sensitive information that cannot be redacted)

You must complete the Access Confirmation Form if you want to extend or change the restriction. Your Degree Committee must also sign the form. 

Indefinitely restricted access

These theses have a basic metadata record in Apollo, but the file is not available or visible.

This access level is suitable only for theses that contain highly sensitive information that can't be redacted but should never be released. Below are some example scenarios:

• the research participants could be imprisoned or harmed
• the thesis includes information covered by Export Control regulations

Important points

• if choosing this level, the Degree Committee must agree and sign the Thesis Access Form
• your thesis will never be made available online
• this option is not suitable for publication purposes or due to concerns about plagiarism
• some funders (such as UKRI) permit a maximum embargo duration of 12 months. However, they also acknowledge that this may be inappropriate in some circumstances (for example, if your thesis contains sensitive information that cannot be redacted). 

Access levels summary

Changing your access level

You can change the access level of your thesis after it has been deposited in Apollo.

Complete the Access Confirmation Form

1. Download and complete the Access Confirmation Form
2. Sign the form, and have it signed by your supervisor
3. Email the completed form to thesis@repository.cam.ac.uk.

Get approval if needed

Some changes need approval from your Degree Committee. This applies if:

• your thesis is under time-limited restricted or indefinitely restricted access, or
• you want to extend a time-limited restriction

Contact the Degree Committee to request this before sending the form to the Thesis Team. They will need to sign the Access Confirmation Form.

Extend an embargo

If your thesis is under embargoed access and you want to extend the embargo, you must:

1. Complete the Embargo Extension Form
2. Sign it, and have it signed by your supervisor
3. Email it to thesis@repository.cam.ac.uk

Further help and support

If you have questions, or need advice with choosing an access level, please contact the Thesis team.