What does Open Access cost?

Publication costs are usually incurred for open access publications - so-called Article Processing Charges (APC) for journal articles, which can vary greatly depending on the journal and publisher.

The University Library offers RUB members various options for financial support for publication in open access journals. Please inform yourself exactly which options are available to you before contacting us.

Which financing model is right for me?

Publication Fund

Since 2014, a fund has been available at RUB to support publications in pure open access journals (Gold OA) and since 2024 there has also been a fund to provide financial support for Open Access books.

The eligibility criteria as well as the form for applying for funding via the fund for journal articles can be found here, information on the fund for open access books can be found here. Please apply for funding as early as possible in the publication process.

Contractual agreements and memberships

The University Library has concluded various agreements with publishers that allow RUB members to pay a reduced fee in advance, grant a discount or even reimburse the publication fees completely. The type of funding and any criteria depend on the respective publishing agreement. A list of the corresponding publishers with details on the procedure can be found here.

Project DEAL

For the publications years 2024-2028 new contracts have been signed with Wiley, Springer and now also with Elsevier. The RUB participates in these contracts. Further information can be found here.

Third party funding

Funding bodies such as the DFG, BMBF and EU have firmly anchored OA in their funding guidelines. Further information on guidelines and funding opportunities can be found here.