Last updated: January 2026 · 2 min read · Audience: Authors, students, early-career researchers · Reading level: Introductory
Introduction
Open access (OA) refers to the publication of scholarly articles in a form that is freely available to any reader online, without subscription or paywall barriers. Open access has become a major model in academic publishing, particularly as research funders increasingly require it. This guide explains the main forms of open access, how they are funded, and what licensing implications authors should be aware of.
The main open access models
<strong>Gold open access</strong> publishes the final, peer-reviewed version of the article on the journal's own platform, freely available immediately on publication. Costs are typically met through an article processing charge (APC). <strong>Green open access</strong> permits the author to deposit a version of the article — often the accepted manuscript — in an institutional or subject repository, sometimes after an embargo period. <strong>Diamond (or platinum) open access</strong> publishes articles freely with no charge to either authors or readers, usually supported by institutional or society funding. <strong>Hybrid open access</strong> exists within otherwise subscription journals, where individual articles may be made open on payment of a fee.
Creative Commons licences
Open-access articles are usually published under a Creative Commons (CC) licence, which sets the terms under which others may reuse the work. The most common licences are <strong>CC BY</strong> (attribution required), <strong>CC BY-SA</strong> (share-alike), <strong>CC BY-NC</strong> (non-commercial reuse only), and <strong>CC BY-NC-ND</strong> (non-commercial, no derivatives). Funder mandates sometimes specify a particular licence; CC BY is the most permissive and is preferred by many funders.
Benefits of open access for authors
Open access removes the paywall that limits readership in subscription journals. Articles tend to be more easily found through search engines, more frequently downloaded, and accessible to readers in institutions or countries without subscription budgets. For early-career researchers, broader readership can translate into more citations and stronger visibility within a research community.
The EP Journals position
The EP Journals Group portfolio operates a fully gold open-access model. All accepted articles are published under a Creative Commons licence and are freely available immediately on publication. Article processing charges are kept deliberately low — a flat fee of approximately USD 30 per accepted article — so that open access is a realistic option for authors without large institutional or funder support.
Key points
- Open access removes paywalls; it does not relax peer review or editorial standards.
- Gold, green, diamond, and hybrid are different funding models, not different quality tiers.
- Creative Commons licences govern reuse; check funder requirements before choosing.
- OA articles are typically more discoverable and more widely read.
- Affordable OA exists; high APCs are not a precondition of credibility.
Frequently asked questions
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Editorial enquiries
Questions about this guide or about preparing a manuscript for submission may be directed to the editorial office. Where a query relates to a specific journal in the portfolio, please indicate the journal abbreviation in your message.
Email: editor@ep-journals.org