Open Access Funding

Gold Open Access publication in this journal is paid for through a series of different funding routes designed to ensure that every author, irrespective of their circumstances, can publish in the journal and enjoy the benefits of Gold OA. The costs of publishing an article Gold OA are typically covered in one of the following ways:

• If the corresponding author of a research article is affiliated with an institution with which Cambridge University Press has an open access publishing agreement, in the majority of cases this will cover the full costs of publication (specific terms and conditions vary) and Cambridge will liaise directly with the institution to determine eligibility and secure this funding. Authors can use our eligibility checker to see if their institution has an active agreement.
• The Cambridge Open Equity Initiative (COEI) funds Gold Open Access publishing for authors from over 100 low- and middle-income countries, covering over 5,000 institutions. Eligibility is automatically established during the publication process and no Gold Open Access fees will be charged if the corresponding author of a research article is based in one of these countries.
• Authors from low- and middle-income countries who are not covered by an institutional open access agreement or the Cambridge Open Equity Initiative may be eligible for support under the Research4Life scheme. Corresponding authors of research articles based in 'Group A’ countries will automatically have APC costs waived entirely, and authors based in ‘Group B’ countries will automatically receive a 50% discount on an article’s APC.

Any APCs not covered by one of the above options will be waived in full for all articles submitted before 5 January 2025.

From 5 January 2025, authors whose research has been funded by a grant or arrangement with a funding body that supports the payment of article processing charges (APCs) will be asked to pay an APC out of those funds. Discretionary waivers will be available for authors who do not have funds to pay an APC and are not covered by the other funding routes above. Prospective authors should submit with full confidence, knowing that no author will face a financial barrier to publication in this journal.

Please note that the decision of whether to accept a paper for publication will rest solely with the Editor and without reference to the funding situation of the authors. The Editor, editorial board members, and reviewers will have no involvement with the billing of APCs and cannot grant discretionary waivers.

Please check the fees and pricing page for details of the charges that will apply from 5 January 2025, and our central APC page for further information such as APC refund policies.