How do I make my journal article Open Access?

Follow the steps below to identify the option that best fits your needs.

Important: Regardless of the publishing or funding route you choose, you must deposit your research in ResearchSpace via Discovery Profiles and Te Waka Huia Rangahau, Research Outputs. This ensures your work is preserved, remains accessible over time and complies with the University’s Open Access policy. Journals may cease publication or remove content, but depositing your article provides a secure, long‑term record of your research.

Find out whether your journal is covered by the University’s Open Access publishing agreements. If it is, you can publish Open Access without paying an Open Access fee.

If your journal is not covered, continue to Step 2.

Determine whether you can use funding to pay Open Access fees:

• Open Access Support Fund for high-impact publications: Check your eligibility. For assistance, contact your Faculty/Institute Research Services Team (FIRST).
• Grants or other funds: You may be able to use grant funding, including the Research Development Fund (RDF). FIRST can advise on appropriate funding sources.
• PReSS accounts: As of December 2023, PReSS accounts may be used to pay APCs or other Open Access fees (see clause 24 of the PReSS Account Policy & Procedures).

If you do not have funding available, continue to Step 3.

If the journal offers a subscription (non‑APC) option, publish via that route and deposit your work in Discovery Profiles and Te Waka Huia Rangahau, Research Outputs:

• Submitted manuscript: The version originally submitted. This can usually be made open immediately.
• Accepted manuscript: The peer‑reviewed version before publisher formatting. An embargo may apply.
• Published version: The final formatted article. This cannot be made open but is preserved as a secure backup.

Library staff will check the journal’s terms and make the most permissive version legally available in ResearchSpace. Open versions in ResearchSpace are indexed by Google and Google Scholar, increasing discoverability.

This approach is known as Green Open Access.

If the journal does not offer a subscription route, or you do not wish to use it, continue to Step 4.

If no suitable funded or subscription option is available, consider publishing in a Diamond Open Access journal. These journals are free for both authors and readers. To find reputable Diamond OA journals, check the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).

If none of these options works, you will need to select another journal and start again at Step 1.

Sometimes articles are initially published behind a paywall and made Open Access later. This is known as retrospective Open Access. Not all publishers allow this.

If you are considering retrospective Open Access, you will need to:

1. Check the publisher’s policy
   Contact the publisher to confirm whether they allow retrospective Open Access. You will usually need to provide the article’s DOI.
2. Confirm the process and cost
   If retrospective Open Access is permitted, ask about the required steps and fees. Note that University Open Access publishing agreements do not always apply retrospectively.
3. Arrange payment
   If you choose to proceed, the publisher must issue an invoice for the retrospective Open Access fee. You may be able to apply to the Open Access Support Fund. If funding is unavailable, costs must be covered by another source. The Library does not pay retrospective Open Access fees.

If the publisher does not allow retrospective Open Access, you can still make your article openly available at no cost through Green Open Access by depositing an eligible version in ResearchSpace.

For a more detailed guide to publishing Open Access at the University, see Open Access Toolkit for Aotearoa New Zealand Researchers (UoA version).

This printable toolkit guides researchers through the process of making journal articles Open Access. It includes expert advice, practical step‑by‑step guidance, and direct links to support services and staff at the University.