Make your research freely available to readers worldwide
Open Access (OA) refers to the practice of making research outputs freely available online, without paywalls or subscription fees. This increases the visibility, impact, and accessibility of your research.
Articles are published in fully open access journals and are freely available immediately upon publication. Publication fees (APCs) may apply.
Authors self-archive a version of their article in an institutional repository after an embargo period. Free to all.
Subscription journals that offer authors the option to make individual articles open access for a fee.
Journals that are open access and do not charge author fees (APCs). Often community-supported.
Articles made free to read on publisher websites but without a clear open license.
Open access articles are downloaded and cited more frequently than subscription articles.
Research reaches readers in developing countries who cannot afford subscriptions.
No subscription barriers means research can be used immediately upon publication.
Authors retain copyright and can reuse their work in teaching and future publications.
Many funders now mandate open access for funded research.
Research is accessible to practitioners, policymakers, and the public.
Discover open access journals, repositories, and tools.
The University of Rwanda encourages researchers to make their work openly accessible through the institutional repository and open access journals.
All UR researchers are encouraged to deposit their publications in the UR Digital Repository to maximize the visibility and impact of their research.
Contact our research support team for guidance on open access publishing.
Ask a Librarian