Western Sydney University is committed to supporting academics and higher degree research (HDR) students in publishing open access journal articles. In 2025, the Library and Research Office will continue to offer assistance with Article Processing Charges (APCs) through a range of support options.
In 2026, the primary ways the Library supports open access publishing are through Read and Publish agreements, discounted APCs, and Green Open Access options. Together, these approaches help researchers maximise the visibility and discoverability of their work.
Read and Publish agreements are delivering significant benefits for Western Sydney University researchers.
*Source: 2024 and 2025 CAUL Read & Publish Reporting
Read and Publish Agreements
Read & Publish Agreements allow academics and higher degree research (HDR) students to publish Open Access, with no Article Processing Charges (APCs), when the corresponding author for the article is at a participating institution.
Western Sydney University is a member of the CAUL (Council of Australasian University Librarians) consortium which negotiates sector-wide Read & Publish Agreements on behalf of university libraries. These Agreements combine APCs (“Publish”) with library subscription costs (“Read”) into a single agreement for each publisher.
Western Sydney University participates in a range of Read and Publish agreements that enable eligible academics and HDR students to publish their articles in selected journals avoiding APC fees.
If you have questions or comments about the Read and Publish Agreements, contact the Research Engagement Team.
Where can you publish?
View the full list of over 11,000 eligible journal titles that WSU HDR students and researchers can publish in avoiding APCs.
To search:
- Select Western Sydney University from the institution list
- Search by journal title, field of research, or publisher
For detailed information about each agreement, including eligible titles, submission processes, and inclusions or exclusions, please see the individual publisher guides below.
- American Institute of Physics (AIP) Publishing
- American Psychological Association Journals (APA)
- Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
- Brill
- Cambridge University Press
- CSIRO Publishing
- Emerald Publishing
- Elsevier (in‑principle agreement currently in place)
- IOP Publishing
- John Benjamins
- MA Healthcare
- Oxford University Press
- SAGE
- Springer Nature
- Taylor & Francis
- Wiley and Hindawi
To publish in these journals avoiding APC charges, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be listed as the corresponding author on the article
- Nominate Western Sydney University as your primary affiliation
- Use your @westernsydney or @student.westernsydney.edu.au email address when submitting the manuscript
Eligibility is confirmed once the article is accepted. Please note that some publication types (i.e. editorials, commentaries and letters) may not be covered under this agreement.
If you are contributing as a coauthor, consider whether the corresponding author is affiliated with an institution that has a similar Read & Publish agreement.
Other paths to Open Access
If a suitable open access publishing option is not available through a Read and Publish agreement or discounted APC, the Library can support Green Open Access.
Green Open Access involves making a version of your article openly available through an institutional repository. This helps increase the visibility, accessibility, and discoverability of your research, even when the published version remains subscription‑based.
The Library can help you:
- Understand publisher policies and embargo periods
- Deposit your work in the institutional repository
- Maximise the discoverability of your research
For advice on Green Open Access options, contact the Library Research Engagement Team.
Central funding for Article Processing Charges (APCs) is no longer available. Support for open access publishing at Western Sydney University is now provided primarily through Read and Publish agreements.
No new applications for central APC funding are being accepted.
Previously approved articles
If your article received prior approval for central APC funding, this approval will continue to be honoured, subject to the terms under which it was granted and publisher acceptance.
Questions or clarification
If you are unsure whether your article was previously approved, or if you have questions about open access publishing options, please contact the Library Research Engagement Team.