Publication Fund for Journals
The University of Cologne’s Publication Fund ensures sustainable funding for Open Access publications. The costs are shared by the USB, the deans’ offices, and the authors. The USB provides guidance on Open Access publications as well as central billing and monitoring. A cap on the authors’ share of the costs protects them from excessive financial burden.
Agreement for the Year 2026
Information for Faculty Members of All Departments Regarding the University of Cologne's Publication Fund
Who is eligible to apply for central funding?
- The corresponding author must be affiliated with the University of Cologne (including the University Hospital). The publication must have been produced as part of the author’s work at the University of Cologne (including the University Hospital).
- In the case of multiple authors: The majority of the scientific work must have been conducted at the University of Cologne (including the University Hospital).
- The University of Cologne must be listed as the primary affiliation, and the author must use a university email address.
Which publications can be covered by the publication fund?
- Articles in pure Open Access journals (so-called “gold open access” journals)
- The article must be classified as a “research” or “review” article.
- Articles in journals with an Open Access option (so-called “hybrid Open Access”), provided a transformation agreement has been concluded with the publisher for that journal.
List of publishers: https://ub.uni-koeln.de/forschen-publizieren/publizieren/open-access-finanzieren
Which publications cannot be funded through the Publication Fund?
- “Non-Research” articles, e.g., editorials, letters, correspondence, book reviews
- Articles in journals with an Open Access option (so-called hybrid journals), if no transformation agreement has been concluded with the publisher of that journal
- Articles in mirror journals
- Articles in predatory journals
- Closed publications in subscription journals
What are the general requirements?
- Only articles in original Open Access journals (“Gold model”) that apply rigorous, peer-review quality assurance procedures recognized in the respective field are eligible for funding.
- An overview of such journals is provided, for example, by the DOAJ—Directory of Open Access Journals.
- If the journal is not listed in the DOAJ, quality assurance must be guaranteed (case-by-case review).
- Funding for hybrid Open Access is available only under existing transformation and Open Access agreements (e.g., the DEAL project).
- Open Access in mirror journals is not funded, even if they are listed in the DOAJ. A mirror journal is a spin-off of a subscription journal with a similar name and is therefore a form of hybrid journal.
- Authors must license their publications in a way that ensures the legal validity of subsequent use. The DFG recommends CC-BY or CC-BY-SA as the standard.
- Be sure to use your ORCID.
- Funding mechanisms for Open Access will continue to evolve in the future. High-quality information helps with the evaluation of articles. Please always list your third-party funding in the “Funding Acknowledgments” section and adhere to the University of Cologne’s publication guidelines. Third-party funding should be used whenever possible.
- No bank fees, handling fees, or costs for supplemental material are covered by funding. This means that these costs will be fully charged when calculating the author’s own contribution.
- The author must endeavor to secure a simple right of publication from the publisher.
- Mandatory use of identifiers, e.g., DOI
How do I apply for funding?
- Please submit your application for coverage of publication costs via the Publication Costs App.
What is the author’s contribution for Gold Open Access articles?
The total gross costs are divided into three equal parts.
- Minimum contribution: 300 EUR
- Maximum contribution: 1,300 EUR
| Article Fee | Total Cost (incl. tax) | Calculation | Authors' Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 EUR | 595 EUR | 595 EUR/3 | 300 EUR |
| 1,000 EUR | 1,190 EUR | 1,190 EUR/3 | 396 EUR |
| 2,000 EUR | 2,380 EUR | 2,380 EUR/3 | 793 EUR |
| 3,000 EUR | 3,570 EUR | 3,570 EUR/3 | 1,190 EUR |
| 6,450 EUR | 7,675.50 | 7,675.50/3 = 2,558.50, capped at 1,300 EUR | 1,300 EUR |
What is the author contribution for hybrid open access articles under transformation agreements (e.g., DEAL)?
Authors are required to pay a contribution of 300 EUR.
How is the author’s co-payment covered?
The author contribution is billed through a financial and cost center or, in the case of third-party funding, through a PSP element of the University of Cologne or the University Hospital.
What is the process for central invoice processing?
- No invoices are issued to authors for hybrid Open Access articles covered by transformation agreements (see overview). Billing is handled automatically and centrally; this applies in particular to all articles under Project DEAL.
- All other Open Access publications must be submitted to the central invoice receipt.
- As the corresponding author, please have the publisher send the invoices as PDF files directly via email to the following address: rechnungseingang(at)verw.uni-koeln(dot)de.
- Please provide the publisher with the following address: University of Cologne | Central Invoicing Office | P.O. Box 41 09 24 | 50869 Cologne | Cost Center: 300102010
- The supplier must always be informed that, in addition to the correct billing address, the cost center must be specified. Only with this information can the invoice be directly assigned within the university.
- Please always include the university’s VAT number (tax ID): DE 123486767. Even if your publication is to be funded 100% by third-party funds, these instructions must be followed.
How should third-party funding be accounted for beyond the self-funded portion?
- If you have third-party funding available in addition to your own contribution that can be used to finance the publication, please indicate this when submitting your application. The invoice can be paid in full or in part using third-party funding. The third-party-funded research must be acknowledged in the “Funding Acknowledgments” section of the article. The DFG has created an information page regarding DFG funding. Please contact the responsible project manager in the Third-Party Funding Department (University Hospital: Finance Division / University: Research Office) to determine the amount available to cover publication costs.
- A PSP element is required for the internal cost allocation of the available amount that exceeds the university’s own contribution.
- Even if your publication is to be funded 100% by third-party funds, we ask that you process the invoice through USB Cologne.
How long is the agreement valid?
The agreement is valid for the year 2026. The fund criteria are evaluated annually. We will announce any changes well in advance.
Contact
Inga Frieman
Medienbeschaffung / -bearbeitung