Publish with Oak
Independent peer review and open access under CC BY 4.0 — with a low article processing charge, billed only after acceptance and no submission fees. Below: how to submit, what to prepare, and what it costs.
- No submission fee
- Charged only on acceptance
- You keep copyright (CC BY 4.0)
- Waivers available
How Oak performs
- Median time to first decision
- 18 daysMedian time to first decision
- Acceptance to publication
- 9 daysAcceptance to publication
- Independent reviews per manuscript
- 2+Independent reviews per manuscript
- Countries represented among corresponding authors
- 40+Countries represented among corresponding authors
Our editorial process
Five stages from submission to publication — the same five you'll see tracked on your own submission.
- 1
Submit
Format your manuscript to the checklist below, then complete one online form — details, authors, files, and declarations. Nothing is charged at this point.
- 2
Preliminary check
An editor screens your manuscript for scope, completeness, and research-integrity basics before assigning it to a handling editor.
- 3
Peer review
At least two independent experts assess the work. The handling editor weighs their reports into a decision; you may be invited to revise and respond point by point.
- 4
Acceptance & APC
On acceptance you settle the journal's article processing charge and sign the CC BY 4.0 copyright handover. Reviewers are never told your payment status.
- 5
Published open access
We copyedit and typeset your article, you approve the proofs, a DOI is registered, and it publishes free to read worldwide.
Before you submit
A quick checklist so your manuscript moves smoothly through review.
- Manuscript as PDF, DOCX, or LaTeX, with figures at publication quality.
- An abstract of up to 300 words and 3–6 keywords.
- Every author's affiliation, email, and ORCID iD, in the intended order.
- Declarations: originality, conflicts of interest, ethics/consent where applicable.
- A brief cover letter; suggested or excluded reviewers if relevant.
- Agreement to publish under CC BY 4.0, with the APC due only on acceptance.
Templates & downloads
- Manuscript templateWord · 62 KB
- LaTeX templateLaTeX class + example · 18 KB
- Cover letter templateWord · 9 KB
- Submission checklistPDF · 74 KB
Templates are optional — we accept any clearly formatted manuscript.
Article processing charges
One flat charge per accepted article. The amount depends only on the journal — every article type costs the same — and there are no submission, page, colour, or supplementary-file charges. It is invoiced only once your manuscript is accepted.
Showing 5 of 248 journals
| Journal | Subject | APC on acceptance |
|---|---|---|
| Journal of Biophysical Chemistry | Chemistry & Materials Science | $699 |
| New Journal of Glass and Ceramics | Chemistry & Materials Science | $599 |
| Open Journal of Marine Science | Earth & Environmental Sciences | $899 |
| Open Journal of Nephrology | Medicine & Healthcare | $599 |
| International Journal of Clean Coal and Energy | Earth & Environmental Sciences | $599 |
In US dollars, exclusive of any local taxes. The rate in effect on your submission date is the one you pay. If the charge is a barrier, see waivers & discounts.
What the charge covers
One charge, and every step of turning your accepted manuscript into a permanent, discoverable article is included.
Editorial handling
Desk checks, editor assignment, and correspondence.
Peer review
Coordinating at least two independent expert reviews.
Typesetting & PDF
Professional copy-editing and a formatted article PDF.
DOI registration
A registered DOI and permanent, citable link.
Permanent hosting
Free, perpetual access with long-term archiving.
Indexing
Metadata distributed to Google Scholar and more.
After acceptance
What happens between the acceptance letter and your article going live.
- Step 1
Charge & licence
You settle the APC and e-sign the CC BY 4.0 handover. Payment status is never shared with reviewers or editors.
- Step 2
Copy-editing & typesetting
We copyedit for clarity and typeset the article to the journal's layout.
- Step 3
You approve the proofs
You get a proof to check before anything is published. Nothing goes live until you confirm it.
- Step 4
Live, with a DOI
A DOI is registered, metadata is distributed, and the article is free to read worldwide.
You keep your copyright. Oak never takes ownership of your work. CC BY 4.0 lets anyone read, share, and build on it as long as they credit you — which is also what makes it citable everywhere.
Policies you should read first
The six questions authors ask most, each linking to the full policy.
- Who counts as an authorICMJE authorship criteria, contributor statements, and changes to the author list.
- Competing interestsWhat you must declare — funding, employment, and financial or personal ties.
- Data & code availabilityEvery research article carries a data availability statement. Repositories are preferred.
- Plagiarism screeningAll submissions are screened for text overlap and image manipulation before review.
- PreprintsAlready posted a preprint? That's fine — it does not affect your submission here.
- Use of AI toolsAI tools may not be listed as authors, and any substantive use must be disclosed.
The complete documents: editorial policies, publication ethics, and peer review.
Waivers & discounts
Cost should not be a barrier to publishing. If the charge is a challenge, we can help.
Full and partial waivers
Authors from low-income countries, or without access to research funding, may apply for a full or partial APC waiver. Decisions are made independently of the editorial process, so a waiver request never affects the review of your manuscript.
Institutional & society discounts
Institutions and learned societies can arrange discounted or prepaid APCs for their members. Contact us to set up an agreement.
How to apply
Request a waiver during submission or by emailing the editorial office with a short justification. We aim to respond within a few working days.
Ready to submit?
Start your submission now — it takes one form, and there are no fees until your manuscript is accepted.