ScienceDirect (Elsevier)
This agreement commenced in 2023 and has been renewed for a further three years (2026-2028).
Institutions participating in this agreement have access to over 2000 subscription-based journal titles in the ScienceDirect Freedom Collection and affiliated authors can publish their articles open access in these hybrid titles without paying article processing charges (APCs).
Gold/Fully open access titles: Eligible corresponding authors will receive a 15% discount on Fully OA titles until mid-2026. From mid-2026 onwards, South African authors will benefit from a 55% discount on Article Processing Charges (APCs) for the 475 fully open access titles included in Elsevier’s Geographical Pricing for Open Access (GPOA) programme.
- Click here to see the list of journals included in GPOA.
- Click here to read more about this agreement.
- Click here to find hybrid participating journals in this agreement.
- Click here for author journey videos on Publishing Open Access with Elsevier.
Participating institutions
- Agricultural Research Council
- Cape Peninsula University of Technology
- Central University of Technology
- Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
- Durban University of Technology
- Mangosuthu University of Technology
- Mintek
- Nelson Mandela University
- North-West University
- Rhodes University
- Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
- Sol Plaatje University
- South African Medical Research Council
- Stellenbosch University
- Tshwane University of Technology
- University of Cape Town
- University of fort Hare
- University of Johannesburg
- University of KwaZulu-Natal
- University of Limpopo
- University of Mpumalanga
- University of Pretoria
- University of South Africa
- University of the Free State
- University of the Witwatersrand
- University of Venda
- University of Zululand
- Vaal University of Technology
- Walter Sisulu University
Number of included articles
There is no limit on the number of articles that can be published open access in the Science direct hybrid journals by authors affiliated with participating institutions. Please note that the agreement covers publishing in Cell Press hybrid journals.