DFG Open Access Publication Grant

Grants are available for research institutions and individual researchers in Germany to fund open access publications.

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG – German Research Foundation) is a self-governing organisation for the promotion of science and research in Germany. It is almost entirely financed by the German federal government and by the federal states and serves all branches of science and the humanities.

With the launch of the DFG Open Access Publication Grant (OAF – Open-Access-Publikationsförderung) programme in 2027, the DFG restructures its open access funding. The new programme succeeds the previous Open Access Publication Funding (OAK – Open-Access-Publikationskosten) programme.

The new programme provides a fixed allowance towards the publication of research articles and scholarly books in open access. The allowances awarded can be used to cover the total publication fees incurred by an institution for open access publications. Through this funding, the DFG assumes its share of the financial responsibility within the framework of (virtual) information or publication budgets.

Depending on the applicant’s circumstances, the programme offers three proposal procedures:

1. Simplified procedure: For research institutions that, by 31 December 2027, will have received funding under the predecessor ‘Open Access Publication Funding’ programme for a total of six years, a detailed proposal is not required – it consists primarily of the funding calculation. Funding is provided for one year.
2. Procedure for institutions requesting funding to establish open access structures: Research institutions that have not yet received funding under the predecessor programme for a total of six years can request funding for open access publications by their members. A detailed proposal is required. Funding is provided for one year.
3. Procedure for individual researchers: Individuals who receive DFG funding but are not affiliated with an eligible institution, or who have specific, demonstrable additional requirements such as image licensing costs, can also request funding for their open access publications. Individual applicants can request allowances towards the costs of publications resulting from their research project for up to two years after the project has ended.

Funding is requested using the DFG form 53.42.