Open Access Model for ACM and SIG Sponsored Conferences: Frequently Asked Questions

Why is ACM changing to an Open Access publishing model in 2026?

ACM first introduced the ACM Open institutional publication model in January 2020. In June of 2020, the ACM Council, ACM’s highest governing body, voted to transition ACM to a fully Open Access publishing model within approximately 5 years, provided this could be done in a financially sustainable way. This decision was driven by multiple factors, including: 

• Overwhelming support from the global computing community 
• Government Open Access Mandates in the UK, Europe, and the United States requiring open publication of the results of taxpayer-supported research
• Clear evidence that OA articles published by ACM are downloaded on average of 2x-3x and cited 70% more frequently than ACM published articles behind the Digital Library paywall

Have other Computer Science Publishers or Societies taken similar steps? 

ACM will be the first major computer science publisher transitioning to a fully OA model for all its research publications, but it is expected that others to follow ACM’s lead

Does the new model apply to all ACM and SIG sponsored conference proceedings published by ACM?

The new open access model will apply to all proceedings of SIG(s) or ACM sponsored conferences published by ACM on or after January 1, 2026.

When will the new model be implemented?

The new open access (OA) publishing model will be implemented for all 2026 ACM and SIG sponsored conferences, including all APC-eligible articles submitted in 2025 for ACM Conferences taking place in 2026 conferences. 

How will the new model affect how ACM publishes ACM and SIG sponsored proceedings?

• Articles in the proceedings of ACM and SIG sponsored conferences with start dates of January 1, 2026 and later will be included in the new publishing model and will be published OA in the ACM Digital Library
• The corresponding author or any co-author listed on an article whose institution participates in the ACM Open Program or is eligible for a geographic waiver will be able to publish their paper with ACM at no charge. Full details of applicable waivers and APCs are provided APC Waivers and Discounts Policy
• Authors of papers not covered by the ACM Open Program or a geographic waiver, will be required to pay an Article Processing Charge (APC)                             

What is the cost of an ACM or SIG sponsored proceedings APC?

To support a smooth transition and encourage broader ACM Open participation, ACM has introduced a temporary subsidy on APC pricing for 2026, funded directly by ACM. This pricing applies to all articles published in ACM and SIG sponsored conferences taking place in 2026. 

The subsidized ACM and SIG sponsored conference APC pricing for 2026 is as follows:

Authors	No ACM or SIG members	At least 1 ACM or SIG member
ACM and SIG Sponsored Conference Article	$350	$250

Does the new Open Access model apply for all types of content or articles?

The ACM Open, Geographic Waiver, or APC requirement only applies to APC-eligible article types. All submissions not considered APC-eligible will be published on an Open Access basis and authors will have the choice of applying either a CC-BY-4.0 or CC-BY-NC-ND sharing license to their published article, but these non-APC eligible articles will not require any funding model, including ACM Open, a Geographic Waiver, or APC.

If I have questions or concerns about the new model, how should I contact ACM?

If you have any questions about the new ICPS model, please do not hesitate to write to us at [email protected].