Important update on ACM’s new open-access publishing model for 2026 ACM Conferences

Starting January 1, 2026, ACM fully transitioned to Open Access. All ACM publications, including those from ACM-sponsored conferences, will be 100% Open Access. Authors will have two primary options for publishing Open Access articles with ACM: the ACM Open institutional model or by paying Article Processing Charges (APCs). With over 2,600 institutions already part of ACM Open, the majority of ACM-sponsored conference papers will not require APCs from authors or conferences.

Authors from institutions not participating in ACM Open will need to pay an APC to publish their papers, unless they qualify for a financial waiver. To find out whether an APC applies to your article, please consult the list of participating institutions in ACM Open and review the page at https://www.acm.org/publications/policies/policy-on-discretionary-open-access-apc-waivers. Keep in mind that hardship waivers are rare and are granted based on specific criteria set by ACM.

Note that authors from countries covered by ACM’s agreements with EIFL and Research4Life receive a 100% waiver, and authors based in lower-middle-income countries as identified in the World Bank List of Economies receive a 50% discount off applicable APCs, unless one of these countries receives a 100% APC waiver as a result of ACM’s Agreements with EIFL/R4L.

Understanding that this change could present financial challenges, ACM has approved a temporary subsidy for 2026 to ease the transition and allow more time for institutions to join ACM Open. The subsidy will offer: $250 APC for ACM/SIG members and $350 for non-members. This represents a 65% discount, funded directly by ACM. Authors are encouraged to help advocate for their institutions to join ACM Open during this transition period. For articles eligible for 50% geographic discounts, the discount will be applied to the applicable subsidized rate. This temporary subsidized pricing will apply to all conferences scheduled for 2026.

For SIGCSE Virtual 2026, APCs will apply only to research papers and working group reports.