The Problem: Students can't access essential research...

As a student, it’s no secret that academic journals are crucial to our research, our papers, and our understanding of both fine details and the larger, overall picture of everything we study. Yet, students often run into access barriers while to trying to do research, forcing us to settle for what we can get access to, rather than what we need most. Over the past two decades, the price of subscriptions to academic journals has increased tremendously, to the point where they’re often out of reach for students, even at the most well funded institutions.

The Solution: Open Access

Luckily for students, doctors, patients, and everyone else who relies on academic journals, there is a proven alternative to costly subscription-based based journals. Using the Internet, research can be distributed to a wider audience at a very low marginal cost – the difference between what it costs to distribute an article to one person or to one million people is very small. Instead of locking information behind price barriers, research can reach anyone who needs it, regardless of university affiliation, geographic location, or ability to pay. It’s time for a new model – it’s time for Open Access.

Take action

Get involved in Open Access! Advocate for your university to adopt an institutional Open Access policy; translate Right to Research Coalition resources into another language; and share any ideas for how you might promote Open Access on your campus.

Join the Right to Research Coalition

Formal membership in the Right to Research Coalition is only open to student organizations, join here. However, students and non-students alike, can sign The Individual Statement on The Right to Research.