Journal Guide
Publishing in IEEE Access: Fit, Timeline & Submission Guide
IEEE Access is open access, multidisciplinary, and fast - but technical soundness is mandatory, not optional.
Should you submit here?
Submit if iEEE Access prioritizes technically correct, well-executed research over high-impact breakthroughs. Be careful if iEEE Access requires genuine peer review and technical correctness.
3.6
Impact Factor (2024)
~40-45%
Acceptance Rate
~30 days median to first decision
Time to First Decision
Submission guide
IEEE Access Submission Guide: Requirements, Formatting and What Editors Want
A package-readiness guide to IEEE Access covering article type, validation strength, reproducibility, and what must be stable before submission.
Journal assessment
Is IEEE Access a Good Journal? JIF, Scope & Fit Guide
A fit-first IEEE Access verdict: IF 3.6, 27% acceptance, $1,850 APC. Is it predatory? No. Is it the right venue for your paper? That depends on what you're trading.
Desk rejection
How to Avoid Desk Rejection at IEEE Access
Submitting to IEEE Access? Learn what triggers desk rejections, how editors evaluate scope fit, and how to position papers to pass initial screening.
What IEEE Access Publishes
IEEE Access is a fully open access, multidisciplinary journal published by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) covering all areas of electrical engineering, computer science, and related fields. With a JIF of 3.6 (JCR 2024 - the latest official value available in 2026) and Q2 ranking in the Electrical & Electronic Engineering category, IEEE Access occupies a different niche from traditional prestige-tier IEEE journals: it publishes technically sound work across a broader range of topics and significance levels, prioritizing accessibility and rapid dissemination over selectivity. The journal is appropriate for solid, methodologically rigorous engineering and computer science research that deserves peer-reviewed open access publication without the extremely high bar of flagship IEEE Transactions journals. It is not a pay-to-publish journal without standards - but the standard is technical correctness and completeness, not breakthrough significance.
- Electrical engineering and power systems: power electronics, electric machines, smart grid, power quality, renewable energy integration, and energy storage systems
- Communications and signal processing: wireless communications, 5G/6G systems, signal detection, channel estimation, antenna design, and network protocols
- Computer science and artificial intelligence: machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, natural language processing, data mining, and AI applications in engineering
- Cybersecurity and privacy: network security, intrusion detection, cryptography, privacy-preserving computation, and IoT security
- Biomedical engineering: medical imaging, biosignal processing, telemedicine, health informatics, and wearable health monitoring systems
- Control systems and robotics: autonomous systems, industrial automation, unmanned vehicles, and human-robot interaction
- Internet of Things and embedded systems: IoT architectures, edge computing, embedded AI, and sensor networks
- Photonics, electromagnetics, and materials: optical communications, antenna systems, electromagnetic compatibility, and semiconductor devices
Editor Insight
“IEEE Access was designed to fill the gap between high-selectivity IEEE Transactions journals and informal technical reports. We publish technically sound engineering research across all of IEEE's technical domains, with full open access. The question we ask is: does this paper make a genuine, correctly executed technical contribution? Authors who treat IEEE Access as a rigorous, broad-scope open access venue - not a last resort - produce the papers that find wide readership and real citations.”
What IEEE Access Editors Look For
Technical soundness and methodological correctness
IEEE Access prioritizes technically correct, well-executed research over high-impact breakthroughs. Your methodology must be clearly described, your experiments or simulations properly designed, and your results accurately reported. The threshold is: does this paper make a genuine technical contribution that is correctly executed and completely described? Not: is this the most important paper of the year?
Reproducibility and completeness
IEEE Access papers should be complete enough for a reader to reproduce the work. Code availability is strongly encouraged and increasingly expected for algorithm and AI papers. Experimental papers should provide enough procedural detail that replication is feasible. Incomplete papers where key details are missing will receive reviewer requests for additions.
Honest and appropriate comparison with prior work
IEEE Access reviewers expect a proper literature review and performance comparison. If you propose a new algorithm, show its performance against relevant baselines on standard benchmark datasets or real-world scenarios. If you design a new system, compare it against existing solutions. Claims of superiority must be supported by fair experimental comparison.
Clear problem statement and motivation
Despite its broad scope, IEEE Access expects each paper to clearly identify the engineering problem being solved, why it matters (real application context), and what the proposed contribution adds over existing approaches. A paper that reads like a technical report without clear motivation will receive requests to improve the introduction.
Appropriate scope management
IEEE Access papers should not overclaim. An algorithm tested on one dataset should not claim general superiority. A system prototype tested in controlled conditions should not claim production-ready performance. Reviewers will flag overclaiming even in a broadly accepting journal, and it damages credibility.
Why Papers Get Rejected
These patterns appear repeatedly in manuscripts that don't make it past IEEE Access's editorial review:
Treating IEEE Access as a pay-to-publish journal without standards
IEEE Access requires genuine peer review and technical correctness. Papers with fundamental methodological flaws, fabricated data, or missing scientific contribution will be rejected. The acceptance bar is lower than flagship IEEE Transactions, but it is not zero.
Survey papers without synthesis or analytical contribution
Survey submissions are common in IEEE Access. Reviewers expect surveys to synthesize, compare, and identify gaps in the literature - not just list and describe papers. A survey that reads as an annotated bibliography without analytical contribution will be returned for major revision.
AI/ML papers without proper baseline comparisons
For machine learning and deep learning papers, reviewers require comparison against relevant state-of-the-art baselines on standard benchmark datasets. Papers that test only a proposed method without fair baselines, or use private datasets without justification for not using public benchmarks, will be rejected or sent for major revision.
Poor English writing that obscures technical content
IEEE Access has a global author base. While editors make accommodations for non-native English, papers where poor language genuinely obscures the technical content will be returned before or after peer review. Use English language polishing services before submission if necessary.
Submitting to IEEE Access when the work belongs in a flagship IEEE journal
Excellent, high-significance engineering research should be submitted to the appropriate IEEE Transactions or flagship conference proceedings, not defaulted to IEEE Access. IEEE Access is not a stepping stone for work that truly belongs in IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks (TNNLS), IEEE TPAMI, or IEEE TON. Matching venue to significance level matters for career impact and community reception.
Does your manuscript avoid these patterns?
The Free Readiness Scan reads your full manuscript against IEEE Access's criteria and flags the specific issues most likely to cause rejection.
Insider Tips from IEEE Access Authors
The APC is $1,995 USD - among the more affordable IEEE open access options
IEEE Access charges $1,995 USD as the article processing charge (APC). Many institutions have IEEE Transformative Agreements that cover or discount this fee. Check the IEEE Open Access page for your institution's status before submitting. This is substantially lower than many comparable OA journals.
Rapid review is a genuine advantage for deployment-oriented engineering work
IEEE Access's ~30-day median to first decision and typically fast publication timeline (online within days of acceptance) make it attractive for engineering work tied to deployment cycles, conference deadlines, or patent timelines where rapid peer-reviewed publication matters.
The journal actively publishes special sections on emerging topics
IEEE Access frequently publishes Special Sections on timely topics - 6G, edge AI, quantum computing for engineering, smart manufacturing, etc. Submitting to a relevant Special Section often connects your paper with a curated readership and associated editorial promotion.
Open access status drives citation performance
IEEE Access papers are fully and freely accessible globally. Research shows open access papers receive more citations, particularly from researchers in countries or institutions without subscription access. For engineering research with broad application relevance, this accessibility advantage is real.
Reviewers are often from the same IEEE technical community as the flagship journals
IEEE Access draws reviewers from the same IEEE technical society pools as flagship journals. Don't assume a lower-quality review process - the technical depth of reviews can be comparable, especially for specialized topics.
The IEEE Access Submission Process
Manuscript preparation
Preparation phaseIEEE Access uses standard IEEE two-column format. Templates are available at https://ieeeaccess.ieee.org/. Papers typically 8-25 pages in two-column format. Code and data availability statements are expected. Figures must be high-resolution (minimum 300 DPI).
Submission via ScholarOne
Day 0Submit at https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ieee-access. Required: manuscript in IEEE format, cover letter briefly describing the contribution, and conflict-of-interest disclosures. The APC of $1,995 is charged upon acceptance, not at submission.
Editorial screening
3-7 daysAn associate editor assesses scope, technical completeness, and basic quality. Papers outside IEEE's technical scope or with fundamental flaws are returned at this stage. The desk rejection rate is moderate.
Peer review
30-45 daysTypically 2-3 reviewers from the relevant IEEE technical community. Reviews assess technical correctness, experimental completeness, and literature coverage. First decision typically within 30-45 days.
Revision and publication
Revision: 2-8 weeks; publication within 1-2 days of final acceptanceRevisions typically address experimental completeness, comparison with baselines, and writing quality. After acceptance, papers are published online within 1-2 days. IEEE assigns a DOI immediately and indexes in IEEE Xplore with full open access.
IEEE Access by the Numbers
| 2024 Impact Factor (JIF)(Clarivate JCR 2024 - latest official value available in 2026) | 3.6 |
| 5-Year Impact Factor | 3.9 |
| JCR Category Rank(Q2) | 128/366 (Electrical & Electronic Engineering) |
| Acceptance rate(Estimated 40-55%) | Not publicly disclosed |
| Median first decision | ~30 days |
| Open access APC(IEEE Transformative Agreements may cover) | $1,995 USD |
| Open access model | Fully open access (gold OA) |
| Publisher | IEEE |
| ISSN | 2169-3536 |
| Founded | 2013 |
Before you submit
IEEE Access accepts a small fraction of submissions. Make your attempt count.
Start with the Free Readiness Scan. Unlock the Full AI Diagnostic for $29. If you need deeper scientific feedback, choose Expert Review. The full report is calibrated to IEEE Access.
Article Types
Research Article
Typically 8-15 pages (two-column IEEE format)Standard empirical or theoretical research paper covering a complete technical contribution with proper experimentation and evaluation.
Survey Article
15-25 pages (two-column IEEE format)Comprehensive review and synthesis of a technical topic area. Must provide analytical framework, taxonomy, and gap analysis beyond literature listing.
Special Section Paper
Standard article lengthPapers submitted to IEEE Access Special Sections on timely topics. Same standards as regular papers but with a focused editorial and readership context.
Landmark IEEE Access Papers
Papers that defined fields and changed science:
- Large-scale deep learning survey papers that became reference documents for engineers entering the field
- IoT security framework papers cited by standards bodies and regulatory agencies
- 5G channel modeling and system performance papers that informed network deployment decisions
- Federated learning methodology papers widely adopted in privacy-preserving AI research
- Smart grid demand response optimization papers influencing energy management system design
Preparing a IEEE Access Submission?
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Primary Fields
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- Top Computing & Information Systems JournalsBrowse the computing & information systems field hub to compare journals, timelines, and selectivity in one place.
- Top Open Access & Multidisciplinary JournalsBrowse the open access & multidisciplinary field hub to compare journals, timelines, and selectivity in one place.
Related Journal Guides
All journal guidesLatest Journal-Specific Guides
- Submission guideIEEE Access Submission Guide: Requirements, Formatting and What Editors WantA package-readiness guide to IEEE Access covering article type, validation strength, reproducibility, and what must be stable before submission.
- Journal assessmentIs IEEE Access a Good Journal? JIF, Scope & Fit GuideA fit-first IEEE Access verdict: IF 3.6, 27% acceptance, $1,850 APC. Is it predatory? No. Is it the right venue for your paper? That depends on what you're trading.
- Desk rejectionHow to Avoid Desk Rejection at IEEE AccessSubmitting to IEEE Access? Learn what triggers desk rejections, how editors evaluate scope fit, and how to position papers to pass initial screening.
- Review timelineIEEE Access Review Time: Time to First Decision and PublicationIEEE Access is one of the fastest major engineering journals. Most first decisions arrive in 3-6 weeks. Here's how the process works and what to do if things slow down.
More Guides for This Journal
- Acceptance rateIEEE Access Acceptance Rate 2026: An Honest LookIEEE Access accepts approximately 45-50% of submissions, making it one of the most open IEEE journals. This guide explains what that high acceptance rate means and what reviewers still look for.
- Impact factorIEEE Access Impact Factor 2026: 3.6, Q2, Rank 128/366IEEE Access impact factor is 3.6. Five-year JIF is 3.9. Quartile: Q2. Category rank: 128/366.
- Publishing costsIEEE Access APC and Open Access: Current IEEE Pricing, Member Discounts, and What You GetIEEE Access APC is $2,160. IEEE members get 5% off and IEEE society members get 20% off. Current fully open-access pricing and discounts.
- Submission processIEEE Access Submission Process: What Happens From Upload to First DecisionA workflow-focused IEEE Access submission process guide covering what happens after upload, how editors route papers, and where the process slows.
- Manuscript prepIEEE Access Cover Letter: What Editors Actually Need to SeeIEEE Access evaluates technical correctness, not novelty or impact. A cover letter that argues for significance is written for a Transactions journal, not for this one.
- Publishing guideIs IEEE Access Predatory? A Practical Legitimacy VerdictIEEE Access is a legitimate IEEE journal, not a predatory one. The real decision is whether its broad, fast, society-backed model is the right fit for your work.
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Reference library
Compare IEEE Access with the broader publishing context
This journal guide is the best starting point for IEEE Access. The reference library covers the surrounding questions authors usually ask next: whether the package is ready, what drives desk rejection, how neighboring journals compare, and what the submission constraints look like across the field.
Checklist system / operational asset
Elite Submission Checklist
A flagship pre-submission checklist that turns journal-fit, desk-reject, and package-quality lessons into one operational final-pass audit.
Flagship report / decision support
Desk Rejection Report
A canonical desk-rejection report that organizes the most common editorial failure modes, what they look like, and how to prevent them.
Dataset / reference hub
Journal Intelligence Dataset
A canonical journal dataset that combines selectivity posture, review timing, submission requirements, and Manusights fit signals in one citeable reference asset.
Dataset / reference guide
Peer Review Timelines by Journal
Reference-grade journal timeline data that authors, labs, and writing centers can cite when discussing realistic review timing.
Need field-expert depth? See Expert Review Options