Open Access Finder

54 free-to-publish Scopus journals in Health (social science)

54 peer-reviewed journals in the SCImago category Health (social science) charge no APC and no other author fees, according to the DOAJ. The quartile shown is the journal’s quartile in this category (not its best one elsewhere): 4 are Q1 and 5 Q2 here. Data snapshot: October 2026.

54journals with no APC
4Q1 in this category
5Q2 in this category
45Q3 or Q4 in this category

Of the Scopus-ranked journals here, 37% are Q1 or Q2 (site-wide: 40%). Their median self-reported time from submission to publication is 20 weeks. Most are published in United States (8), Iran (5) and United Kingdom (5). 93% accept manuscripts in English and 37% accept at least one other language.

All 54 free-to-publish journals in Health (social science)

Sorted by best SCImago quartile, then SJR. Click a column header to sort by it; click a second column to add a tiebreak. The search box narrows the list. Time to publish is the journal’s own DOAJ figure (average weeks from submission to publication).

#JournalQuartileSJRH-indexPublisherCountryTime to publish
1Human-Machine Communication Journal
2638-602X · 2638-6038
Q11.25918Communication and Social Robotics LabsUnited States8 wk
2Health Promotion Perspectives
2228-6497
Q11.03332Tabriz University of Medical SciencesIran13 wk
3Health and Social Care Delivery Research
2755-0060 · 2755-0079
Q10.87712NIHR Journals LibraryUnited Kingdom75 wk
4ADMET and DMPK
1848-7718
Q10.82529International Association of Physical Chemists (IAPC)Croatia4 wk
5Journal of Psychedelic Studies
2559-9283
Q20.64619Akadémiai KiadóHungary34 wk
6Investigación y Educación en Enfermería
0120-5307 · 2216-0280
Q20.57226Universidad de AntioquiaColombia20 wk
7Rural and Remote Health
1445-6354
Q20.5757James Cook UniversityAustralia8 wk
8Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
1458-6126
Q20.49626SAGE PublishingUnited Kingdom30 wk
9Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences
2090-536X · 2090-5939
Q20.43233SpringerOpenUnited Kingdom17 wk
10Journal of Long-Term Care
2516-9122
Q30.41915LSE PressUnited Kingdom33 wk
11Journal of Mid-Life Health
0976-7800 · 0976-7819
Q30.41228Wolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsIndia23 wk
12European Journal of Health Communication (EJHC)
2673-5903
Q30.3889University of Zurich, IKMZ – Department of Communication and Media ResearchSwitzerland48 wk
13Public Administration and Policy
1727-2645 · 2517-679X
Q30.36718Emerald PublishingUnited Kingdom8 wk
14Western Pacific Surveillance and Response
2094-7321 · 2094-7313
Q30.35225World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western PacificPhilippines30 wk
15International Journal of Ageing and Later Life
1652-8670
Q30.34625Linköping University Electronic PressSweden27 wk
16Saúde e Sociedade
0104-1290 · 1984-0470
Q30.32929Universidade de São PauloBrazil12 wk
17European Journal of Human Movement
2386-4095
Q30.30710Asociación Española de Ciencias del DeporteSpain5 wk
18Journal of Financial Therapy
1945-7774 · 1944-9771
Q30.30713New Prairie PressUnited States29 wk
19Patient Experience Journal
2372-0247
Q30.30513The Beryl InstituteUnited States26 wk
20Journal of Muslim Mental Health
1556-4908 · 1556-5009
Q30.28530Michigan PublishingUnited States25 wk
21Savād-i Salāmat
2476-4728
Q30.28313Mashhad University of Medical SciencesIran12 wk
22European Journal of Mental Health
1788-7119
Q30.25814Semmelweis University Institute of Mental HealthHungary35 wk
23Journal of Intercollegiate Sport
1941-6342 · 1941-417X
Q30.2586University of Kansas LibrariesUnited States18 wk
24Ciencias Psicológicas
1688-4094 · 1688-4221
Q30.259Universidad Católica del UruguayUruguay14 wk
25Nordisk Välfärdsforskning
2464-4161
Q30.259UniversitetsforlagetNorway26 wk
26Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte
1696-5043 · 1989-7413
Q30.24621Universidad Católica San Antonio de MurciaSpain48 wk
27Nordic Journal of Social Research
1892-2783
Q30.2347Scandinavian University PressNorway12 wk
28Canadian Journal of Bioethics
2561-4665
Q40.21212Programmes de bioéthique, École de santé publique de l'Université de MontréalCanada35 wk
29Payesh
1680-7626 · 2008-4536
Q40.219Iranian Institute for Health Sciences ResearchIran40 wk
30Консультативная психология и психотерапия
2075-3470 · 2311-9446
Q40.20613Moscow State University of Psychology and EducationRussia12 wk
31Anthropological Review
1898-6773 · 2083-4594
Q40.219Lodz University PressPoland20 wk
32Revista Bioética
1983-8042 · 1983-8034
Q40.19811Conselho Federal de MedicinaBrazil24 wk
33Community Psychology in Global Perspective
2421-2113
Q40.19514Università del SalentoItaly8 wk
34Strides in Development of Medical Education
2645-3525 · 2645-3452
Q40.1956Kerman University of Medical SciencesIran15 wk
35Alternativas
1133-0473 · 1989-9971
Q40.1915Universidad de AlicanteSpain27 wk
36European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity
1803-3857
Q40.18113European Federation of Adapted Physical ActivityCzechia24 wk
37Archives of Health Science and Research
2687-4644
Q40.1756İstanbul University-CerrahpasaTürkiye30 wk
38Hrvatska Revija za Rehabilitacijska Istraživanja
1331-3010 · 1848-7734
Q40.1713University of Zagreb, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation SciencesCroatia16 wk
39Torture
1018-8185 · 1997-3322
Q40.16828International Rehabilitation Council for Torture VictimsDenmark34 wk
40The Indonesian Journal of Public Health
1829-7005 · 2540-8836
Q40.1665Universitas AirlanggaIndonesia8 wk
41The International Journal of Social Quality
1757-0344 · 1757-0352
Q40.1646Berghahn BooksUnited States12 wk
42Journal of Health Sciences and Surveillance System
2345-2218 · 2345-3893
Q40.1599Shiraz University of Medical SciencesIran12 wk
43Kinesiologia Slovenica
1318-2269 · 2232-4062
Q40.1534University of Ljubljana Press (Založba Univerze v Ljubljani)Slovenia12 wk
44Ankara Medical Journal
1303-2283 · 2148-4570
Q40.1517Ankara Yildirim Beyazit UniversityTürkiye12 wk
45Revista de Direito Sanitário
1516-4179 · 2316-9044
Q40.155Universidade de São PauloBrazil52 wk
46Hacia la Promoción de la Salud
0121-7577 · 2462-8425
Q40.1468Universidad de CaldasColombia50 wk
47Archives of Psychiatry Research
2671-1079 · 2671-2008
Q40.14211University Hospital Center Sestre milosrdnice, Department of PsychiatryCroatia21 wk
48Social Medicine
1557-7112
Q40.13311Social Medicine Publication GroupUnited States15 wk
49Journal of Public Interest Communications
2573-4342
Q40.1287University of Florida, College of Journalism and CommunicationsUnited States16 wk
50Field Actions Science Reports
1867-139X · 1867-8521
Q40.12421Institut Veolia EnvironnementFrance11 wk

Where these journals come from

Top countries of publication

  1. United States 8
  2. Iran 5
  3. United Kingdom 5
  4. Spain 4
  5. Brazil 3
  6. Colombia 3

Top publishers

  1. Universidade de São Paulo 2
  2. Akadémiai Kiadó 1
  3. Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University 1
  4. Asociación Española de Ciencias del Deporte 1
  5. Berghahn Books 1
  6. Communication and Social Robotics Labs 1

Manuscript languages accepted

  1. English 50
  2. Spanish 10
  3. Portuguese 7
  4. French 4
  5. Danish 2
  6. Norwegian 2

About this list

Diamond open access (also called Platinum) means the journal is free to read and free to publish in: the DOAJ records it with “APC: no” and “other fees: no”. Quartiles come from the latest SCImago edition: Q1 is the top 25% of journals in a subject category, Q4 the bottom 25%; the lists show a journal’s best quartile. Read more in our open access guide.

Before submitting, always confirm the journal on its own website and in the DOAJ, verify Scopus indexing by ISSN with the Scopus check rather than trusting claims on the journal’s site, and watch out for look-alike titles (see the predatory journal checklist).

More categories in Social Sciences

Linguistics and Language419 free journals · 51 Q1 Cultural Studies337 free journals · 64 Q1 Education310 free journals · 27 Q1 Sociology and Political Science264 free journals · 13 Q1 Social Sciences (miscellaneous)239 free journals · 18 Q1 Law230 free journals · 21 Q1 Geography, Planning and Development168 free journals · 11 Q1 Anthropology142 free journals · 17 Q1 Communication123 free journals · 14 Q1 Political Science and International Relations116 free journals · 8 Q1 Archeology110 free journals · 16 Q1 Urban Studies78 free journals · 5 Q1 Library and Information Sciences77 free journals · 6 Q1 Public Administration44 free journals · 0 Q1 Demography41 free journals · 4 Q1 Gender Studies39 free journals · 0 Q1 Development35 free journals · 3 Q1