Cambridge Scholars Publishing (CSP) is an independent, for-profit academic book publisher based in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. It was founded in 2001 by former academics of the University of Cambridge and later relocated to the North East of England; it has been owned and managed by Graeme Nicol since 2011. The single most important thing to know up front: CSP is not affiliated with the University of Cambridge or Cambridge University Press, despite the similar name. The two are entirely separate organizations with very different editorial models and reputations.

CSP publishes at high volume - roughly 800+ new titles a year - using a print-on-demand, low-margin model. Its list is strongest in the humanities and social sciences (monographs, edited collections, and conference proceedings), with additional output across science, technology, medicine, and business. The company discontinued its academic journal program by 2020, so today it is effectively a books-only publisher. This guide covers what CSP publishes, what it costs (nothing, for standard contracts), how the review and submission process works, and how to weigh the reputational debate before you sign.

• Monographs - single-author scholarly books, most heavily in humanities and social-science fields.
• Edited collections - multi-author volumes, often developed from conference panels; this is CSP's signature product.
• Conference proceedings - full proceedings volumes, an option many larger book publishers no longer offer.
• Journals - no longer. CSP previously ran a small journal program but ceased journal publishing by 2020. If a website or email claims a current "Cambridge Scholars journal," verify it carefully.

CSP does not charge authors publication fees on standard book contracts - its revenue comes from book sales, not from authors. The trade-off is on the sales side: print-on-demand economics mean high cover prices and modest royalties.

If any "Cambridge Scholars" solicitation asks you for money to publish a standard scholarly book, treat that as a red flag and verify you are dealing with the real company.

CSP's editorial process differs from the university-press norm, and this is the heart of the debate about the press:

• Proposal-level review: decisions are made largely on the proposal and sample material by in-house editorial teams, typically without commissioning full external peer review of the finished manuscript.
• High acceptance rate: an acceptance rate of around 80% has been reported - far above selective academic presses.
• Camera-ready manuscripts: authors deliver the final, formatted text themselves; copyediting and typesetting support is limited compared with traditional presses.
• Consequences: quality varies title by title. Some CSP books are solid, well-received scholarship; others show the limited editorial oversight. Evaluate individual books (and your own project's needs) rather than assuming a uniform standard.

1. Prepare a proposal. CSP accepts proposals for monographs, edited collections, and proceedings via forms on cambridgescholars.com.
2. Expect a fast decision. Proposal decisions typically arrive within weeks rather than the months common at university presses.
3. Read the contract carefully. Check the royalty rate, rights reversion terms, pricing, and any marketing commitments before signing.
4. Deliver camera-ready copy. You are responsible for formatting the final manuscript to CSP's specification - SciSpace hosts Cambridge Scholars formatting templates to speed this up.
5. Plan your own promotion. With high cover prices and minimal marketing, author-driven promotion (and library recommendations) largely determines a CSP book's reach.

They are unrelated. Cambridge University Press (founded 1534) is the publishing arm of the University of Cambridge, with selective, fully peer-reviewed lists. Cambridge Scholars Publishing (founded 2001) is a private Newcastle-based company with no university affiliation. Funders, libraries, and CVs should never conflate the two, and CSP itself states it is independent. If institutional recognition of the press matters for your career, confirm which "Cambridge" publisher your committee thinks you mean.

CSP occupies contested ground. It is a real, long-established company that does not charge authors and sells genuine books - which distinguishes it from classic fee-harvesting predatory operations. At the same time, it has been listed in Cabells' Predatory Reports and on an unofficial continuation of Beall's List, and critics point to aggressive email solicitation of authors and limited editorial oversight. A sensible checklist before signing: (1) ask senior colleagues how a CSP book would be received in your field; (2) compare against a university press or established commercial press if prestige matters; (3) scrutinize the contract; (4) check whether comparable recent CSP titles in your area are reviewed and held by libraries.

CSP books in the humanities commonly follow MHRA or Chicago style, varying by volume - the editor of a collection typically fixes the style for all contributors. Because manuscripts are camera-ready, formatting compliance is on you: use the Cambridge Scholars templates on SciSpace to match the trim size, heading structure, and reference style before delivery, and confirm the exact style requirement in your contract or with your volume editor.