1. Article Processing Charges (APC)
There is no submission fee. An Article Processing Charge (APC) applies only to manuscripts that are accepted for publication.
As an open-access publisher, we make every published article freely and permanently available online the moment it's published. The APC covers what it takes to get an article there — editorial handling, DOI assignment, production, and online dissemination. For exact fees, check the Author Guidelines for the specific journal you're submitting to.
2. What the APC Covers
DOI assignment
Editorial and peer-review coordination
Copyediting and language refinement
Typesetting and formatting
Proof preparation and quality checks
Open access hosting
Metadata preparation for indexing and discoverability
3. Payment Process
Once a manuscript is accepted, the corresponding author receives an official invoice along with payment instructions. It's the corresponding author's responsibility to see that payment goes through, whether they're covering it personally or arranging it through an institution or funder. Publication only moves forward once payment has been confirmed.
4. Waivers & Discounts
We want cost to be as small a barrier as possible, so we offer full and partial APC waivers based on internationally recognized country income classifications. If you need to request a waiver, do it at the time of submission — requests made after a manuscript has already been accepted generally won't be considered. We also recognize our reviewers: anyone who completes 15 high-quality reviews qualifies for a 22% discount on the APC for a future submission of their own. Details are on our Become a Reviewer page.
5. Refunds
Once a manuscript enters production )copyediting, typesetting, or online preparation(; the APC is generally non-refundable. If a refund request comes in before production begins, we'll look at it on a case-by-case basis.
6. Currency & Taxes
All fees are listed in USD. Any bank charges, transaction fees, or local taxes are the responsibility of the author or their institution.
7. Editorial Independence
To be clear: editorial decisions are made purely on academic merit, originality, validity, and ethical compliance. An author's ability to pay has no bearing on whether a manuscript is accepted.
8. Policy Updates
We may revise this policy from time to time to reflect changes in how we operate or shifts in the industry. Any updates apply only to manuscripts submitted after the date of revision.
