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Article Processing Charges

Last updated: 22 Dec 2025

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STM provides an open access platform for its Journals to cover the topics of the special issue and Reseacrh Articles. These Journals are available online immediately after publication, providing unlimited access at any time and location.To support this service, an article-processing charge (APC) is required, which covers the costs of transforming a manuscript into a finished article, hosting, distributing, and promoting it.The APC includes online tools for editors and authors, peer review, copyediting, typesetting, long-term archiving, and Journal management. The APC is charged when the manuscript is accepted for publication and is payable by the author, funder, institution, or employer. There are no fees for rejected articles, submission, or additional charges based on the length of an article, figures, or supplementary data.Once a manuscript is submitted, it undergoes various processes to ensure its quality, peer review, production, and promotion are carried out efficiently and to a high standard. These processes include:

  • Initial technical and ethical checks by Publishing Operations and Editorial Screening for the peer review procedure
  • Journal Editors managing the review process in Editorial Operations
  • Conversion of the manuscript to a professionally typeset article with well-structured formatting in Article Formatting
  • Support for proof-reading by authors and editors to approve the final text and request any missing information
  • Final check by Editorial Quality Assurance to ensure the manuscript and its review process comply with the Journal's guidelines and policies
  • Indexing to ensure Journals are widely indexed and published articles receive appropriate attention
  • Promotion of Journals and articles through various activities, including conferences, advertisements, awards, and other promotional activities, handled by Marketing and Communication
  • Creation and maintenance of an easy-to-use, compatible platform by Technology teams

APC Discount and Waiver Policy

APC (Article Processing Charge) discounts and waiver policies are measures taken by STM to assist authors who may not have the financial means to cover the cost of publishing their work in open access Journals. APC discounts are offered to authors who meet specific criteria, such as being a member of a particular organization, having limited funding, or being from a low-income country. On the other hand, APC waivers are granted to authors who cannot afford to pay the APC, usually based on financial need.

  • APC discounts and waivers vary depending on the publisher and Journal.
  • STM offer automatic discounts or waivers to authors from specific countries or institutions
  • Authors are required to submit a request or application form to apply for discounts or waivers.
  • STM also consider other factors such as the research's significance, potential impact, or the author's career stage.

An author’s eligibility will not affect peer review or editorial decision-making. APC waivers are managed by STM, and are not shared with Journal editors or peer reviewers.

How to request an APC Waiver?
  • Check the STM's website for information about their APC waiver policy and eligibility criteria.
  • If the author believes they are eligible for a waiver, they can typically submit a request or application form. This form may require information such as the author's name, affiliation, funding source, and reason for requesting the waiver.
  • The author may also need to provide additional documentation to support their request, such as proof of funding limitations or evidence of financial hardship.
  • STM will typically review the request and documentation and may require additional information or clarification.
  • If the waiver is approved, STM will typically notify the author and provide instructions for submitting the final version of the manuscript for publication.

You can also write to us at info@stmjournals.com to request a partial or full waiver at the submission stage These requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Discounts

STM Journals strives for maximum impact and dissemination worldwide, with fair and sustainable pricing according to prevailing market conditions. STM provides discounts based on country eligibility. STM participates in several free or heavily-reduced rate developing country access initiatives, Hinari List, Research4Life, as well as our own Developing Countries Offer.

For any discount offers and queries please write to us at info@stmjournals.com.

APC Reimbursement

The APC (Article Processing Charge) reimbursement policy of STM Journals states that reimbursement may be provided in certain circumstances. These circumstances include:

  • Error in billing: If an author has been charged twice for the same article or has been charged an incorrect amount, they can request reimbursement.
  • Withdrawal of article: If an author requests the withdrawal of their article within five days of acceptance, they may be eligible for reimbursement of the APC.
  • Technical issues: If an author experiences technical issues during the payment process and is unable to complete the transaction, they can request reimbursement.
  • Special cases: In certain cases, such as government-funded research or hardship cases, STM Journals may offer partial or full reimbursement of the APC.

It is important to note that reimbursement requests must be submitted within 60 days of payment, and authors must provide appropriate documentation to support their claim. Additionally, reimbursement is subject to approval by the STM Journal's editorial board.

Refunds and Cancellation

STM Journals have a refund policy for APCs that applies in certain circumstances. Prior to publication, a refund may be provided if the article cannot be published due to reasons such as:

  • Article withdrawal: If an article is submitted and the payment is made, but the submission is later withdrawn before any processing has taken place, the APC may be refunded in full.
  • Article Rejection: If the article has been submitted and processing has started, but is later found to be unsuitable for publication and is rejected, the APC may be refunded in full.
  • Article Decline: If there is a legal or ethical reason that prevents the article from being published, such as copyright infringement, plagiarism or ethical violations, the APC may be refunded in full.
  • Payment Errors: If the author has accidentally paid multiple times for the same article or the payment was made in error, a refund for the extra payment(s) may be issued.
  • Duplicate Publication: If an article is found to be a duplicate publication of a previously published work, the corresponding author may request a refund of the APC.
  • Embargo: If an embargo is in place for the country of the corresponding author, and the article cannot be published, the APC may be refunded in full.

Refund requests must be made in writing to STM Journals and may be subject to review before approval. Refunds may not be possible in all circumstances, and the amount of the refund may be subject to deductions for any services that have already been provided by STM Journals.

Time Period

The credit terms for invoices are typically 15-20 days from the date of receipt of the original invoice. Invoices will be followed up on periodically, but if payment is not received within 20 days, the author will be contacted. Failing to pay within the credit term could result in limitations on the author's ability to publish with STM Journals in the future, involvement of a third-party debt collection agency, and legal action. If an article is published on behalf of a partner organization, and if an author fails to pay, the partner organization and Journal editors may be notified and determine the appropriate penalty. STM Journals understand that authors may not be personally responsible for paying the APC, and if an author's institution is responsible for payment, it may take some time for payment to be made.

Accepted currencies

Taxes

At present, STM do not charge any taxes on the payments made towards our services. However, it is important to note that tax laws are subject to change and STM will update our policies accordingly in case of any changes made in taxes in the future.We are committed to ensuring that our pricing and payment policies are transparent and clearly communicated to our users. Therefore, if any changes are made in the tax policies, we will notify our users promptly through our official communication channels, including our website and emails.We value our users and strive to provide them with the best possible services at competitive prices. Our pricing policies are designed to be fair and transparent, and we do not believe in hidden charges or fees.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding our pricing policies or taxes, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@stmjournals.com.

APCs Payment Methods

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Journal Wise Article Processing Charges*

The APC by the Journal is given in the table below.

*List price excluding taxes. Discounts may apply. For further details write to us at: info@stmjournals.com.

For FAQs related to Article Processing Charges, click here.

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