APC Waiver Fund

InterPore Journal is committed to ensuring that Article Processing Charges (APCs) do not prevent the publication of high-quality research. To support authors who may otherwise face financial barriers to publication, InterPore maintains an APC Waiver Fund, which provides automatic waivers and discounts based on eligible country affiliations, as well as discretionary waivers for authors with a genuine financial need. Automatic waivers and discounts do not require an application, while discretionary waivers must be requested using the application form provided below. All APC waiver and discount arrangements are administered separately from the Journal's editorial decision-making process and have no influence on the evaluation, peer review, or acceptance of a manuscript.

How the APC Waiver Fund works

  • InterPore provides €20,000 to the APC Waiver Fund at the beginning of each calendar year.
  • In addition, 20% of every APC paid during the year is allocated to the Fund, increasing the total amount available for waivers and discounts.
  • Waivers and discounts are granted from the Fund throughout the year.
  • At the end of each calendar year, any unused balance is released, and a new allocation of €20,000 is made for the following year.

Automatic waivers and discounts

InterPore Journal provides automatic APC waivers and discounts based on World Bank country income classifications. 

The following provisions apply:

  • Group A – Low-income economies: If all authors are affiliated with institutions in Group A countries, the APC is waived in full (100% waiver).
  • Group B – Lower-middle-income economies: If all authors are affiliated with institutions in Group B countries, a 50% APC discount applies.
  • Mixed Group A and Group B authorship: If all authors are affiliated with institutions in either Group A or Group B countries, a 50% APC discount applies.
  • Authorship including countries outside Groups A and B: Where one or more authors are affiliated with institutions in countries outside Groups A and B, an automatic waiver or discount does not apply. Authors who are unable to cover the APC may, however, request a full or partial discretionary waiver.

Authors do not need to request these automatic waivers or discounts. The Journal will determine eligibility and apply the appropriate waiver or discount following article acceptance. Eligibility criteria are reviewed annually based on the World Bank country and lending groups.

View current Group A and Group B countries →

Discretionary APC waivers

Authors who do not qualify for an automatic waiver or discount but who are unable to pay the APC may apply for a full or partial discretionary waiver. Discretionary waivers are intended for authors with a genuine financial need. For discretionary waiver requests, the availability of funding across the author group as a whole will be considered, including research funding and institutional or other publication support available to any of the authors.

Requests are assessed according to the following criteria:

  • Financial need: Have the authors demonstrated a genuine financial need and provided a clear explanation of why they are unable to pay the APC?
  • Attempts to obtain funding: Have the authors made reasonable attempts to obtain funding from other sources, such as institutional open-access funds, research grants, departmental support, library funds, or other available funding mechanisms?
  • Supporting information: Has sufficient information been provided to support the request?
  • Consistency: Would approving or declining the request be consistent with previous decisions made under comparable circumstances?
  • Additional or exceptional circumstances: Are there circumstances warranting additional consideration, such as humanitarian crises, sanctions preventing payment, major institutional disruption, or other exceptional situations?

The availability of discretionary waivers is subject to the funds available in the APC Waiver Fund. Submission of a request does not guarantee that a full or partial waiver will be granted.

When should a discretionary waiver be requested?

Authors are strongly encouraged to submit a discretionary waiver request as early as possible, preferably at the time of manuscript submission, to allow sufficient time for assessment. Requests may also be submitted during the review process. The latest point at which a discretionary waiver request may be submitted is when the author is notified that the manuscript has been accepted. Authors are not required to pay an APC while a manuscript is under editorial evaluation or peer review, and requesting a waiver has no influence on the editorial decision.

How to request a discretionary APC waiver

Authors wishing to request a full or partial discretionary APC waiver should complete the Discretionary APC Waiver Request Form.

The form collects the information needed to assess the request, including information about the manuscript and authors, research funding, other potential sources of APC support, the reasons for the request, and any additional or exceptional circumstances that should be taken into consideration.

Authors should provide complete and accurate information for the author group as a whole. Additional information may be requested where necessary to assess the request.

Submit a Discretionary APC Waiver Request.

If you experience any difficulty accessing or submitting the form, please contact the InterPore Journal Editorial Office for assistance.

How are discretionary waiver requests decided?

The Editorial Office will review the request for completeness and may provide relevant factual information needed for its assessment. Requests requiring discretionary consideration will be forwarded to the InterPore Foundation, which is responsible for determining whether the APC will be fully or partially waived. The Foundation assesses requests according to the criteria outlined above. Its decision is made independently of the Journal's editorial decision-making process. Authors are encouraged to submit requests as early as possible to allow sufficient time for review. The time required for a decision may vary depending on when the request is received.

Editorial independence

APC waiver and discount arrangements are kept separate from the Journal's editorial decision-making process. Editors and reviewers are not involved in determining an author's ability to pay an APC. Manuscripts are evaluated solely on their scholarly merit and suitability for the Journal. A request for an APC waiver or discount, and the decision whether to grant such a request, will not influence the editorial evaluation, peer-review process, or decision regarding a manuscript.

Questions

For questions concerning APC waiver or discount eligibility, the application process, or an existing request, please contact the InterPore Journal Editorial Office.

Last updated: 09 September 2026