INSS Press INSS Press

Article Processing Charges

Article Processing Charges (APC) and Waiver Policy

1. Transparency and Purpose of Fees

INSS Press operates an Open Access publishing model. To provide free, permanent access to research, we charge an Article Processing Charge (APC) upon acceptance. This fee covers:

  • Editorial Management: Handling of the peer review process and editorial oversight.
  • Production: Professional typesetting, metadata tagging, and XML conversion.
  • Technical Infrastructure: DOI registration via CrossRef, hosting, and long-term archiving in CLOCKSS/LOCKSS.
  • Global Reach: Indexing in major databases and permanent open-access availability under CC BY 4.0.

2. The "Independence" Guarantee

To ensure total editorial integrity:

  • Standard APC: CAD $3,000 per accepted manuscript
  • No Submission Fees: There are no charges for manuscript submission or the peer-review process.
  • Payment Blind Review: Editorial decisions are made solely based on scholarly merit. Handling editors and peer reviewers have no access to payment information or waiver requests during the evaluation process.
  • Post-Acceptance Invoicing: Invoices are issued only after a manuscript has been formally accepted for publication.

3. Waiver and Discount Policy

We are committed to supporting researchers from all economic backgrounds. Our waiver policy is based on the World Bank classifications:

  • Automatic 100% Waiver: Authors from countries classified as Low-Income Economies are eligible for a full waiver of the APC.
  • 50% Discount: Authors from Lower-Middle-Income Economies are eligible for a 50% discount.
  • Discretionary Waivers: Early-career researchers (within 5 years of PhD) and authors of unfunded projects may apply for partial waivers.
  • Application Process: Waiver requests must be submitted at the time of initial manuscript submission. These requests are handled by the Administrative Office, not the Editorial Board.

4. Funder Compliance and Plan S

Our APC model is fully compliant with the requirements of cOAlition S (Plan S), Horizon Europe, and the Wellcome Trust.

  • Immediate OA: Research is made available immediately upon publication with no embargo period.
  • Rights Retention: Authors retain the copyright and can self-archive their work in any repository.
  • Institutional Billing: INSS Press provides standardized invoices compatible with institutional grant management systems.

5. Refund Policy

Because the APC covers the costs of the editorial and production process, once an article has been published or the production process has begun following acceptance, the APC is non-refundable.