Article Processing Charge (APC) Waiver Policy

Acta Biologica Sibirica Journal

1. General Principles. The Editorial Board of Acta Biologica Sibirica is committed to publishing the most significant and high-quality scientific research. We believe that financial barriers should not prevent the dissemination of important scientific findings. The decision to accept or reject a manuscript is based solely on its scientific merit, relevance, and the results of independent peer review. Requesting a waiver or a discount on the Article Processing Charge (APC) has absolutely no impact on the peer-review process or the editorial decision.
2. Categories of Authors Eligible for Waivers

2.1. Automatic Full Waivers (100% discount) The following categories of authors are automatically exempt from paying the APC (provided the research was not supported by a grant covering publication costs):

• Members of the Editorial Board of Acta Biologica Sibirica.
• Authors affiliated with Altai State University (AltSU) (as the first or corresponding author).
• Invited authors (keynote speakers) for special issues of the journal.

2.2. Discretionary Waivers (Up to 100% discount based on financial need) Authors who do not fall under the automatic waiver category may request a full or partial waiver if they are facing financial hardship. Priority is given to:

• Researchers from low- and lower-middle-income countries (according to the World Bank / Research4Life classification).
• Early-career researchers: PhD students, master's students, and junior researchers who do not receive financial support from their institutions.
• Authors whose research has no grant support or institutional funding covering publication costs.

Important: If the research was fully or partially funded by a grant or other fund that covers publication costs, the author is not eligible for a waiver.

3. Application and Review Procedure

1. Timing of Application: A request for a waiver or discount must be submitted exclusively at the time of initial manuscript submission (in the Cover Letter or in the designated field in the OJS system).
2. Justification: The request must briefly state the reason (e.g., lack of grant support, PhD student status without a stipend, affiliation with a Research4Life country) and include supporting documents (if applicable).
3. Post-Acceptance Requests: Waiver requests received after the manuscript has been accepted for publication will not be considered. The author will be required to pay the full APC.
4. Notification: The decision on the waiver request is sent to the author within 5 working days of submission, prior to the initiation of the double-blind peer-review process.

4. Partial Waivers If an author is not eligible for a 100% waiver but is experiencing financial difficulties, the Editorial Office may grant a partial discount (e.g., 30% or 50% of the APC). The decision on the partial discount amount is made by the Publisher on a case-by-case basis.