APC Policy
Article Processing Charges (APC)
Integral Research is a fully open-access journal operating on a Diamond Open Access model. The journal removes financial barriers to scholarly publishing by waiving charges entirely for the majority of authors worldwide.
This policy is aligned with the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI), the transparency criteria of the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), the editorial integrity standards of the Web of Science (WoS) indexing programme, and the ethical guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Integral Research does not operate a pay-to-publish model. Acceptance or rejection is determined solely by editorial merit and peer review outcome. Financial status has no influence on any editorial decision at any stage.
The ₹1,000 APC for Indian-affiliated authors is used exclusively to recover:
- Crossref DOI registration and annual maintenance
- Journal website hosting and OJS platform operation
- Digital archiving and long-term preservation services
- Manuscript management system (OJS/PKP) operational costs
In conformity with DOAJ and WoS transparency requirements, Integral Research confirms that the following carry absolutely no charge at any stage:
- Article submission
- Peer review process
- Editorial assessment
- Manuscript revision
- PDF typesetting
- Article publication
- Open-access delivery
- Reader access & downloads
- Manuscript withdrawal (pre-acceptance)
- Author certificate
| Principle | Journal Practice | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Fee precedes acceptance? | APC is invoiced only after final acceptance | Never |
| Fee influences decision? | Editors/reviewers are never informed of fee status | Prohibited |
| Disclosed before submission? | Fully disclosed on website and in guidelines | Compliant |
| Waiver available? | Yes — on application for genuine hardship | Available |
| International APC? | No charge for authors outside India | Fully waived |
Integral Research ensures that no author is denied publication solely on financial grounds. A transparent waiver mechanism is available in accordance with DOAJ and COPE best practices:
Who may apply: Authors at institutions in World Bank IDA-eligible countries, independent scholars without institutional affiliation, and authors with demonstrated financial hardship.
How to apply: Submit a waiver request to the editorial office at the time of initial manuscript submission, stating the grounds clearly. Requests are reviewed confidentially by the Editor-in-Chief.
Important: Waiver decisions are made solely on financial need and are entirely independent of the editorial assessment of the manuscript. All waiver applicants receive the same standard of peer review as all other authors.