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Founding-period 50% waiver active

Article Processing Charges

Submission and peer review are always free. A Standard APC applies after ISSN registration to every accepted manuscript. Founding authors receive a 50% waiver on the Standard APC invoice, and every author receives their final rate in writing before committing — the quoted rate is honoured through to publication.

Founding-period offer
50% off the Standard APC
Founding authors receive a 50% waiver on the Standard APC invoice. The waiver applies automatically to all manuscripts accepted during the founding period — no form, no application.
How your rate is built
  1. 1

    Standard APC

    Anchor rate · 100% of Standard

    The Standard APC applies after ISSN registration to every accepted manuscript. A single Standard rate exists per manuscript type (research, review, short communication); because the applicable figure depends on manuscript type, corresponding-author region, and funding context, we confirm it to you in writing before submission — never as a public list price.

  2. 2

    Founding-period waiver Automatic

    You pay 50% of Standard

    Founding authors receive a 50% waiver on the Standard APC invoice. The waiver applies automatically to all manuscripts accepted during the founding period — no form, no application, no eligibility check. The discounted rate is reflected on your acceptance invoice.

  3. 3

    Special equity waivers

    Reduce further · partial only

    Applied on top of the founding-period discount. Partial waivers only — Aperture Papers does not offer a 100% APC waiver. Decisions are made independently of peer review.

    • Hardship waiver
      Case-by-case partial waiver for unfunded authors
    • Student first author
      Additional 10% off the post-founding rate
  4. 4

    Your written quote

    Binding · Locked to publication

    The editorial office confirms your final APC in writing before you commit. That figure is the rate honoured through to publication — no retroactive changes, no surprises at acceptance.

What each author actually pays
General author, founding period
50% of Standard
Student first author, founding period
≈ 45% of Standard (50% + 10% off remainder)
Unfunded author, hardship approved
Further partial reduction, case-by-case
General author, after founding period
100% of Standard (unless waivers apply)
Percentages describe the relationship to Standard APC. The absolute figure is quoted per manuscript by the editorial office and locked in your written quote.

Aperture Papers is a fully open-access publisher. There is no submission fee, no formatting fee, and no peer-review fee. The APC applies only after acceptance and covers editorial handling, copy-editing, typesetting, XML/PDF production, DOI registration, indexing metadata, and long-term hosting.

Enquire for pricing

Get a written APC quote before you submit

Tell us a little about your manuscript and we'll email back a personalised quote — including the founding-period discount and any special hardship or student waiver you may be eligible for. Quotes are typically returned within one working day and are honoured through to publication.

  • Personalised, written quote — not a public list price
  • All applicable waivers reviewed in one go
  • Rate locked for your manuscript through to publication
  • No obligation to submit

All fee enquiries are handled by the editorial office at editorialoffice@aperturepapers.com.

What the APC covers

Editorial handling & double-blind peer review

Professional copy-editing and typesetting

XML / PDF production and DOI registration

Indexing metadata and long-term open-access hosting

Additional waivers & discounts

  • Hardship waiver: partial waivers considered case-by-case for authors without institutional or grant funding. A short written declaration is required at submission. A 100% APC waiver is not offered.
  • Student first-author discount: additional 10% for manuscripts on which a full-time student is first author.

Mention any of these in your enquiry to editor@aperturepapers.com. Waiver decisions are made independently of the editorial review.

Submit Manuscript →

Frequently asked questions about the APC

Answers to the questions authors most often send to the editorial office before submitting.

What is an Article Processing Charge (APC)?

An APC is a one-time publication fee that covers editorial handling, peer-review coordination, copy-editing, typesetting, XML/PDF production, DOI registration, indexing metadata, and permanent open-access hosting under a CC BY 4.0 licence. At Aperture Papers the APC is charged only after a manuscript is accepted — submission and peer review are always free.

How much is the APC at Aperture Papers?

Aperture Papers does not publish a numeric list price. A single Standard APC exists per manuscript type (research, review, short communication), and the applicable figure depends on manuscript type, corresponding-author region, and funding context. The editorial office confirms your final APC in writing before you commit, and that quoted rate is honoured through to publication.

Is the 50% founding-period waiver applied automatically?

Yes. Every manuscript submitted during the founding period receives 50% off the Standard APC automatically — no application form, no eligibility check. The discount is reflected on the acceptance invoice and in the written quote provided before submission.

Can waivers be combined?

Yes. Special equity waivers (hardship and student first-author) can be applied on top of the founding-period 50% discount. Additional waivers are partial and considered case-by-case — Aperture Papers does not offer a 100% APC waiver. Waiver decisions are made independently of peer review.

Who qualifies for an additional APC waiver?

Unfunded authors may apply for a special hardship waiver, decided case-by-case with a short written declaration at submission. Student first authors receive an additional discount. These are applied on top of the founding-period discount; a full 100% waiver is not offered.

Is there a discount for student first authors?

Yes. Manuscripts on which a full-time student is first author receive an additional 10% off the post-founding rate, on top of the founding-period 50% discount.

When is the APC invoiced and paid?

The APC is invoiced only after acceptance — never at submission and never during peer review. The invoice can be issued to the corresponding author, their institution, or their funder. Standard payment window is 30 days from the acceptance email. Production begins once payment or a confirmed waiver decision is received.

Can the APC change after my manuscript is accepted?

No. The rate confirmed in your written quote is locked through to publication. A manuscript accepted at a given rate is never re-invoiced at a later rate, even if Aperture Papers changes its Standard APC or ends the founding-period waiver afterwards.

Are there submission, formatting, or peer-review fees?

No. Aperture Papers charges no submission fee, no formatting fee, and no peer-review fee. The APC applies only once — after acceptance.

Does paying (or not paying) the APC influence peer review?

No. Editorial decisions are made solely on academic merit and adherence to our publication ethics. Waiver eligibility, waiver requests, and payment status are handled by the editorial office independently of the peer-review process.

What is Aperture Papers' refund policy?

Authors who withdraw before typesetting receive a full refund. Once a manuscript has been typeset and assigned a DOI, the APC is non-refundable. Retractions on grounds of misconduct do not qualify for a refund.

How do I request a written APC quote?

Email editorialoffice@aperturepapers.com with your working title, manuscript type, corresponding-author country, funding source (if any), and any waiver context (student, unfunded, other). A personalised written quote — including any applicable special waivers — is typically returned within one working day and honoured through to publication.

Terms & Conditions

Effective from the date of publication of this page.

  1. 1. Written quote governs. The APC that applies to a manuscript is the figure confirmed to the corresponding author in writing by the editorial office prior to submission. Public statements on this page are indicative; the written quote — and any waiver noted in it — is the binding rate through to publication.
  2. 2. Right to modify the founding-period waiver. Aperture Papers may, at its sole discretion, extend, shorten, replace, or withdraw the founding-period waiver at any time, with prospective effect only. Any such change is announced on this page and takes effect no earlier than the date it is published.
  3. 3. No retroactive charges. A manuscript accepted at a given rate will never be re-invoiced at a later rate. Once an APC invoice has been issued, its amount is final regardless of subsequent rate changes.
  4. 4. Editorial independence. Payment of, waiver from, or any discussion of the APC has no bearing on peer review or editorial decisions. Manuscripts are accepted or rejected solely on academic merit and adherence to our Publication Ethics.
  5. 5. Invoicing & payment. The APC is invoiced to the corresponding author, their institution, or their funder only after acceptance. Standard payment window is 30 days from the date of the acceptance email. Production begins once payment (or a valid waiver decision) is confirmed.
  6. 6. Refunds. The APC is non-refundable once a manuscript has been typeset and assigned a DOI. Authors who withdraw before typesetting receive a full refund. Retractions on grounds of misconduct do not qualify for a refund.

These Terms apply solely to Article Processing Charges. Editorial policies, licensing (CC BY 4.0), copyright, and publication ethics are governed by their respective pages. For any question about your applicable rate, contact editor@aperturepapers.com before submitting — the rate confirmed to you in writing will be honoured.