APC waiver
An APC waiver removes the article processing charge entirely. Most large publishers grant waivers on the basis of a published country list rather than on individual circumstances, which means the decision is administrative rather than negotiated.
Reviewed 1 August 2026
In practice
Waiver versus discount
A waiver removes the whole charge. A discount removes part of it, most often 50%. Publishers usually run both: a full waiver for one tier of countries and a partial discount for a second tier.
Automatic or on request
Some publishers apply the reduction automatically from the affiliation given at submission. Others require the author to ask, and several refuse requests made after peer review has started. An author who assumes automation at the wrong publisher pays in full.
Which author counts
This is the most consequential detail and the least consistent. Some publishers read only the corresponding author's affiliation. Others require every author to qualify. At least one voids the discount entirely if a single co-author is in an ineligible country.
Common misconceptions
A waiver is not a hardship grant you argue for. Where a country list exists, being on it is the whole case.
A waiver almost never applies to hybrid journals. Of fifteen publishers checked, only one extends waivers to hybrid titles.