MDPI — publication fee waivers
MDPI does not publish a country list. Requests are assessed by the Managing Editor on two grounds at once: the quality of the research article and the authors' ability to pay. That makes the outcome less predictable than a country-list policy. MDPI states that more than 30% of its APCs are waived each year.
Policy checked 16 September 2026
The policy in full
| Classification used | MDPI internal classification, described as broadly aligned with Research4Life |
|---|---|
| Full waiver | Case by case for low- and middle-income countries |
| Partial discount | Case by case; plus 10% through the Institutional Open Access Program |
| Which author counts | Corresponding author, assessed individually |
| Hybrid journals | Not stated |
| How it is applied | Request required |
| When | Applications must be submitted BEFORE the article is submitted |
| Scope | MDPI journals |
Country list
This publisher states the rule but does not publish a single consolidated country list we could verify. We record the rule and link to the source rather than infer which countries it covers. If you know of a published list, tell us.
List prices (APC)
| Imprint | Journals | Lowest | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDPI | 530 | CHF 500 | CHF 1,200 | CHF 2,900 |
Journal fee pages
Verified list prices before tax and waivers; search all.
Source
Related
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WAIVERS BY COUNTRY →