APC and Waiver Fee Policy

International Journal of Machine Learning and Engineering (IJMLE)

Official Website: https://ijmle.org/index.php/IJMLE

Article Processing Charges (APC)

The International Journal of Machine Learning and Engineering (IJMLE) adopts an open-access publishing model to support the accessibility and dissemination of scholarly research in machine learning, artificial intelligence, engineering, intelligent systems, computational technologies, and related interdisciplinary fields.

To support the costs of editorial administration, manuscript processing, publication production, online hosting, website maintenance, and digital preservation, IJMLE applies an Article Processing Charge (APC) to accepted manuscripts.

Standard Article Processing Charge

APC: USD 100 per accepted article.

The standard APC applies equally to national and international authors.

No payment is required at the initial manuscript submission stage. The APC becomes payable only after the manuscript has successfully completed the editorial assessment and peer-review process and has received formal acceptance for publication.

Payment of the APC does not guarantee manuscript acceptance, favorable peer-review outcomes, accelerated editorial decisions, or preferential treatment.

All editorial decisions are based on academic quality, originality, relevance, methodological rigor, and compliance with the journal's publication ethics requirements.

Purpose and Utilization of APC

Editorial Management and Peer-Review Administration

The APC contributes to the administrative and technical costs associated with manuscript screening, editorial coordination, reviewer communication, peer-review management, and publication workflow administration.

Publication Production and Formatting

The APC supports manuscript preparation and production activities, including copyediting, proofreading, article formatting, PDF preparation, metadata management, and online publication.

Website Hosting and Technical Maintenance

IJMLE maintains an online publishing platform to facilitate manuscript submissions, editorial management, article publication, and access to scholarly content.

The APC contributes to website hosting, system maintenance, technical infrastructure, and digital accessibility.

Research Discoverability and Digital Preservation

Publication charges may support article metadata preparation, DOI-related services where applicable, digital archiving, and activities intended to improve the discoverability and preservation of published research.

Payment of an APC does not guarantee indexing in any particular academic database.

Administrative and Operational Expenses

The APC also contributes to routine publishing administration, technical support, and other operational activities necessary for maintaining a sustainable scholarly publication process.

APC Waiver and Discount Policy

IJMLE recognizes that financial limitations may prevent qualified researchers from publishing their findings in open-access journals.

To encourage equitable participation in scholarly communication, the journal may grant full or partial APC waivers to eligible authors experiencing financial hardship or limited access to institutional research funding.

Eligibility for APC Waivers

Authors may apply for an APC waiver under the following circumstances:

Researchers from low-income or lower-middle-income countries.
Students and early-career researchers without sufficient publication funding.
Independent researchers without institutional financial support.
Authors experiencing significant financial hardship.
Researchers whose institutions do not provide funding for publication charges.
Authors affected by humanitarian emergencies or exceptional financial circumstances.

Eligibility for a waiver does not automatically guarantee approval.

Full APC Waiver

A full APC waiver may be granted to authors who demonstrate exceptional financial hardship and an inability to pay the standard publication charge.

An approved full waiver provides a complete exemption from the USD 100 APC.

Partial APC Waiver

A partial APC waiver may be offered to authors who can contribute toward publication expenses but cannot afford the full USD 100 charge.

The amount of the discount will depend on the author's circumstances, the supporting information provided, and the journal's available resources.

APC Waiver Application Procedure

Authors requesting financial assistance should submit a formal APC waiver application through the journal's official editorial communication channels, preferably at the time of manuscript submission.

The request should include:

Author's full name and institutional affiliation.
Manuscript title and submission identification number, if available.
Country of residence and institutional location.
A brief explanation of financial circumstances.
Details of unavailable or insufficient institutional funding.
Supporting documentation, where reasonably required.

The editorial or authorized administrative team may request additional information to evaluate the application.

Waiver requests will be handled confidentially.

Waiver Application Review Timeline

IJMLE aims to acknowledge waiver requests within seven working days.

A decision will normally be communicated within 15 working days after all necessary information has been received.

Applications requiring additional verification may take longer, and applicants will be informed of significant delays.

Editorial Independence and Fair Treatment

APC waiver requests are considered independently of academic manuscript evaluation.

Authors requesting financial assistance will not be disadvantaged during editorial screening, peer review, or publication decisions.

Editors and reviewers must evaluate submissions on academic merit without regard to an author's financial circumstances.

A waiver approval does not guarantee acceptance or publication.

APC Payment Procedure

The corresponding author will receive official payment instructions after the manuscript has been formally accepted for publication.

The standard publication fee is USD 100 per accepted article, unless an approved full or partial waiver applies.

Authors should make payments only through payment methods officially authorized by IJMLE.

The journal advises authors not to transfer publication fees to unauthorized individuals or third-party accounts.

Payment Transparency

IJMLE is committed to communicating publication charges clearly.

Authors should be informed of the applicable APC and any approved waiver or discount before payment is requested.

No APC payment is required merely to submit a manuscript for editorial consideration.

APC Refund Policy

APC payments are normally non-refundable once payment has been processed and publication production services have commenced.

However, refund requests may be considered individually in circumstances such as duplicate payments, administrative errors, or situations in which publication cannot proceed because of a journal-side issue.

Authors seeking a refund should submit a written request through the journal's official communication channels, including the manuscript identification number, payment details, and reason for requesting reimbursement.

Any approved refund will be processed according to the journal's applicable financial procedures.

Manuscript Withdrawal and APC

Withdrawal Before Peer Review

Authors may request manuscript withdrawal before the formal peer-review process begins. Such requests will normally be processed without an APC obligation.

Withdrawal During Peer Review

Authors requesting withdrawal during peer review should provide a written explanation to the editorial office.

No APC is ordinarily payable for manuscripts withdrawn before formal acceptance.

Withdrawal After Acceptance

Withdrawal requests submitted after acceptance will be evaluated according to the manuscript's production status and the publishing services already completed.

Where payment has been made, the APC Refund Policy will apply.

Withdrawal After Publication

Requests concerning published articles will be handled according to the journal's publication ethics, correction, and retraction policies.

Publication charges do not entitle authors to remove published scholarly records outside the journal's established ethical procedures.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

IJMLE is committed to protecting information submitted in connection with APC payments, financial assistance applications, and waiver requests.

Personal and financial information will be used only for legitimate administrative and publishing purposes and will be accessible only to authorized personnel.

Policy Review and Updates

The International Journal of Machine Learning and Engineering (IJMLE) may periodically review its APC structure, waiver eligibility criteria, payment procedures, and refund provisions to maintain transparency, fairness, and sustainable publishing operations.

Any significant changes to the standard APC or waiver procedures will be communicated through the journal's official website.

Journal: International Journal of Machine Learning and Engineering (IJMLE)

Standard APC: USD 100 per accepted article