Article Processing Charges (APC) Information

• Why does MDPI have article processing charges (APC) for publishing in its journals?
• How much does MDPI charge for its different journals?
• How can I avoid the English editing surcharge?
• Which article types are published free of charge?
• How can I transfer funds to MDPI?
• Does MDPI offer any discounts on the article processing charges (APC)?
• Do I have to pay if my manuscript is rejected?
• Are reprints of my article included in the article processing charges (APC)?
• Special note regarding VAT for Authors from Switzerland

Why does MDPI have article processing charges (APC) for publishing in its journals?

MDPI publishes all its journals in full open access format. The scientific community and the general public can unlimitedly and immediately access all content published in our journals for free as soon as it is published on the Internet. This means that MDPI does not have any income from selling subscriptions to print or online versions of its journals or from charging "pay-per-view" fees. Therefore, MDPI needs to defray its editorial and production costs by collecting article processing charges (APC) from authors' institutes or research funding bodies. MDPI is committed to keep its open access publication charges at a minimum level. Already now, MDPI's charges—if calculated per page—are much lower than the revenues per published page that traditional, subscription-based academic publishers can generate.

How much does MDPI charge for its different journals?

The amount of article processing charges (APC) for different journals is given in the table below. The basic article processing charges (APC) cover editorial service and production of an article. A separate English editing charge will be applied to articles that require extensive English language editing or formatting. Non-native English speaking colleagues are encourage to use a professional English editing service before submission of a manuscript. Usually the publication in the first volume of newly launched journal is free of charge.

Changes of Article Processing Charges (APC) Effective 1 July 2012

How can I avoid the English editing surcharge?

To avoid the English editing surcharge, we recommend that non-native English speaking authors send their manuscripts to a professional English editing service prior to the submission of their manuscript to MDPI journals. We recommend the below listed manuscript editing services. These language editing services will issue a certificate to attest that authors used their services to improve the language and style of their manuscript. The certificate should be included alongside the submission. Authors of articles submitted to MDPI journals benefit from a one-time 10% discount on AJE's fees or a 15% discount on Manuscriptedit's fees. Simply follow the below links to make use of the referral discount. Authors from developing countries are encouraged to register with AuthorAid, a global research community that provides networking, mentoring, resources and training for researchers in developing countries.

Which article types are published free of charge?

Editorial items (Editorials, Corrections, Additions, Retractions, Book Reviews and Books Received etc.) are published free of charge. Article processing charges (APC) are only applied to primary content: research articles, reviews and mini reviews, communications, short notes, etc.

How can I transfer funds to MDPI?

MDPI currently supports the following payment methods:

• Wire Transfer in Swiss Francs (CHF)
• Wire Transfer in US Dollars (USD)
• Wire Transfer in Euros (EUR)
• Wire Transfer in Chinese Yuan (CNY)
• Payment with Credit Card through PayPal
• Payment by Cheques
• Payment by Western Union Money Transfer

Does MDPI offer any discounts on the article processing charges (APC)?

MDPI does not offer any discounts on its article processing charges (APC) for regular submissions. However, MDPI is publishing selected articles invited by the Editorial Office for free. MDPI is currently planning for the implementation of a discount system for peer-reviewers that kindly offered their services to our journals. This new discount system will be in place in middle of 2010

Do I have to pay if my manuscript is rejected?

No. MDPI does only invoice article processing charges (APC) if and once a manuscript is accepted for publication. The acceptance of a manuscript does not depend from the authors' willingness to support the article processing charges (APC) but is based on the outcome of the peer-review procedure. The final decision on whether a manuscript is accepted for publication or rejected will be taken by an external editor (usually the Editor-in-Chief of a journal or the Guest Editor of a special issue) based on the scientific merit of a submitted manuscript.

Are reprints of my article included in the article processing charges (APC)?

No. Article processing charges (APC) do not entitle the authors to receive reprints of their published article. Reprints can be ordered separately and optionally for any article that has been published in a MDPI journal. To request an offer for reprints of an article, please visit http://www.mdpi.org/reprints/ or send an e-mail to publisher@mdpi.org (provide a link to the abstract of your article and mention the amount of reprints you would like to receive).

Special note regarding sales tax and VAT for authors from Switzerland

Value Added Tax (VAT, Switzerland) is not included in the article processing charges (APC). Authors from Switzerland will have additional VAT charged in their bill. Authors from Switzerland are asked to pay directly to our main office in Basel, Switzerland and will be billed additional 8% of VAT.

Last Change: 7 January 2011