General Principles

OAE Publishing Inc. (hereafter "OAE") is a fully open access publisher committed to making research immediately and globally accessible. All articles are published under the Gold Open Access (OA) model, ensuring permanent, free, and unrestricted access upon publication.

To support the sustainable dissemination of high-quality research, a one-time Article Processing Charge (APC) is payable upon acceptance of a manuscript, following a rigorous and independent peer review process.

Under this model:

• No submission fees are charged
• No additional fees are applied based on article length, number of figures, color usage, or supplementary materials
• No charges are incurred for rejected manuscripts

This funding model ensures full transparency, supports high editorial and publishing standards, and aligns with international open science principles and funder requirements.

Article Processing Charges

APCs are determined on a per-journal basis and are clearly displayed on each journal's homepage.

The table below outlines OAE's general APC framework, while detailed information on journal-specific fees and applicable article types is available on the respective journal webpages.

Journal Name	Article Processing Charges (USD)
Artificial Intelligence Surgery	USD 2600
Cancer Drug Resistance	USD 2800 (valid before June 1, 2026)
Complex Engineering Systems	USD 1600
Chemical Synthesis	USD 2000
Carbon Footprints	USD 1500
Energy Materials	USD 2800
Extracellular Vesicles and Circulating Nucleic Acids	USD 2600 Special article types (Commentary, Research Highlight, Editorial): USD 500
Hepatoma Research	USD 2600
Intelligence & Robotics	USD 1800
Journal of Cancer Metastasis and Treatment	USD 2600
Journal of Materials Informatics	USD 2600
Journal of Translational Genetics and Genomics	USD 2600
Journal of Environmental Exposure Assessment	USD 1500
Emerging Contaminants and Environmental Health	USD 1500
Metabolism and Target Organ Damage	USD 2600
Microbiome Research Reports	USD 2600
Microstructures	USD 2600
Mini-invasive Surgery	USD 2600
Plastic and Aesthetic Research	USD 2600
Rare Disease and Orphan Drugs Journal	USD 1500
Soft Science	USD 3000
The Journal of Cardiovascular Aging	USD 2600
Vessel Plus	USD 2600

What Do APCs Cover

APCs support the complete publishing process and contribute to ensuring the quality, integrity, and visibility of published research. Services covered by APCs include, but are not limited to:

• Editorial management and peer review coordination
• Professional production, including copyediting and typesetting
• Language quality control and proofreading
• Digital publication, hosting, and long-term archiving
• Platform operation and technical infrastructure
• Indexing, metadata management, and citation linking
• Dissemination and promotion of published content
• Compliance with ethical standards and publishing best practices

How APCs Are Set

APC levels are reviewed periodically and may be adjusted over time. Pricing is determined based on a combination of factors, including:

• Journal quality and development stage
• Editorial and production requirements
• Discipline-specific publishing norms
• Market conditions and benchmarking against comparable journals
• Operational and infrastructure costs associated with open access publishing

In some cases, different APCs may apply to specific article types or journal categories. Any such variations are clearly indicated on the relevant journal website.

APC Discount and Waiver Policy

OAE is committed to promoting equitable access to open access publishing and reducing financial barriers for researchers worldwide. The APC discount and waiver framework follows internationally recognized standards and uses the World Bank country classifications by income level as the primary reference.

The World Bank classifies economies based on Gross National Income (GNI) per capita using the Atlas method. These classifications are updated annually to reflect global economic conditions. OAE applies the most recent World Bank classification at the time of submission to ensure a transparent and consistent policy framework.

(The current World Bank country classifications by income level are provided below.)

APC Discount and Waiver Eligibility

APC discounts and waivers are determined based on the corresponding author's country of institutional affiliation and the latest World Bank classification.

• Low-income countries (LICs)
  → 100% APC waiver
• Lower-middle-income countries (LMICs)
  → 50% APC discount

Eligibility is assessed based on the corresponding author's affiliation country, unless otherwise specified by the journal.

This policy aligns with global publishing practices and is consistent with initiatives such as Research4Life, which use World Bank income classifications to support equitable access to scholarly publishing.

Source: World Bank Country Classifications (latest fiscal year)

Additional Waiver Considerations (Case-by-Case)

Recognizing that financial constraints are not solely determined by country income levels, OAE provides additional support through case-by-case APC waivers or discounts.

Full or partial waivers may be granted under the following circumstances:

• Lack of institutional, grant, or project funding
• Early-career researchers without dedicated funding support
• Authors working in underfunded or emerging research fields
• Manuscripts of exceptional academic merit where authors demonstrate financial need
• Authors affected by economic, geopolitical, or institutional constraints

All requests are assessed confidentially and independently. Applicants may be required to provide supporting information as part of the evaluation process.

Authors are encouraged to submit requests at the time of manuscript submission by contacting the relevant journal's Editorial Office or via email at info@oaepublish.com.

Article Types Exempt from APCs

The following article types are generally published free of charge:

• Editorials
• Retractions and expressions of concern
• Selected invited content (at the journal's discretion)

Each journal reserves the right to determine APC applicability for specific article types.

Commitment to Equity and Transparency

OAE provides full or partial waivers for approximately 20%–30% of published articles annually, reflecting its ongoing commitment to:

• Promoting global research equity
• Supporting authors from resource-limited environments
• Encouraging participation from diverse and emerging research communities

Importantly:

• Editorial decisions are entirely independent of an author's ability to pay
• All submissions undergo the same rigorous peer review process, regardless of APC status
• Waiver requests do not influence editorial outcomes

Payment Methods

Upon acceptance of a manuscript, an official invoice will be issued to the corresponding author or designated payer. Payment should be completed in accordance with the instructions provided in the invoice.

OAE supports the following payment methods:

1. Bank Transfer (Wire Transfer)

Payments may be made via international or domestic bank transfer.

Payment Requirements:

• The Manuscript ID (e.g., XXX-XXXX-XX) must be included in the payment reference
• All bank charges (including intermediary and receiving bank fees) are the responsibility of the payer to ensure that the full invoiced amount is received
• A standard bank handling fee (typically around USD 50) may apply, depending on the transferring bank

Illustrative Example:

If the APC is USD 1,500, the total payment required is: USD 1,550 (USD 1,500 + USD 50)

2. Online Payment (PayPal / Stripe)

Online payment is available via PayPal or Stripe.

• Account: finance@oaepublish.com

Payment Requirements:

• The Manuscript ID (e.g., XXX-XXXX-XX) must be included in the payment reference
• A transaction fee of 5% applies to all online payments

Illustrative Example:

If the APC is USD 1,500, the total payment required is: USD 1,575 (USD 1,500 + 5% fee)

3. Online Payment (SocoPay)

SocoPay is available for authors who require local payment options in China or official Chinese VAT invoices (fapiao). Supported payment channels include Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay, and bank transfer.

Payment Requirements:

• A 6% service fee applies to SocoPay transactions

Illustrative Example:

If the APC is USD 1,500, the total payment required is: USD 1,590 (USD 1,500 + 6% fee)

Authorized Payment Arrangement:

To facilitate local payment processing and invoicing, OAE may designate authorized third-party service providers (e.g., SocoPay) to process payments on its behalf. Such providers act solely as payment and invoicing agents and have no involvement in editorial or publishing decisions.

For further details, please refer to the authorization document below.

Transparency and Compliance

OAE is committed to maintaining transparency and compliance in open access publishing. The APC policies are designed to be clear, consistent, and aligned with internationally recognized standards.

• APCs are clearly displayed on each journal's homepage, with no hidden charges
• Discounts, waivers, and eligibility criteria are publicly available
• Authors are informed of the final APC amount prior to invoicing
• Editorial decisions are independent of authors' ability to pay

OAE aligns its policies with:

• World Bank country income classifications
• Open access requirements from major funders and institutions
• Established best practices in scholarly publishing and ethics

APC policies are reviewed periodically to ensure ongoing fairness, transparency, and alignment with the evolving scholarly publishing landscape.

Refund Policy

• APCs are non-refundable once an article has been formally published online, as publishing services have been fully delivered
• Refunds may only be considered in exceptional circumstances involving errors attributable to the publisher, and are assessed on a case-by-case basis
• No refunds will be issued for withdrawals, retractions, or author-initiated changes after publication

APC Information and FAQs

When Is the APC Payable?

APCs are payable only after a manuscript has been formally accepted for publication following peer review.

• Any applicable discounts or waivers are applied prior to invoice issuance, ensuring that authors are billed the final adjusted amount
• An official invoice is issued to the corresponding author or designated payer upon acceptance
• Publication will proceed after full payment has been received, in accordance with OAE's standard publishing workflow

How to Request an APC Waiver or Discount

Authors are encouraged to submit waiver or discount requests at the time of manuscript submission.

Requests should include:

• Full name and institutional affiliation
• A clear justification for the request
• Manuscript title
• Country of residence for all authors

Requests may be submitted via:

• The journal's Editorial Office, or
• Email at info@oaepublish.com

Please note that requests submitted after acceptance may not be considered.

Invoicing and Payment Timeline

Following manuscript acceptance, an official invoice will be issued to the corresponding author or designated payer, reflecting the final APC amount after any applicable discounts or waivers.

Payment is expected within the timeframe specified in the invoice. Upon confirmation of payment, the article will proceed to final production and publication.

Please note:

• Publication is contingent upon receipt of full payment
• Delays in payment may result in delays in publication
• Editorial decisions are made independently of payment status

Funding of APCs

Many funding agencies and institutions support or reimburse APCs for open access publishing.

• Authors are encouraged to consult their funder or institution regarding APC coverage
• APCs may be funded through research grants, institutional open access funds, or institutional agreements, where applicable
• OAE policies are aligned with major open access frameworks and funder requirements

Language and Figure Requirements

The APC includes basic English language proofreading for accepted manuscripts.

• Authors are responsible for ensuring clarity of language and the quality of figures prior to submission
• Figures must meet publication standards to avoid delays during production

Additional language and figure editing services are available through OAE Author Services.