Article Processing Charges
Article Processing Charges (APC)
GHU Open operates under a Gold Open Access publishing model, where Article Processing Charges (APCs) support the costs of professional editorial services, peer review management, copyediting, typesetting, hosting, indexing, and long-term preservation. Authors are charged only upon acceptance of their manuscripts.
APC Schedule
| Period | APC (USD) | APC (KRW) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch Year (2026) | $0 (Free) | 0원 | All APCs waived for inaugural year |
| Year 2 (2027) | $750 | 약 1,000,000원 | 50% Launch Discount |
| Year 3+ (2028 onwards) | $1,500 | 약 2,000,000원 | Standard rate |
KRW prices are approximate and may vary based on exchange rates at the time of payment.
What APC Covers
The APC supports:
- Editorial management and peer review coordination
- Plagiarism detection (iThenticate)
- Professional copyediting and proofreading
- Typesetting and XML production
- DOI registration via Crossref
- HTML and PDF generation
- Web hosting and bandwidth
- Long-term preservation (LOCKSS, CLOCKSS, PKP PN)
- Indexing service submissions
- Marketing and promotion
No Submission Fees
There are no submission fees. The journal does not charge for the submission, peer review, or rejection of manuscripts. APCs are payable only after a manuscript is accepted.
Waivers and Discounts
GHU Open is committed to ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent the publication of high-quality research. We offer the following waiver and discount programs:
Full Waivers (100% discount)
- Authors from countries classified by the World Bank as low-income economies
- Authors with no institutional or grant funding (case-by-case review)
- Authors from disaster-affected regions
Partial Waivers (50% discount)
- Authors from countries classified as lower-middle-income economies
- Early-career researchers (within 5 years of PhD/last clinical training)
- Authors from emerging economies experiencing currency volatility
Editorial Board Member Discount
Editorial Board members receive a 25% discount on APCs for their own publications, applicable to no more than two articles per year.
Reviewer Discount
Reviewers who complete two or more reviews per calendar year receive a 25% discount on their next APC.
Special Issue Promotions
Promotional rates may be offered for invited submissions to special issues. Specific terms are announced in each call for papers.
Requesting a Waiver
Waiver requests should be submitted at the time of manuscript submission via the journal's submission system or by email to ghu@ghuopen.org. Requests must include:
- Author and co-author affiliations
- Sources of research funding (if any)
- Country of corresponding author's primary affiliation
- Brief justification for the waiver request
Decisions on waiver requests are made independently of the editorial review process and do not influence editorial decisions in any way.
Payment Methods
The following payment methods are accepted:
- Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express)
- PayPal
- Bank transfer (international wire)
- Korean domestic bank transfer (for Korean authors)
- Institutional purchase orders (subject to verification)
Tax invoices are issued upon payment. Korean tax invoices (세금계산서) are available upon request for authors based in Korea.
Currency and Taxes
- APCs are quoted in USD; payment can be made in equivalent KRW or other major currencies
- Korean VAT (10%) applies for Korean institutional payments unless tax-exempt status is documented
- For international payments, applicable taxes and exchange fees are the responsibility of the payer
Refund Policy
APCs are non-refundable once the article is published. In exceptional circumstances (e.g., journal-side error, formal retraction without author fault), refunds may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Conflicts of Interest
The decision to accept or reject a manuscript is made solely on scientific merit and is independent of the author's ability or willingness to pay APCs. Editors and reviewers are not informed of authors' payment status during the review process.
Comparison with Other Journals
Our APC structure is significantly more affordable than comparable international open access journals:
- Major commercial publishers: $2,000-$5,000+
- Society journals: $1,500-$3,000
- GHU Open: $1,500 (with launch promotions)
We achieve cost efficiency through streamlined operations, partnerships with non-profit infrastructure providers (PKP, Crossref), and careful management of overhead costs.
Transparency Statement
In accordance with DOAJ guidelines, we commit to full transparency regarding APCs. Any changes to the APC structure will be announced at least three months in advance and will not affect manuscripts already in review.
Contact
For questions about APCs, payment, waivers, or financial matters, contact:
GHU Open Financial Office
Email: ghu@ghuopen.org
