AJOMENA is an open-access journal committed to making scholarly research freely available to readers worldwide. To support editorial management, peer review processing, production, hosting, and long-term archiving, an Article Processing Charge (APC) is applied to accepted manuscripts.

The standard APC for AJOMENA is:

USD $500 per accepted article

This fee becomes payable only after a manuscript has been accepted for publication following peer review.

The APC covers:

• Editorial and peer review management
• Copyediting and typesetting
• DOI registration and article indexing
• Online hosting and long-term digital preservation
• Open access distribution under CC BY 4.0 license

1.1 APC Payment Conditions

• APCs are not charged at submission stage
• Payment is requested only after final acceptance
• Manuscripts are not published until APC payment is confirmed
• No hidden or additional publication charges will be applied beyond the stated APC

AJOMENA maintains full transparency in all publication-related fees.

1.2 APC Waiver Policy

AJOMENA recognises that some authors may face financial constraints. To promote inclusivity and equitable access to publication, the journal offers APC waivers or reductions under defined conditions.

1.2.1 Eligibility for Waiver or Reduction

Authors may apply for an APC waiver or discount if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

• The corresponding author is based in a low-income or lower-middle-income country as defined by the World Bank classification
• The research is self-funded with no external financial support
• The author is a student or early-career researcher without institutional funding
• The manuscript demonstrates high scientific or societal relevance but lacks funding support for publication
• Documented cases of financial hardship or inability to access research funding

1.2.2 Waiver Application Process

To request an APC waiver, authors must:

1. Submit a written waiver request at the time of manuscript submission or before acceptance decision
2. Include a brief justification outlining financial constraints and eligibility
3. Provide supporting documentation where applicable (e.g., institutional letter, student ID, or funding declaration)

1.2.3 Submission Address for Waiver Requests:

Waiver requests should be sent directly to the editorial office via the journal submission system or official email.

1.2.4 Waiver Review and Decision

• All waiver applications are reviewed confidentially by the editorial office
• Decisions are based on eligibility criteria, funding availability, and journal policy considerations
• Waivers may be granted as:
• Full waiver (100% APC reduction)
• Partial waiver (reduced APC fee)

Important Notes

• Waivers are not guaranteed and are granted at the discretion of AJOMENA
• Waiver approval does not influence editorial or peer review decisions
• Misrepresentation of financial status may result in rejection or withdrawal of the manuscript
• Authors are encouraged to apply early, as retrospective waiver requests may not be considered

Authors will be notified of the outcome prior to final publication processing.

2 Transparency Safeguards

AJOMENA maintains strict ethical safeguards to ensure that financial considerations do not influence editorial decisions:

2.1 Editorial Independence

• APC payments have no influence on peer review outcomes or editorial decisions
• Manuscripts are evaluated solely on scientific quality, originality, and relevance

2.2 Financial Accountability

• All APC transactions are formally recorded and audited
• Financial records are maintained to ensure institutional accountability and transparency
• Revenue generated is used exclusively for editorial processing, platform maintenance, indexing, and publication infrastructure

2.3 Commitment to Accessibility

AJOMENA is committed to balancing financial sustainability with equitable access to scholarly publishing. The APC waiver system is designed to ensure that lack of funding does not become a barrier to the dissemination of high-quality research.

2.4 Ethical Compliance

• APC requirements do not override ethical publishing standards
• All manuscripts are subject to rigorous peer review regardless of funding status
• Editorial decisions remain independent of author financial capability

2.5 Non-Refund Policy

• APCs are non-refundable once publication processing has commenced
• Exceptions may be considered only in cases of administrative error by the journal