Check your author team
Publishers and journals using this scheme
| Publisher or journal | What it gives | Whose affiliation counts | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elsevier | Automatic 100% waiver for Research4Life Group A and 50% for Group B in fully open access journals, but only when every author is in an eligible country | Every author | elsevier.com ↗ |
| Springer Nature | 100% waiver for low-income countries and 50% for lower-middle income countries (World Bank list with a GDP limit), on request at submission | Corresponding author only | springernature.com ↗ |
| EMBO Press | Country-tiered APC: the corresponding author's country decides whether the paper pays 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of the list price | Corresponding author only | springernature.com ↗ |
| BMC journals with country-tiered pricing journal | Sixty BMC journals in Springer Nature's pilot set the APC by the corresponding author's country: the paper pays 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of the list price | Corresponding author only | springernature.com ↗ |
Other schemes: Research4Life, EIFL agreements, World Bank income groups, Publisher country lists, National agreements (ONOS India), No APC (diamond and Subscribe to Open), Discretionary hardship waivers, Institutional and read & publish deals. APC waiver checker →
Frequently asked questions
What is Country-tiered APC pricing?
Instead of a waiver, the APC itself is set by the corresponding author's country: authors in lower-income countries pay a smaller share of the list price.
Which publishers use Country-tiered APC pricing for APC waivers?
Among the publishers we checked: Elsevier, Springer Nature, EMBO Press, BMC journals with country-tiered pricing. Each one decides its own percentages and co-author rule.
Does being on the list guarantee a waiver?
No. The list decides which countries can qualify; each publisher then applies its own rule on whose affiliation counts, on funding and on journal type. Check the publisher page and confirm with the journal before submitting.