Springer Nature APC Waiver and Discount Policy: Who Qualifies and How to Apply

At a glance100% 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 Must be requested, usually at submission

Check Springer Nature's waiver for your author team

Co-authors (where they work)

Only the country is needed: without a journal you get every publisher's result for your author team. Free. No sign-up. Uses the publishers' published rules, last verified 27 October 2026.

Which countries qualify at Springer Nature

Countries are matched by the author's institutional affiliation, not nationality.

100% waiver 25 countries Springer Nature full waiver list

Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Kinshasa), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Uganda, Ukraine, Yemen

50% off 42 countries Springer Nature 50% list

Angola, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Cambodia, Cameroon, Comoros, Congo (Brazzaville), Djibouti, Eswatini, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Palestinian Territory, Papua New Guinea, Senegal, Solomon Islands, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Co-authors from other countries

Only the corresponding author's affiliation counts. Co-authors from other countries do not change the waiver.

Corresponding author only: 'papers whose corresponding authors are based in...'

Country-specific arrangements

  • India (ONOS): 75% discount for Indian authors in 64 selected Springer journals; the national APC fund covers selected fully open access journals for eligible government institutions.
  • Ukraine: raised to 100% after the Russian invasion; Springer Nature calls this temporary.

How to get the waiver

Request at submission; fully open access journals only; tiered-price pilot journals override waivers.

Programmes: Own World Bank-based waiver list; country-tiered APC pilot; ONOS.

Official sources: springernature.com ↗

Springer Nature journals on ScholarsColab

Each journal page shows its indexing, impact factor, review time, reviewer comments and this waiver.

BioMed Central (BMC)EMBO PressScientific ReportsSpringer Nature Discover journalsElsevierTaylor & FrancisOxford University PressACMCureusDove Medical PressSAGECambridge University Press

Schemes used: World Bank income groups, Country-tiered APC pricing, National agreements (ONOS India), Discretionary hardship waivers. All publishers and schemes →

Frequently asked questions

Does Springer Nature offer APC waivers?

100% waiver for low-income countries and 50% for lower-middle income countries (World Bank list with a GDP limit), on request at submission. Must be requested, usually at submission.

Who gets a full APC waiver at Springer Nature?

Authors affiliated in 25 countries qualify for a 100% waiver. Only the corresponding author's affiliation counts. Co-authors from other countries do not change the waiver.

Does the Springer Nature waiver apply if my co-authors are from other countries?

Only the corresponding author's affiliation counts. Co-authors from other countries do not change the waiver.

How do I apply for an APC waiver at Springer Nature?

Request at submission; fully open access journals only; tiered-price pilot journals override waivers.

Are there national arrangements with Springer Nature?

India (ONOS): 75% discount for Indian authors in 64 selected Springer journals; the national APC fund covers selected fully open access journals for eligible government institutions. Ukraine: raised to 100% after the Russian invasion; Springer Nature calls this temporary.

Before you submit

Source, method and date. Each publisher's rule was read from its official waiver page (linked on every row) and the country lists from Research4Life, EIFL, the World Bank income classification and the publishers' own lists. Last verified: 27 October 2026. Policies change, Research4Life updates its lists every January and the World Bank every July, and some waivers are temporary or decided case by case. The checker reads the published rules; it cannot promise a waiver. Confirm on the publisher's page before you submit. ScholarsColab is not affiliated with any publisher listed here; logos are trademarks of their owners, shown only to name the publishers whose rules we read.

Confidence of this entry: High.