Refund Policy

The Social and Management Sciences Research Journal (SMSRJ) follows a clear and transparent refund policy concerning Article Processing Charges (APC). This policy aims to ensure fairness and clarity regarding refunds in cases of manuscript withdrawal or cancellation.

1. APC Payment Overview:

• The APC is a fee levied to authors for the publication of accepted articles in the journal. This fee helps cover the costs of the peer review, editing, typesetting, and publication processes.

• Payment of the APC is required once the article has been accepted for publication.

2. Refund Conditions:
SMSRJ offers refunds under the following specific circumstances:

A. Withdrawal Before Peer Review:

• If the manuscript is withdrawn by the author before the peer review process begins, the author is eligible for a full refund of the APC, minus any administrative fees that may have been incurred during the submission process.

B. Withdrawal After Peer Review but Before Acceptance:

• If the manuscript has undergone peer review but has not yet been accepted for publication, authors are eligible for a partial refund of the APC, depending on the work that has already been completed by the editorial team. The refund will be calculated based on the stage of the review process at the time of withdrawal.

C. Withdrawal After Acceptance:

• Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication, no refunds will be issued, as the journal has already incurred significant costs for peer review, editing, and initial preparation for publication.

D. Post-Publication Refunds:

• After an article has been published online or in print, no refunds will be issued under any circumstances. This includes situations where an article is retracted after publication. All costs related to the publication process, including typesetting, online hosting, and editorial work, are final.

3. Refund Processing:

• Refund requests must be submitted in writing to the editorial office via email, detailing the reason for the request and the stage at which the manuscript is in the publication process.

• Refunds will be processed within 30 days of receiving the formal request, provided the conditions for a refund are met.

4. Administrative Fees:

• In some cases, a small administrative fee may be deducted from the total refund amount, especially if work on the manuscript has begun (e.g., initial review or administrative processing).

• The specific amount of any administrative fee will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

5. Refund Eligibility:

• Authors must ensure that they follow the proper procedure for withdrawal and refund requests. Refunds will only be considered if the manuscript withdrawal request is submitted in accordance with the journal’s policies.

6. No Refunds for APC After Final Publication:

• Once an article has been finalized for publication (i.e., accepted, typeset, and scheduled for online or print release), no refunds will be issued, even if the article is subsequently withdrawn or retracted for any reason.

7. Special Circumstances:

• In cases where an article is rejected by the journal after payment of the APC, authors will receive a full refund of the APC.

• Refunds for exceptional cases (e.g., errors or mistakes made by the editorial team) will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

8. Contact Information:
For any refund inquiries or to request a refund, authors are encouraged to contact the editorial office via email at [email/contact details]. The editorial office will respond promptly and provide further instructions.