This Waiver Policy outlines the conditions, eligibility, and procedural steps under which authors may request a waiver or reduction of the Article Processing Charges (APC) for manuscripts accepted in the Clinical Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (CJOG). While CJOG operates a Gold Open Access model, we recognize that financial limitations may affect the ability of some authors to cover APCs. This policy is designed to ensure that publication opportunities remain accessible, equitable, and transparent regardless of an author's financial capacity.

Purpose of This Policy

The purpose of the CJOG Waiver Policy is to provide a structured and fair administrative mechanism for evaluating waiver requests. The journal maintains editorial independence throughout the peer-review process, and waiver eligibility does not influence acceptance outcomes. Waivers are considered only after a manuscript has been accepted for publication. Requests submitted before acceptance are noted but not processed until the post-acceptance stage.

1. Eligibility for Waiver Consideration

The following categories of authors may be eligible for full or partial APC waivers. Because this is a minimalistic administrative policy, eligibility focuses on clear, uniform criteria without detailed tiering:

Authors from low-income countries as classified by the World Bank.
Authors affiliated with institutions lacking publication support or active research funding.
Early-career researchers (students, residents, postdocs) who can demonstrate significant financial need.
Authors facing unexpected financial hardship, such as medical emergencies, job loss, or crisis-related constraints.
Independent researchers working without institutional affiliation or grants.

Authors from lower-middle-income countries may be considered for partial waivers based on editorial discretion. However, authors with active grants, funded projects, or institutional publication budgets are expected to allocate resources for APCs whenever available.

2. Principles Governing the Waiver Program

This policy is guided by the following principles:

Equity: Ensuring that inability to pay does not prevent quality research from being published.
Transparency: Clear criteria and processing steps for all applicants.
Editorial Independence: Waiver decisions are made independently of editorial review or peer-review decisions.
Confidentiality: Waiver requests are treated confidentially and do not affect the visibility of accepted authors.

3. Important Notes for Applicants

Waivers are considered only after acceptance.
Requests must be supported by truthful, verifiable information.
Incomplete applications may delay processing.
Waivers are granted on a limited, budget-dependent basis.
Authors should explore institutional, departmental, or funder publication support before applying.

Disclaimer:
Submitting a waiver request does not guarantee approval. CJOG evaluates each request individually based on financial justification and budget availability.

4. How to Apply for a Waiver

Authors wishing to request a waiver must follow the simple administrative steps below. These steps ensure uniformity, fairness, and timely evaluation of applications.

Step 1: Wait for Acceptance Notification

Waiver requests submitted before acceptance are recorded but not processed. A manuscript must undergo full peer review and be judged purely on scientific merit before the waiver process begins.

Step 2: Prepare a Short Waiver Request

The waiver request must include:

Full name of corresponding author
Manuscript ID and title
Affiliation(s)
Country
Explanation of financial need
Statement confirming absence of grant or institutional funds

Sample Waiver Request (Email Template):

Subject: Waiver Request for APC – Manuscript CJOG-25-RA-114

Dear Editorial Office,

I am writing to request consideration for a waiver of the Article Processing Charges 
for my accepted manuscript titled:
“Maternal Nutrition and Preterm Birth Outcomes.”

As the corresponding author, I am based in a low-income country and currently do not 
have access to institutional or grant funding to cover the APC. I confirm that no 
research funding or publication support is available for this project.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
[Author Name]
[Institution]
[Country]

Step 3: Submit Request to the Editorial Office

Send the completed waiver request email to: [email protected]

Step 4: Editorial Review of Request

Requests are reviewed by the journal’s administrative team.
Decision time is typically 5–7 business days.
Additional documentation may be requested if needed.

Step 5: Notification of Outcome

Authors receive a waiver decision via email, outlining whether:

A full waiver is approved
A partial waiver is granted
The request is declined due to insufficient eligibility criteria

5. Eligible Circumstances for Waiver Support

While this policy maintains minimalism, the following circumstances commonly qualify:

Affiliation in countries listed as low-income by the World Bank
Students or early-career researchers with no funding
Unfunded independent researchers
Authors affected by conflict, displacement, or humanitarian crises
Unexpected loss of income or institutional funding

Circumstances that typically do not qualify:

Availability of grant funds explicitly allowing APCs
Institutional or departmental publication budgets
Requests from funded researchers without financial justification

6. Examples of Waiver Decisions

Scenario	Waiver Outcome	Reason
Author from low-income country; no grant funding	Full waiver granted	Meets core eligibility
Author from lower-middle-income country with hardship	Partial waiver granted	Financial constraint justified
Author with active federal research grant	Denied	Grant should cover APC
Independent researcher; unfunded project	Full waiver granted	No institutional support available
Senior researcher with university publication budget	Denied	Funds available

7. Editorial Independence and Waiver Review

To prevent bias and maintain ethical integrity, waiver evaluation does not involve the editors or reviewers responsible for peer review. Waiver status is not visible to reviewers, ensuring the scientific quality of a manuscript remains the sole basis for editorial decisions. This policy is fully aligned with COPE principles.

8. Confidentiality of Waiver Requests

Waiver applications are kept confidential. Approval or denial does not appear in published articles nor is it disclosed to reviewers or external parties. Only administrative personnel directly involved in processing the waiver will access the information.

9. Timing and Validity of Waiver Decisions

Waiver decisions are valid for 30 days from the date of issuance. Authors are expected to complete the publication process within this window unless a special extension is granted. Waivers cannot be transferred to other manuscripts or reused for future submissions.

10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does requesting a waiver affect my chances of acceptance?

No. Waiver requests are reviewed only after acceptance and never influence editorial decisions.

Can I request a waiver during submission?

You may indicate need, but the formal request is processed only post-acceptance.

Do coauthors need to meet eligibility criteria?

No. Eligibility is evaluated primarily based on the corresponding author.

Can my waiver request be declined?

Yes. Waiver approval is based on eligibility and journal budget availability.

How long does a decision take?

Typically 5–7 business days after receipt of a complete request.

How many times can I request a waiver?

Once per accepted manuscript.

Conclusion

The CJOG Waiver Policy ensures access to publication for financially constrained authors while maintaining sustainability in open-access operations. By providing a clear and simple structure, the policy supports global equity, ethical publishing, and transparent scientific communication.