ARTICLE PROCESSING CHARGES (APC) AND WAIVER POLICY

ARTICLE PROCESSING CHARGES (APC)
This journal applies article processing charges to authors according to the following policy:

• Article Submission: IDR 0.00/USD 0.00. Authors are not required to pay any fees during the article submission process.
• Fast Track Review: IDR 0.00/USD 0.00. Authors are not required to pay any additional fees for expedited review or editorial processing.
• Article Publication: IDR 0.00/USD 0.00. Authors are not required to pay an Article Publication Fee to cover the costs of editorial processing.

WAIVER POLICY: 
To enhance accessibility and promote the wider dissemination of scholarly knowledge, the International Journal of Counseling and Psychotherapy (IJCP) provides a waiver policy for authors who are unable to pay the Article Processing Charges (APC) due to financial constraints. The journal recognises that many researchers, particularly those affiliated with institutions with limited research funding, may encounter challenges in covering publication costs. Therefore, IJCP has implemented a fee waiver system to support researchers who wish to publish their work while maintaining high academic standards.

The primary mission of IJCP is to accelerate the dissemination of high-quality research in the field of counseling and psychotherapy. In line with this mission, the journal aims to ensure that financial limitations do not become a barrier to the publication of valuable scholarly contributions. Through this policy, IJCP seeks to support researchers from diverse institutional and economic backgrounds while maintaining a transparent and fair evaluation process.

1. Fee Waivers 
IJCP offers the possibility of partial or full waivers of Article Processing Charges for authors who demonstrate financial need. Eligible authors may submit a waiver request following the procedures established by the journal. All waiver requests are evaluated independently from the peer-review process to ensure that editorial decisions are based solely on the academic quality of the manuscript.

2. Eligibility Criteria for Waiver Applications
Waiver requests may be submitted by the author or the corresponding author based on several considerations, including:

• Financial Constraints: Authors affiliated with institutions or countries that have limited research funding or publication support.
• Research Quality: Manuscripts that make a significant contribution to the field and demonstrate strong potential scholarly impact.
• Affiliation or Collaboration: Authors who are members of, or collaborate with, institutions or organizations associated with the journal.
• Country Income Classification: Consideration may also be given to authors from countries categorised according to income level by the World Bank.

World Bank Country Classifications by Income Level:
https://datahelpdesk.worldbank.org/knowledgebase/articles/906519-world-bank-country-and-lending-groups

3. Application Procedure
Authors requesting a waiver should follow the steps below:

• Submission: The waiver request should be submitted together with the manuscript. The request must include the manuscript number (if available) and a brief explanation of the financial circumstances or reasons for the request.
• Review: The request will be evaluated by the editorial committee or authorised journal officials in accordance with the established criteria.
• Decision: The decision on the waiver request will be communicated to the corresponding author, typically within 1 week of receipt.

4. Rights and Policy

• Editorial Discretion: IJCP reserves the right to approve or decline any waiver request. All decisions regarding fee waivers are final and not subject to appeal.
• Confidentiality: All waiver requests and related communications will be handled with strict confidentiality.
• Policy Review: The waiver policy may be reviewed and updated periodically to ensure fairness and transparency.

5. Contact for Waiver Requests
Authors who wish to request a waiver or require further information may contact the journal at the following email addresses: ijcp.ojs@aeducia.org or journal.ijcp@gmail.com. The waiver request should include the manuscript number and a brief explanation of the request.