Refund Policy

Heighpubs Otolaryngology and Rhinology (HOR) charges Article Processing Charges (APCs) to sustain its open access publishing model. While APCs are generally non-refundable, this policy outlines specific situations where partial or full refunds may be considered. The aim is to balance fairness for authors with sustainability of journal operations.

General Principles

  • APCs support editorial management, peer review, production, DOI registration, indexing, and archiving.
  • Once services are rendered, APCs cannot generally be refunded.
  • Refunds are considered only in exceptional and well-documented circumstances.

Eligibility for Refund

Refunds may be granted under the following conditions:

  • Duplicate Payment: If APC is paid more than once due to technical errors.
  • Technical Errors: Payment charged but no service initiated (e.g., submission not received).
  • Article Rejection Before Review: If an article is rejected before editorial or peer review starts.
  • Withdrawal Before Review: If authors withdraw before review and request refund.

Non-Refundable Situations

APCs will not be refunded if:

  • The article has entered peer review.
  • The article has been accepted and published online.
  • Authors withdraw after review or acceptance.
  • Authors request withdrawal without valid justification.

Partial Refunds

In rare cases, partial refunds may be considered where some services are delivered but publication is not completed. For example:

  • Administrative deduction for peer review management costs
  • Partial refund if withdrawal occurs during formatting/production

Refund Process

To request a refund, authors must email [email protected] with:

  • Proof of payment
  • Article ID and title
  • Reason for refund request
  • Consent from all authors (if applicable)

Refunds are processed within 30 business days after approval.

Refund Table

Stage Refund Eligibility
Before review Full refund (minus admin fees)
During review Not eligible
After acceptance Not eligible
Post-publication Not eligible
Duplicate payment Full refund

Institutional and Funder Payments

Refunds to institutions or funders follow the same rules. Invoices must be provided to process claims. HOR encourages institutions to review this policy before making payments on behalf of authors.

Sanctions and Abuse

HOR reserves the right to decline refund requests if:

  • Repeated or frivolous refund requests are made
  • Requests are linked to unethical withdrawals
  • There is evidence of fraud or payment manipulation

Example: If an author pays APCs twice due to a payment gateway error, a full refund of the duplicate payment will be processed within 30 days.

FAQs

Can I get a refund if my article is rejected after peer review?

No, APCs are charged for the review and editorial process even if the article is not accepted.

What if I accidentally submitted the same article twice?

The duplicate submission will be withdrawn, and if duplicate payments were made, a refund will be issued.

Do refunds apply to waivers or discounts?

No, waived or discounted APCs are not eligible for refunds.

How do I track my refund request?

Authors will receive email confirmation upon approval, followed by payment reversal or bank transfer details.

Contact Information