Refund Policy

Refund Policy for Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence Research

Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence Research is committed to providing transparent and fair policies for all authors who submit their work to the journal. This Refund Policy outlines the circumstances under which authors may be eligible for a refund related to publication fees and other charges.

1. Article Processing Charges (APC)

Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence Research is an open-access journal, and authors are required to pay an Article Processing Charge (APC) once their manuscript has been accepted for publication. The APC covers the costs of the peer review process, editing, production, and the hosting of the article in an open-access format.

2. Refund Eligibility

Refunds will only be considered under specific conditions, as outlined below:

  • Before Acceptance (Withdrawal of Manuscript):
    • Full Refund: If the manuscript is withdrawn by the author before it has been accepted for publication, a full refund of the APC will be issued. The author must notify the editorial office promptly to request withdrawal, and the manuscript must not have been sent to reviewers for peer review.
  • After Acceptance but Before Publication:
    • Partial Refund: If the manuscript is withdrawn after it has been accepted but before it is published, the author may be eligible for a partial refund, depending on the amount of work already completed in the production process. In such cases, the refund will be determined by the editorial team and will be based on the stage of the editorial process (e.g., if copyediting or layout work has begun).
    • Non-Refundable Fees: If the manuscript has already entered the production process (e.g., copyediting, typesetting), the APC is generally non-refundable, as substantial work has already been completed.
  • After Publication:
    • No Refund: Once an article has been published (either online or in a print issue), no refund will be issued. Articles that have been formally published are considered part of the permanent academic record and cannot be reversed or refunded.
  • Administrative and Transaction Fees:
    • Any administrative, processing, or transaction fees (such as bank transfer fees or credit card processing fees) are non-refundable under any circumstances, even if the manuscript is withdrawn before acceptance or after acceptance.

3. Exceptional Circumstances for Refund

Refunds may also be considered in exceptional cases where there are significant issues with the submission process, such as:

  • Technical Errors: If there is a technical issue with the manuscript submission or payment process that prevents the manuscript from being reviewed or published, a refund may be issued.
  • Duplicate Billing: If an error occurs in billing, and the author is charged incorrectly, a full refund will be issued for the overcharge.

In such cases, the author should contact the editorial office promptly to explain the situation and request a refund. The editorial office will review the circumstances and determine whether a refund is warranted.

4. Requesting a Refund

To request a refund, authors must:

  • Step 1: Submit a Refund Request: Authors must submit a formal refund request to the editorial office via email, including the manuscript ID, the reason for the request, and any relevant details (such as proof of technical error or duplicate billing).

  • Step 2: Review and Decision: The editorial office will review the refund request and determine eligibility based on the circumstances and the stage of the manuscript’s publication process. The decision will be communicated to the author within 10 business days.

  • Step 3: Refund Processing: If the refund is approved, the refund will be processed using the same payment method used for the initial transaction (e.g., credit card, bank transfer). Processing may take up to 30 days, depending on the payment method and financial institution.

5. Refund Exceptions

  • Non-refundable Fees: As noted, the Article Processing Charge (APC) is generally non-refundable after acceptance, particularly if substantial editorial work has been completed.
  • Multiple Withdrawals: Authors who repeatedly withdraw manuscripts after acceptance may face restrictions on future submissions or refunds, as this may disrupt the editorial process.

6. Ethical Considerations and Misconduct

  • Plagiarism or Research Misconduct: In cases of plagiarism or serious research misconduct, the journal reserves the right to withhold any refund and take appropriate action, including rejecting the manuscript, notifying the author's institution, or retracting the article after publication.

7. Updates to the Policy

Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence Research reserves the right to amend or update this Refund Policy at any time. Any changes to the policy will be communicated to authors and made available on the journal’s website.