Refund Policy

At Fundamental Scientific Reports in Multidisciplinary Areas, we are committed to providing high-quality services to authors, readers, and institutions. Our refund policy is designed to be transparent, ensuring that all parties are aware of the terms and conditions regarding refunds for services related to manuscript submission, publication, and other journal-related fees.

1. Submission Fees

For articles submitted to the journal, no submission fees are typically charged. However, if any fees are introduced for specific services (e.g., processing or formatting fees), the following conditions will apply:

  • Refund Eligibility: Once a manuscript is submitted and payment for any service is processed, a refund is generally not available unless the manuscript is rejected before the peer review process begins.

  • Conditions for Refund: If a manuscript is withdrawn before the peer review process begins or if there is a technical issue preventing submission, a full refund may be issued upon request.

2. Peer Review Fees

In cases where peer review fees are charged, these are typically non-refundable after the manuscript has been sent out for review.

  • Refunds Before Peer Review: If an author decides to withdraw their manuscript before the review process starts, they may request a full refund for any peer review fees that have been paid.

  • Refunds After Peer Review Has Begun: Once the manuscript has entered the peer review process, no refund will be provided, as the peer review service has already been initiated.

3. Publication Fees

If publication fees (such as Article Processing Charges, or APCs) are applicable to an accepted manuscript, the following rules apply:

  • Refund Eligibility: If a manuscript is accepted and payment for publication fees is received, the fees are non-refundable after the article has been scheduled for publication.

  • Refunds After Acceptance: If the article is withdrawn by the author prior to publication and has already been processed for publication (including in the layout or online ahead of print), no refund will be issued.

  • Exceptional Cases: In exceptional cases where there are issues related to the journal’s responsibility (e.g., failure to publish, serious editorial or technical issues), a partial or full refund may be considered.

4. Print Orders

For authors or institutions that request paper prints of published articles, the following conditions apply:

  • Refund Eligibility: Once a print order is placed and payment is processed, no refund is available unless the print order is delayed beyond the promised delivery period or if there is an error in the printing process (e.g., incorrect content, poor print quality).

  • Cancellation of Print Orders: If the print order is canceled before it is processed or shipped, a full refund will be provided.

5. Payment Processing Fees

  • Payment Method Fees: If applicable, any transaction or payment processing fees charged by third-party payment processors (e.g., PayPal, Stripe) are non-refundable, even if the refund request for the article processing fees is approved.

6. Refund Request Process

  • How to Request a Refund: To request a refund, authors must submit a formal request via email to the editorial office, including the submission ID, reason for the refund request, and any supporting documentation if required.

  • Response Time: Refund requests will be processed within 7-10 business days. The decision to approve or deny the refund will be based on the specific circumstances and policy terms.

  • Approval or Denial: After reviewing the request, the journal’s editorial team will notify the author about the outcome of the refund request. If the refund is approved, the payment will be processed back through the same method used for the original transaction.

7. No Refunds for Rejected Articles

  • Rejected Articles: If a manuscript is rejected after the peer review process, no refund will be issued. The peer review and editorial services provided up to that point are considered complete.

  • Withdrawn Articles: If an author withdraws their manuscript after it has been sent for peer review or once the article is accepted for publication, no refund will be issued, as the journal has already provided services related to the manuscript.

8. Exceptions

  • Exceptional Circumstances: In rare cases, such as system errors, administrative mistakes, or other unforeseen events, the journal may consider exceptions to this refund policy. These cases will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and the journal may offer a partial or full refund at its discretion.