Waiver Eligibility

Purpose and General Principle

The Journal of AI-Integrated Medical Sciences (JAIMS) recognizes that article processing charges may create financial barriers for researchers working in countries and institutions where access to publication funding is limited. The journal therefore maintains a transparent waiver and discount policy intended to promote equitable participation in scholarly communication while maintaining the financial sustainability and editorial independence of the journal.

JAIMS administers publication-charge waivers independently from manuscript assessment and editorial decision-making. A waiver, discount, or financial-assistance request has no influence on peer review, editorial consideration, acceptance, rejection, revision requirements, publication priority, or the scientific assessment of a manuscript.

Country-Based Eligibility

For country-based waiver and discount eligibility, JAIMS uses the current income classification published by the World Bank under its Country and Lending Groups framework. The journal does not maintain a permanent country list within this policy because international income classifications may be revised periodically. Eligibility is therefore assessed using the classification applicable at the time the waiver request is considered.

Authors should consult the current World Bank classification when determining whether their institutional affiliation falls within an eligible income category. Where a country or economy changes classification, JAIMS will apply the classification applicable under the journal's published waiver framework at the relevant time.

Authors from Low-Income Economies

A corresponding author whose institutional affiliation is located in an economy classified by the World Bank as a low-income economy is eligible for a 100% waiver of the standard article processing charge applicable to the manuscript. Where the published eligibility conditions are satisfied and the affiliation has been accurately declared, the waiver is administered in accordance with this policy and does not depend upon the scientific outcome of the manuscript.

Authors from Lower-Middle-Income Economies

A corresponding author whose institutional affiliation is located in an economy classified by the World Bank as a lower-middle-income economy is eligible for a 50% reduction in the standard article processing charge, subject to the published eligibility requirements. The applicable remaining charge, if any, will be communicated transparently to the author before publication.

Individual Financial Assistance

Authors who do not qualify for the automatic country-based categories may request individual consideration where the applicable publication charge represents a substantial financial barrier and reasonable institutional, departmental, grant, funder, or other publication support is unavailable.

Such requests are considered by JAIMS on an individual basis. The granting of a full or partial waiver in these circumstances is a journal decision and is not an automatic entitlement. JAIMS reserves the right to determine whether the circumstances presented justify financial assistance and, where appropriate, the extent of any waiver or reduction that may be granted.

Journal Administration and Discretion

JAIMS retains responsibility for the administration and interpretation of this waiver policy. Except where an author satisfies an expressly defined automatic eligibility category, the approval, extent, and conditions of financial assistance are determined by the journal in accordance with its published policies and available publication resources.

The journal may request reasonable clarification or supporting information where the basis of a waiver request cannot otherwise be established. JAIMS may also decline, modify, or limit an individual waiver where the stated circumstances do not meet the requirements of this policy or where the information supplied is incomplete, inaccurate, or materially misleading.

Corresponding Author and Institutional Affiliation

Country-based waiver eligibility is determined using the institutional affiliation of the corresponding author. The affiliation provided at submission must accurately represent the institution with which the corresponding author is associated. Authors must not designate or change a corresponding author solely to obtain a publication-charge waiver where such a designation would not accurately reflect the manuscript's authorship and correspondence arrangements.

Multi-Author Manuscripts

For manuscripts with multiple authors, the country-based waiver category is determined by the corresponding author's eligible institutional affiliation. The affiliations of co-authors in other countries do not independently alter the applicable country-based category. All authors remain responsible for ensuring that the authorship, affiliation, and correspondence information submitted to JAIMS is accurate and complete.

Research Funding and Institutional Support

Authors are expected to disclose applicable research funding, institutional support, sponsorship, and other financial relationships in accordance with JAIMS's publication policies. Availability of research funding does not by itself invalidate an automatic country-based waiver where the published eligibility criteria are satisfied.

For discretionary financial-need requests, however, JAIMS may consider whether reasonable sources of publication funding are available to the author or institution.

Application for a Waiver

Authors should identify their eligibility and submit any required waiver request before or at the time of manuscript submission. Requests for individual financial assistance should preferably be submitted before the publication charge becomes due and before the manuscript reaches the final publication stage.

A waiver request should identify the manuscript, the corresponding author, the author's institutional affiliation, and the basis on which the waiver is requested. JAIMS may verify information reasonably necessary to administer the policy.

Scope of Waivers

Unless otherwise stated in the applicable JAIMS publication-fee schedule, an approved waiver applies to the standard article processing charge. Optional services, third-party charges, legally applicable taxes, or other charges that are expressly identified as separate from the standard article processing charge are not automatically covered by a waiver. Any remaining payable amount will be communicated clearly to the author before publication.

Separation from Editorial Decision-Making

JAIMS maintains a strict separation between publication-charge administration and editorial assessment. Editors and peer reviewers are not permitted to use an author's ability to pay, country-based waiver eligibility, waiver request, or waiver decision as a criterion in evaluating a manuscript.

A manuscript remains subject to the same standards of editorial assessment, peer review, research integrity, ethical compliance, methodological quality, reporting standards, and publication suitability regardless of whether the author pays the full publication charge, receives a partial reduction, receives a complete waiver, or does not request financial assistance.

Waiver Does Not Guarantee Acceptance

Approval of a publication-charge waiver does not constitute acceptance of a manuscript and does not provide expedited review, preferential editorial treatment, accelerated publication, or any other advantage in the editorial process. Every manuscript submitted to JAIMS is evaluated independently according to the journal's editorial, peer-review, ethical, and scientific requirements.

Confidentiality of Financial Information

Information supplied specifically for the purpose of assessing financial assistance will be handled confidentially and used for administration of the publication-charge policy. Financial information submitted for waiver consideration will not be provided to peer reviewers for the purpose of influencing the scientific assessment of the manuscript.

Accuracy of Waiver Information

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all information provided in connection with a waiver request is accurate, complete, and not misleading. Where a waiver has been obtained on the basis of materially inaccurate or misleading information, JAIMS may reconsider the waiver and take appropriate action under its publication and ethical policies.

Reconsideration of Individual Requests

Authors whose individual financial-assistance request is declined may request reconsideration where additional relevant information is available. Reconsideration is an administrative publication- charge matter and is separate from any editorial appeal, peer-review decision, or manuscript-related complaint.

Transparency of Publication Charges

JAIMS publicly discloses its applicable publication charges and the conditions governing waiver and discount eligibility. Authors are informed of the applicable financial terms before publication. The journal does not use undisclosed charges or undisclosed waiver conditions to influence editorial decisions.

Policy administration: JAIMS reserves the right to administer and interpret this policy in accordance with its published publication-fee framework, applicable legal requirements, and the journal's commitment to equitable and transparent scholarly publishing. Country-based eligibility is determined using the current World Bank income classification, while exceptional financial assistance remains subject to the journal's individual assessment and decision.