Waiver-Eligibility

The "Journal of Religion and Society" (JRS) recognizes the potential for financial hardship to impede participation in the scholarly community. To address this concern, JRS offers a limited number of waivers for article processing charges (APCs) to eligible authors. This policy outlines the criteria and procedures for applying for a waiver.

Eligibility:

Waivers will be considered for authors who meet the following criteria:

• Financial hardship: Authors must demonstrate significant financial hardship that would prevent them from paying the APC without undue burden. This could include factors such as limited institutional research funding, low income, or unexpected financial circumstances.
• Merit of the work: The submitted article must be of high academic quality and deemed suitable for publication in JRS based on peer review.
• Citizenship of a low- or middle-income country (LMIC): Priority will be given to authors from LMICs as defined by the World Bank.
• First or corresponding author status: Only first or corresponding authors are eligible to apply for waivers.

Supporting Documentation:

Applicants must submit the following documentation to support their waiver request:

• A completed waiver application form (available on the JRS website)
• A brief statement explaining the financial hardship and its impact on the author's ability to pay the APC
• Evidence of financial hardship, such as a tax return, pay stub, or letter from a financial aid office
• Curriculum vitae (CV) of the applicant
• Confirmation of LMIC citizenship (if applicable)
• Letter of support from the head of department or a senior faculty member at the applicant's institution (optional)

Application Process:

• Waiver applications must be submitted electronically through the JRS website.
• Applications will be reviewed by the JRS editorial team on a rolling basis.
• Applicants will be notified of the decision within four weeks of submitting their application.
• The decision of the editorial team is final.