Searching for low cost journal publication in Turkey? Getting a paper published should not eat up a month’s income. This guide covers what journals in Turkey and elsewhere usually charge, where free and low-cost options exist, how to recognise predatory offers that use cheap fees as bait, and five checks to run before paying anything. It is aimed at students, scholars and faculty in Ankara, Turkey; Istanbul, Turkey; Izmir, Turkey; Bursa, Turkey.
What Publishing in a Journal Costs in Turkey
Many Turkish journals on DergiPark ask authors for nothing; others bill processing fees in lira or APCs. Read each journal’s policy.
| Model | What authors pay | Typical publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Diamond open access | Free for readers and authors alike | Journals financed by universities, learned societies or funders |
| What national or university journals charge | A modest fee, often in lira | Titles from universities and learned societies |
| International APC | Between hundreds and several thousand US dollars | Commercial open access publishers and large non-profits |
| Subscription or hybrid | Often zero cost; open access is an optional paid extra | Journals that libraries subscribe to for a price |
What does an APC pay for? Running peer review, editing, typesetting, online hosting, persistent identifiers (such as DOIs) and indexing metadata. University or society backing allows some journals to charge little or nothing, while commercial open access journals usually charge more. Judge the process as well as the price.
Free and Low-Cost Choices for Turkish Researchers
Several leading Turkish journals call themselves diamond open access — free for readers and authors alike — among them the Balkan Medical Journal.
- Diamond open access journals — search DOAJ, filtering by subject and “without fees”.
- National and university journals — frequently inexpensive and widely read at home; look at DergiPark, TR Dizin, Council of Higher Education (YÖK).
- APC waivers and discounts — authors from lower- and middle-income countries are often offered them by publishers; read each publisher’s policy.
- Institutional agreements — your library or university may hold agreements that cover or lower APCs.
- Preprints — posting early findings is free, but it does not stand in for peer-reviewed publication.
What a Sound Low-Fee Journal Should Still Offer
A lower fee should never come with a weaker review process. When choosing an affordable journal, make sure it still provides the basics that every author in Turkey has a right to expect:
- Genuine peer review — look for a named review model, unbiased reviewers and comments you can act on.
- Similarity screening — a published threshold and a check before review are what to look for; both you and the journal gain.
- A clear licence — open access usually means Creative Commons, which shows readers how your work may be reused.
- Permanent hosting — the article ought to live on a lasting page in an archive, with a DOI if the journal offers one.
- Correct metadata — dependable titles, authors and references allow databases and search engines to find and cite the article.
- Transparent policies — ethics, corrections, retractions and refunds should be on record in writing before you submit.
Affordable Does Not Mean Predatory
Treat low fees with caution when they serve as bait. Predatory operations guarantee acceptance, invent impact factors and ask for money before any review. Reliable low-cost journals, on the other hand, announce the fee before submission, collect it only once acceptance is real, and give truly helpful reviewer comments.
- Fees demanded before review or a decision has happened.
- Offers of “guaranteed” acceptance or a set acceptance date.
- Credentials such as Scopus, Web of Science or an impact factor that a database search cannot confirm.
- A journal website that copies the name or ISSN of a genuine publication.
- Fees revised after acceptance, or payment requested to someone’s personal account.
Five Things to Check Before Paying a Publication Fee
- Acceptance is realThe decision comes from the journal itself, accompanied by reviewer comments
- Fee stated in advanceThe sum matches what was given before submission
- Correct payment routeThe journal’s own page only, not a personal account
- See what it includesNumber of authors, certificates, DOI and extras
- Keep every documentAcceptance letter, invoice and receipt
Funding and Help Available in Turkey
TÜBİTAK operates support programmes for international publications; consult the current programme rules on its website before counting on them.
Decide the publication budget when you design the study, not when it is accepted. Put the expected fee in grant applications, ask whether co-authors’ institutions will share the cost, and keep a cheaper second journal in reserve should your first choice be unaffordable.
Compare the Full Cost, Not Only the Headline Fee
| Item | What to check |
|---|---|
| Base fee | The announced APC or publication charge and its currency |
| Authors covered | The number of authors included in the fee and the price of any extra ones |
| Extras | Any page, colour, DOI, certificate or hard-copy fees |
| Payment costs | Bank handling and currency conversion charges on payments across borders |
| Waivers | Whether you qualify for a waiver or discount and how to ask for it |
| Value | Judge the quality of review, the readership and whether the indexing fits your needs |
Safe Ways to Pay a Publication Fee From Turkey
Paying across borders brings hidden costs: bank charges, currency conversion and occasionally intermediary fees. Ahead of payment, ask the journal which payment methods it takes, whether the fee is quoted in lira or US dollars, and whether the invoice can carry the name your institution requires for reimbursement. Compare the amount your bank finally debits with the invoice, because exchange margins vary between providers.
- Wait for genuine acceptance before paying, and pay solely via the journal’s official bank account or payment page.
- Do not pay into anyone's personal account or through an agent.
- Keep the acceptance letter, invoice and receipt in one folder, so audits and reimbursement run smoothly.
- If the invoice amount differs from the listed fee, ask for a written explanation before you pay.
Affordable Publishing From Anywhere in Turkey
Everything from submission to review and payment happens online, so authors in Ankara, Turkey; Istanbul, Turkey; Izmir, Turkey; Bursa, Turkey; Konya, Turkey; Kayseri, Turkey; Eskişehir, Turkey; Trabzon, Turkey and every other city publish under identical terms. Choose a journal for its suitability and its process; your location has no effect on the fee.
How JMVRA suits authors in Turkey
Based in India, JMVRA (ISSN 2984-8911) is an international open access journal covering many disciplines. It is not a Turkish journal, but it accepts papers from authors in Turkey. Its fee is modest because it operates on a no-profit, no-loss basis, not because peer review is skipped.
- Fee: Foreign authors are asked for $41 USD after acceptance, never before; it includes up to 5 authors.
- Review: double-blind, transparent review by subject experts, with similarity required to stay under 15%.
- Access: open access under the CC BY 4.0 licence; you can ask for a Crossref DOI.
- Indexing in plain words: the journal is in Google Scholar; Scopus, Web of Science and DOAJ do not list it.
Planning Publication Costs in Turkish lira (TRY)
| Item | What to check |
|---|---|
| Publication fee | The currency in use and the point at which the charge is made; at JMVRA, the $41 USD foreign-author fee is due only after acceptance |
| Payment charges | Bank or card charges on an international payment from Turkey |
| Authors covered | Whether the fee takes in the entire author team (JMVRA: up to five) |
| Optional services | Extras such as language editing, a DOI or print copies, to be picked only if you need them |
Making an International Fee Payment From Turkey
- Wait until the acceptance email arrives — genuine journals do not ask for payment before review
- Send funds only to official payment details — taken from the journal’s website or its acceptance email
- Confirm the amount in Turkish lira (TRY) — your bank applies its own exchange rate
- Hold on to each receipt — useful for reimbursement and for your records
Practical Tips for Turkish Authors Weighing Publication Costs
Turkish researchers often face exchange-rate swings when paying foreign charges, and decisions made too quickly can become expensive. These tips help you stay organised and cautious from the outset.
- Watch currency timing. Because the local currency can move against foreign money, ask the journal when the fee is due and whether the invoice amount is fixed. Avoid agreeing to charges stated only loosely.
- Check your university's criteria. Promotion or degree requirements may expect particular types of journals. Read your department's rules closely, and confirm in writing before assuming that any venue will satisfy them.
- Retain original language sources. If you cite Turkish-language literature, give accurate transliterated titles and an English gloss. Reviewers appreciate being able to follow your evidence without guessing at the meaning.
- Keep correspondence organised. Store editorial emails, invoices and receipts in one folder with clear names. If a dispute arises, a tidy trail makes your case far simpler to explain.
Control currency risk, verify what your institution actually requires, and keep tidy records so each payment decision is deliberate.
Questions Researchers Often Ask
Summary and What to Do Next
Affordable publishing in Turkey is achievable once you know where to search and what to verify. Choose journals with a transparent process and a published fee, take advantage of waivers and institutional support, and never pay ahead of a genuine acceptance.
- Find out exactly what your institution requires.
- Compile a list of diamond, national and moderately priced international journals covering your field.
- Complete the five checks before you pay any fee.
- Also see the list of research journals in Turkey and high impact factor journals in Turkey.
Ready to send in your paper?
Submission to JMVRA is online and free. Review always comes first; the $41 USD publication fee applies only after your paper is accepted.
Related searches
Researchers in Turkey who read this guide are often also searching for low cost journal publication, publication charges, APC waivers, free open access journals and safe ways to pay. The guides below address those questions:
References and Sources
Checked on 4 October 2026. Fees and policies can change, so confirm them before submitting.
Publishing in Turkey Through JMVRA
- Submit onlineWherever you live; there is no fee to submit
- Pre-reviewScope assessment and similarity (below 15%)
- Double-blind reviewExperts in your field review it and the decision is emailed
- Accepted — $41 USDOne charge applies to up to 5 authors
- PublishedPublicly accessible under CC BY 4.0
Details: Publication charges · Peer review · Advice for authors outside India.
Ready to Publish? Submit to JMVRA
JMVRA is aligned with UGC's Suggested Parameters for Choosing Peer-Reviewed Journals.
JMVRA is a Transparent, Peer-Reviewed, Open Access Journal (Refereed Journal). Following the discontinuation of the UGC and UGC-CARE journal listing, and in alignment with the latest UGC-CARE recommendations and guidelines, JMVRA is aligned with UGC’s Suggested Parameters for Choosing Peer-Reviewed Journals.
Where to go next on jmvra.org
Key Terms
Subjects and search phrases this article addresses.
Related Reading
Further guides for researchers in Turkey.
Keep Reading on the JMVRA Blog
Find this guide on the JMVRA journal blog, a collection of practical guidance on publishing, indexing, metrics and research integrity that favours verifiable content over promotion.