At MDPI, we want to ensure that the submission process runs as smoothly as possible for our authors. As part of our service, an in-house Assistant Editor is assigned to each manuscript.

We are passionate about publishing high-quality research in all academic and scientific fields. Authors retain the rights to their published content.

Here are answers to some of the questions that we are asked most often about the submission process, along with a video explaining in detail how to upload your manuscript.

Make sure to share any further questions in the comments. Authors can also reach our Editorial Office using the contact details in the journal menu.

1. Where does the submission process start?

The submission process starts in the same way for each of MDPI’s journals,  by clicking on “Submit” on the journal website.

Papers are submitted via SuSy (MDPI’s Submission System), at https://susy.mdpi.com.

2. How do I find out if my title/abstract fits into the scope of the journal/Special Issue?

You can find out about the journal’s scope in the Aims & Scope section, which can be accessed via the journal menu, or by searching for individual Special Issue webpages.

If you are still unsure, you can use our new Journal Selector tool or contact the journal’s Editorial Office. The full list of MDPI journals is available here.

3. How long do papers have to be?

There is no limit to the length of papers! We encourage authors to publish their experimental and theoretical results in as much detail as possible. However, if your paper is less than 3000 words or more than 12,000 words long, we recommend that you contact the Editorial Office in advance.

4. Does my submission have to use an MDPI template?

Not necessarily. If you submit without using an MDPI template, the Assistant Editor will help you with the layout during paper processing.

When submitting your manuscript to SuSy, it will start with an option to select whether or not you have used the journal’s template; some of the fields will already be filled out if you use it. You are therefore encouraged to use the journal’s Microsoft Word template or LaTeX template (including Overleaf) to prepare your manuscript. You can find these templates in the Instructions for Authors section, accessible from the journal menu.

5. Do I have to specify author contributions?

Yes. MDPI joined CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) early on in the initiative’s launch. Contributions should be listed during the submission process and are also part of the journal template.

6. Can I ask for an extension on the revision deadline?

Yes. Our Editorial Office may agree to extended revision time, provided that the authors send their request to the in-house Assistant Editor.

MDPI has one of the most straightforward and efficient publication processes in the whole publishing landscape. Most of our journals suggest 5 days for minor revisions and 10–14 days for major revisions.

Please note that, if there are reviewer recommendations that have not been sufficiently addressed after two rounds of revisions, rejections or resubmissions may be warranted.

7. How fast is the publication process?

MDPI’s median publication time is 40 days from submission to publication, which includes around 16–17 days for a first decision, and just 5 days for final production. However, each paper is unique. Authors can find out more about the publication time of a particular journal by locating that journal’s statistics via the journal menu.

MDPI prides itself on the high speed and flexibility of its publication. All the editorial, production, and invoicing steps are managed using MDPI’s SuSy and are performed by in-house employees, largely using software created and maintained by MDPI. None of the steps or processes are outsourced, allowing us to maintain close control of the quality and efficiency. Our in-house editors around the world offer 24/7 services. In addition, all papers are available online as soon as they are published.

8. How much are the fees (Article Processing Charges)?

You can find information about each journal’s Article Processing Charge (APC) on MDPI’s website (https://www.mdpi.com/apc). The APCs currently range from 1000 CHF to 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Information on service function by APC breakdown is provided, as well as accepted currency and methods of payment. APC information is also available via the journal menu.

In addition, MDPI offers Authors Services (https://www.mdpi.com/authors/english) before paper submission. Layout editing, as well as a plagiarism check, are offered at a fixed price. The cost of language editing depends on the number of words in your manuscript.

Authors pay a one-time Article Processing Charge (APC) to cover the costs of peer review administration and management, the professional production of articles in PDF and other formats, and the dissemination of published papers in various venues, in addition to free readership and other publishing functions.

9. What discounts are available to me?

MDPI will endeavour to consider all circumstances. However, authors should consider in advance whether they have sufficient funds to cover the APC. Discounts are approved by the Editorial Office and cover a range of editorial collaborations and partnerships—reviewer vouchers, Editorial Board Member and Guest Editor vouchers, including author invitation discounts, Editorial Office discounts for recurring authors, or other special discounts, new journal discounts, and societies and institutional or library collaboration discounts (Institutional Open Access Program), and more.

For authors from low- and middle-income countries, waivers or discounts will be granted on a case-by-case basis. MDPI waives around a quarter of its APCs every year and offers one of the most affordable pricing structures in the commercial publishing landscape.

You can contact the journal editorial office or the Guest Editors of the Special Issue for specific information.

10. Can my manuscript be edited after submission?

If you have made a mistake in your paper, please contact the Editorial Office. Unfortunately, you cannot directly edit a manuscript once it has been submitted. MDPI will allow authors to edit their manuscript in the case of author revisions before peer review, and during author revisions in the peer review process, according to reviewers’ and Academic Editors’ suggestions. The different versions of your manuscript are tracked in SuSy.

Authorship details are added during the initial submission, and all co-authors should double-check the initial manuscript. You cannot add or remove authors once the paper has been accepted for publication (with rare exceptions), and please note that edits during the proofreading stage do not involve the scientific aspects of the paper.

11. If my submission is rejected, will I still have to pay the fees?

No, you will not pay if your manuscript is rejected. If you have prepaid, MDPI will send a refund on request. Bank fees will be deducted from the refund. Alternatively, you could decide to use the credit on your next submission.

12. If my manuscript is rejected, can I submit it to another MDPI journal?

Yes, when a manuscript is rejected, authors are free to submit it to any other journal. You are welcome to choose the same or another MDPI journal if the paper was rejected and you were encouraged to resubmit.

If the manuscript was rejected, we would greatly appreciate it if authors could inform the new journal’s Editorial Office in advance of submitting. The manuscript will be linked to the previous submission in SuSy.

13. Can I withdraw my submission?

Yes, authors can ask the Assistant Editor to withdraw their submission at any time before paper acceptance. Please provide the reason for your withdrawal request.

14. What do all the manuscript statuses mean?

Once a manuscript has been submitted, it will go through different stages of progress on SuSy. Here’s an overview of the statuses and their meanings.

• Pending review = The paper is due to be pre-checked.
• Under review = The paper is being peer-reviewed.
• Pending decision = A first assessment will be made by the Academic Editor. It usually takes around 48 hours.
• Pending major or minor revisions = Author revisions are in progress.
• Pending editor decision = The Academic Editor is making a final decision.
• Paper accepted = The decision to accept for publication has been communicated to authors and a professional Layout Editor is working on the paper.
• English correction done = The paper has been edited for English, which takes about 24 hours. This is a mandatory step with no additional fee.
• Author proofreading = Typographic, image quality, references order, callouts or similar layout and language edits have been made, or are being suggested, for authors to review and confirm. It is the last chance for authors to edit their paper.
• Author proofreading – resubmitted = Authors have resubmitted the latest version of their paper, and the Assistant Editor will accept changes and double-check that everything is correct before paper publication.
• Pending conversion = Microsoft Word or LaTeX is being converted to JATS XML. HTML, EPUB, and PDF versions are automatically generated. Upon completion of the production steps, the article will be available online.

15. Where can I find additional information for authors?

Detailed information is provided in the Instructions for Authors section via the journal menu. Additional MDPI information for authors is provided here: https://www.mdpi.com/authors.

16. Can I contribute a submission in a language other than English?

MDPI does not offer multi-language journals, despite the importance of international contributions. Our authors’ publications in English have enabled broad international readership, with more than 14 million MDPI webpage views monthly in 2020.

17. How do I contact MDPI for further help?

Apart from contacting the Editorial Office, support is readily available at support@mdpi.com. You can also contact the team at one of our offices (https://www.mdpi.com/about/contact), including MDPI Headquarters in Basel (Switzerland), by calling them on +41 61 683 77 34.