International Economics: Scopus, Scope, Metrics & Submission Guide

Key Takeaways

• Elsevier publishes International Economics, a peer-reviewed journal in applied international economics.
• The verified ISSNs are 2110-7017 (print) and 2542-6869 (online).
• Elsevier states that the journal is indexed in Scopus, EconLit and RePEc; the supplied Scopus Source ID is 21100248925.
• Core scope areas include international trade, commercial policy, open-economy macroeconomics, international finance, exchange rates, monetary and financial policies, development, migration and factor movements.
• Submission routes include regular research papers, Data, Tools, and Replication notes and a short-paper/short-communication route.
• Elsevier currently reports 39 days to first decision and an approximate 12% acceptance rate.
• The journal is hybrid; the optional open-access APC currently listed by Elsevier is USD 3,660 excluding taxes.
• Editing or publication support can improve presentation and readiness, but no third party can guarantee journal acceptance.

Journal Information at a Glance

The table separates verified identifiers and publisher-stated operational information from items that require live confirmation. Metrics, APCs and indexing may change between reporting cycles.

What This Page Covers

• Aims and scope
• Scopus and indexing
• Current metrics
• Article types
• Manuscript fit
• Submission preparation
• Peer review and timing
• Open access and APC
• Publication ethics

Methodology and Source Note

This profile was prepared from the supplied Scopus identifier and current authoritative pages from Elsevier, ScienceDirect and the matching Scopus source link. Publisher pages were used for the scope, ISSNs, indexing statement, article types, first-decision time, acceptance-rate figure and open-access fee. Where the accessible current page displayed a metric without exposing its reporting year, this guide says so rather than assigning a year by inference.

Before submitting, recheck the official journal page, Guide for Authors, Scopus profile and Elsevier journal page.

What Does International Economics Publish?

The journal publishes original research in applied international economics. Elsevier's scope explicitly highlights international trade, commercial policy, open-economy macroeconomics, international finance, exchange rates, financial and monetary policies, economic development, migration and factor movements. The journal especially welcomes empirical contributions, which is a useful signal for authors whose manuscripts are data-driven and policy-relevant.

It is also broader than a conventional research-paper-only outlet. The Data, Tools, and Replication section is designed for concise contributions that introduce new datasets, research tools or replications of existing empirical studies. These submissions go through the standard refereeing process. The short-paper route is designed for self-contained manuscripts; Elsevier's current description sets a maximum of 7,000 words, with each table or figure reducing that limit by 200 words and a maximum of five exhibits.

Representative research themes that may fit

• Trade flows, trade costs, tariffs and non-tariff measures
• Trade policy and commercial-policy evaluation
• Global value chains and supply-chain shocks
• Exchange-rate dynamics and pass-through
• International capital flows and financial integration
• Monetary policy in open economies
• Cross-border banking and financial conditions
• Migration, remittances and labour mobility
• Foreign direct investment and multinational activity
• Development outcomes shaped by trade or financial openness
• International transmission of macroeconomic shocks
• New datasets, research tools and replication studies in international economics

Understanding Its Scopus Coverage and Journal Metrics

Elsevier states that International Economics is indexed in Scopus, and the supplied source record points to Scopus Source ID 21100248925. That can matter for authors whose institutions explicitly recognise Scopus-listed publications. It should not, however, replace a manuscript-fit assessment.

As of 10 August 2026, Elsevier's current accessible journal pages display a CiteScore of 5.9 and an Impact Factor of 2.8. The accessible page used for this guide does not expose the reporting year directly beside those values, so authors should confirm the year on the live Journal Insights page before citing them in a CV, institutional form or grant document. A current SJR and SNIP value were not sufficiently verified from an authoritative source in this research, so this guide does not invent them.

Likewise, a quartile can vary by database, category and year. If your institution requires a specific Scopus or SCImago quartile, verify the latest applicable category rather than relying on an undated third-party claim that the journal is simply “Q1” or “Q2.”

Who Should Consider Submitting?

The journal may be appropriate for economists, doctoral researchers and interdisciplinary scholars whose central research contribution sits within applied international economics. Academic status alone is irrelevant: an early-career scholar with a rigorous, well-positioned study may fit better than a senior author's manuscript that sits outside the journal's scope.

How to Decide Whether Your Manuscript Fits

A practical fit test begins with the paper's research question, not the title. Compare your manuscript with the journal's stated scope and several recent articles. Look at the kinds of datasets, identification strategies, theoretical mechanisms and policy questions that the journal has been publishing.

Preparing and Submitting a Manuscript

The authoritative starting point is the journal's current Guide for Authors. Requirements can change, so this page should be treated as preparation guidance rather than a substitute for the live instructions.

Choose the correct submission route

A regular research paper should present a substantial original contribution in applied international economics. Data, Tools, and Replication submissions should match the special purpose of that section. For the short-paper route, Elsevier currently specifies a 7,000-word ceiling, reduced by 200 words for each table or figure, with no more than five exhibits. The paper must be self-contained.

Build a submission-ready package

As a practical publication-readiness step, make sure the title and abstract state the international-economics contribution directly; figures and tables are interpretable without excessive narrative; references are accurate and current; data, code and replication expectations are addressed where applicable; and declarations are complete. The exact file types, reference formatting, highlights, data statements and other submission fields should be taken from the live author instructions rather than guessed.

Use a focused cover letter

A useful cover letter explains the paper's contribution, why it fits International Economics, and any information the editor specifically requests. Avoid claims such as “this paper will certainly be highly cited.” If using the journal's transfer option after a marginal rejection elsewhere, follow Elsevier's current instructions for the earlier reports, editorial decision and response document.

What Happens After You Submit?

Elsevier describes the journal as peer reviewed and notes that Data, Tools, and Replication papers follow the standard refereeing process. The publisher currently reports 39 days to first decision and an approximate 12% acceptance rate. Those figures are descriptive, not promises.

1. Submit the manuscript and required files through the official system.
2. Technical checks confirm that the submission is usable and complete.
3. An editor assesses scope, contribution and suitability; unsuitable papers may be returned before full review.
4. Suitable manuscripts proceed to refereeing under the journal's review process.
5. Authors may receive a revision request and should respond point by point.
6. The editor makes the final publication decision.
7. Accepted papers move to production, proofs and publication.

The authoritative material used here confirms peer review but did not clearly identify the anonymity model. It would therefore be inappropriate to label the process single-anonymous or double-anonymous without checking the live author instructions.

Open Access, APC and Publication Costs

International Economics operates as a hybrid journal: Elsevier provides subscription access and an optional open-access route. The current Elsevier listing shows an open-access Article Publishing Charge of USD 3,660, excluding taxes. This amount can change, and institutional agreements, funder arrangements, discounts or waivers may affect what an individual author pays.

Publication Ethics and Responsible AI Use

Authors should follow Elsevier's current publishing-ethics and author policies on originality, duplicate submission, authorship, conflicts of interest, data integrity, corrections and responsible research reporting. Any ethics approval, consent or data-governance requirements arising from the study design remain the authors' responsibility.

Elsevier also publishes policies on generative AI. Because publisher policies can change, authors should confirm the current rules on permitted AI-assisted writing, disclosure, authorship and confidentiality immediately before submission. AI tools should never be used to fabricate data, references, reviewer identities or research findings.

Common Reasons a Manuscript May Be Unsuitable

The journal does not publish a public rejection taxonomy for every editorial decision, so the following are general publication-readiness risks rather than journal-specific rejection statistics:

• The research question is outside applied international economics.
• The international element is superficial rather than central to the contribution.
• The novelty or policy relevance is not clearly established.
• The empirical design does not support the stated conclusions.
• The manuscript is not self-contained where the selected article type requires it.
• Tables, figures or appendices carry essential arguments that the main text never explains.
• References, declarations or research-integrity requirements are incomplete.
• The submission does not follow the current author instructions.

Five Practical Journal-Fit Scenarios

Pre-Submission Checklist

How Contentxprtz Can Support Publication Readiness

Professional support can be useful when a study is sound but the manuscript needs clearer structure, more precise academic English or closer alignment with journal instructions. For International Economics, that may include checking whether the abstract communicates the applied international-economics contribution, improving the presentation of empirical results, reviewing terminology and cross-references, checking references, or preparing a structured response to reviewers.

Contentxprtz does not control editorial decisions and does not guarantee acceptance or publication. The purpose of editing and publication-readiness support is to help authors present their own research clearly, accurately and ethically while the journal retains full authority over peer review and publication decisions.