Publishing as a high school student can be an exciting step toward academic growth and recognition. But if you’re anything like me when I started out, you’re probably wondering: Where do I even submit my work? And maybe more importantly, how do I avoid falling into the trap of predatory or low-quality journals?
In this post, I’ll walk through a curated list of reputable STEM journals that accept high school submissions—along with some honest thoughts from my own publishing journey. Whether you’re writing your first paper or looking for your next outlet, I hope this helps.
📚 10 Reputable Journals for High School Research (Especially STEM)
These are ranked loosely by selectiveness, peer-review rigor, and overall reputation. I’ve included each journal’s website, review cycle, and key details so you can compare.
- Columbia Junior Science Journal (CJSJ)
Selection Rate: ~10-15% (very selective)
Subjects: Natural sciences, engineering, social sciences
Peer Review: Professional (Columbia faculty/editors)
Cycle: Annual (6–9 months)
🔗 cjsj.org - Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI)
Selection Rate: ~70-75%
Subjects: Biological/physical sciences (hypothesis-driven only)
Peer Review: Graduate students and researchers
Cycle: Rolling (7–8 months)
🔗 emerginginvestigators.org - STEM Fellowship Journal (SFJ)
Selection Rate: ~15-20%
Subjects: All STEM fields
Peer Review: Canadian Science Publishing reviewers
Cycle: Biannual (4–5 months)
🔗 journal.stemfellowship.org - International Journal of High School Research (IJHSR)
Selection Rate: ~20–30%
Subjects: STEM, behavioral, and social sciences
Peer Review: Author-secured (3 academic reviewers)
Cycle: Rolling (3–6 months)
🔗 ijhsr.terrajournals.org - The Young Researcher
Selection Rate: ~20–25%
Subjects: STEM, social sciences, humanities
Peer Review: Faculty and researchers
Cycle: Biannual (4–6 months)
🔗 theyoungresearcher.com - Journal of Student Research (JSR)
Selection Rate: ~70–80%
Subjects: All disciplines
Peer Review: Faculty reviewers
Cycle: Quarterly (6–7 months)
🔗 jsr.org - National High School Journal of Science (NHSJS)
Selection Rate: ~20%
Subjects: STEM and social sciences
Peer Review: Student-led with academic oversight
Cycle: Rolling (3–5 months)
🔗 nhsjs.com - Journal of High School Science (JHSS)
Selection Rate: ~18%
Subjects: STEM, arts (STEAM focus, quantitative research)
Peer Review: Academic reviewers
Cycle: Quarterly (4–6 months)
🔗 jhss.scholasticahq.com - Curieux Academic Journal
Selection Rate: ~30–40%
Subjects: STEM, humanities, social sciences
Peer Review: Student-led with professional oversight
Cycle: Monthly (fast-track: 2–5 weeks; standard: 1–3 months)
🔗 curieuxacademicjournal.com - Young Scientists Journal
Selection Rate: ~40–50%
Subjects: STEM (research, reviews, blogs)
Peer Review: Student-led with expert input
Cycle: Biannual (3–6 months)
🔗 ysjournal.com
🧠 My Experience with JHSS, JSR, and NHSJS
1. Journal of High School Science (JHSS)
This was the first journal I submitted to on November 13, 2024. The submission process was straightforward, and the portal clearly tracked every stage of the review. I received feedback on December 29, but unfortunately, the reviewer seemed unfamiliar with the field of large language models. The decision was based on two Likert-scale questions:
- “The paper makes a significant contribution to scholarship.”
- “The literature review was thorough given the objectives and content.”
The first was marked low, and the second was marked neutral. I shared the feedback with LLM researchers from top-tier universities, and they agreed the review wasn’t well-grounded. So heads up: JHSS does have a formal structure, but you may run into an occasional reviewer mismatch.
2. Journal of Student Research (JSR)
Originally, I was going to submit my second paper here. But I ended up choosing NHSJS because JSR’s review timeline was too long for my goals (6–7 months vs. NHSJS’s 3–5 months). That said, JSR has one of the clearest submission guides I’ve come across:
👉 JSR Submission Info
If you’re not in a rush and want a polished process, it’s a solid option.
3. National High School Journal of Science (NHSJS)
This is where I published my first solo-authored research paper (see my earlier post). What stood out to me:
- Quick response times
- Detailed and constructive reviewer feedback
My reviewers gave me 19 major and 6 minor suggestions, each with specific guidance. It was incredibly helpful as a student navigating scientific writing for the first time.
That said, the journal’s submission format was a bit confusing (e.g., its citation style is non-standard), and the guidelines weren’t always followed by other authors. I had to clarify formatting details directly with the editor. So: highly recommend NHSJS—just make sure you confirm your formatting expectations early.
Final Thoughts
If you’re serious about publishing your research, take time to explore your options. The review process can be slow and sometimes frustrating, but it’s one of the best ways to grow as a thinker and writer.
Let me know if you have any questions. I’d be happy to share more from my experience.
— Andrew
CompLing Insights 
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