Journals That Actually Publish High School Research

When a student publishes research in a legitimate, peer-reviewed journal, they are no longer just “interested in science” or “passionate about history.” They have entered the arena. Someone external, often a PhD or professional researcher, has evaluated their work and said: this holds up.

Admissions officers at top schools are drowning in “research interns.” They are not drowning in peer-reviewed authors.

Publication does three things:

It proves intellectual stamina.
It proves you can handle critique.
It proves your ideas survive outside your high school bubble.

That is a major advantage.

Now, if we’re going to do this, we’re not submitting to random blogs. We’re targeting journals that actually mean something.

Here's our list of vetted research journals that actually publish teenagers.

STEM and Natural Sciences

Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI)

Prestige: High. Founded by graduate students at Harvard, JEI is highly respected for its rigorous peer-review process where professional scientists provide feedback to students.

How to Submit: Submissions are made through an online portal. A critical requirement is that an adult mentor, teacher or professor, must submit the paper on your behalf. There is a small $45 submission fee to cover administrative costs.

Deadlines: Rolling. You can submit your work at any time during the year.

If you are serious about STEM, this is one of the strongest signals you can send.

Columbia Junior Science Journal (CJSJ)

Prestige: Elite. Affiliated with Columbia University, it is one of the most competitive science journals for high schoolers.

How to Submit: You must submit a research brief, typically 2 to 3 pages, via their online portal. They are very strict about formatting. Papers that do not use their specific Microsoft Word template are often rejected without review.

Deadlines: September 30th annually. Submissions for the 2026 cycle usually open in late summer.

Translation: follow directions like your life depends on it.

National High School Journal of Science (NHSJS)

Prestige: High. This is a student-run, peer-reviewed journal that features a Scientist Advisory Board of professional researchers. It has an estimated acceptance rate of around 65%.

How to Submit: Submit through their website. Submission is free, but they charge a $250 publication fee if your paper is selected for the journal.

Deadlines: Rolling. They accept submissions year-round, but the review process typically takes 1 to 2 months.

Great stepping stone. Still legitimate. Still counts.

International Journal of High School Research (IJHSR)

Prestige: Moderate to High. It is known for its international reach and for publishing advanced-level research.

How to Submit: Students submit via an online system. You are required to suggest three potential external reviewers who are not your mentors. If accepted, there is a $250 publication fee.

Deadlines: Rolling. They publish issues bimonthly, so your work is typically considered for the next available issue.

Advanced students with serious work can shine here.

Humanities, History, and Social Sciences

If you think publishing only matters for STEM, you are wrong.

In humanities, publication can be even more rare and therefore even more powerful.

The Concord Review (TCR)

Prestige: Elite, the gold standard. Widely regarded as the most prestigious publication for high schoolers. Admissions officers at top-tier universities like Harvard and Yale hold this journal in extremely high regard.

How to Submit: Submissions are long-form, average 8,500 words, and must be submitted electronically. There is a submission fee, roughly $70 to $150, which includes a subscription to the journal.

Deadlines: Quarterly. August 1, November 1, February 1, and May 1.

If you get into this, it goes in the awards section in bold. I am not kidding.

The Young Researcher

Prestige: High. This peer-reviewed journal focuses on the social sciences and humanities, often attracting students who have completed the AP Research or IB program.

How to Submit: Submissions are capped at 5,000 words. You must remove all identifying information from your manuscript to ensure a blind peer-review process.

Deadlines: Typically January 31st for the annual spring issue.

This is where strong, methodologically sound social science work belongs.

The Schola

Prestige: High. This quarterly journal specializes in philosophy, art history, and politics. It is known for a collaborative editorial process that helps students refine their arguments.

How to Submit: Online via their submission portal. They look for papers that demonstrate a unique intellectual voice rather than just a summary of facts.

Deadlines: Quarterly. Check their website for specific seasonal dates, as they vary slightly by year.

If you are building an intellectual brand, not just checking boxes, this is your lane.

Multidisciplinary Journals

Journal of Student Research (JSR)

Prestige: Moderate. This is a very popular stepping stone journal that accepts work across all fields, including economics, medicine, and psychology.

How to Submit: You must use their specific template and submit via their portal. There is a $299 Article Processing Charge required only after your article is accepted.

Deadlines: Rolling. However, they often have priority deadlines for specific issues, such as February for their spring edition.

Is this Harvard-level prestige? No.

Is it still infinitely better than “worked on research”? Yes.

Advice Before You Hit Submit

Two things can tank an otherwise brilliant paper.

IRB Approval: If your research involved testing on humans, even just a survey, or vertebrate animals, many of these journals, like JEI and The Young Researcher, require proof of ethics board approval. No approval, no publication.

Formatting: Academic journals are notoriously picky. If the guidelines say Times New Roman 11pt, do not use Arial 12pt. If they give you a template, you use it exactly.

Brilliance does not excuse sloppiness.

We help students:

• Refine research questions so they are not basic or derivative

• Strengthen methodology so the paper can survive peer review

• Clarify argument structure, especially in humanities submissions

• Prepare for revisions after reviewer feedback

• Choose the right journal strategically based on the student’s goals

A lot of students hit “submit” once, get rejected, and decide publishing “isn’t for them.” That’s not how academia works. Real scholars revise.

We teach students how to handle critique without spiraling. That skill alone is worth more than the line on the résumé.

And most importantly, we make sure the research connects to the broader narrative of their application. Publication should not be random. It should reinforce who you are building yourself to be.

Doctor? Policy analyst? Philosopher? Data scientist? Your research should support that identity.

If you want your student’s work to be more than a class assignment, and more than a summer vanity project, we can help turn it into something that holds weight.