Last updated: January 9, 2026 | Reading time: 15 minutes
Quick Reference: Journal Submission Statuses
Navigating journal submission can be confusing with dozens of different status messages. This guide explains every major status you’ll encounter, what each means, and typical timelines.
Jump to your status:
- Pre-Review Statuses (Submitted, Editor Assigned, etc.)
- Under Review Statuses (With Reviewer, Awaiting Decision)
- Decision Statuses (Accept, Reject, Revise)
- Post-Decision Statuses (In Production, Published)
Common Journal Decision Statuses: At-a-Glance Table
| Status | What It Means | Typical Timeline | What You Should Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Submitted | Journal received your manuscript | Day 0 | Wait for editor assignment |
| Editor Assigned | Editor reviewing scope/fit | 1-7 days | Nothing—wait |
| Under Review / With Reviewer | Sent to peer reviewers | 2-8 weeks | Wait (can inquire after 8+ weeks) |
| Reviewers Invited | Seeking reviewers | 1-3 weeks | Wait—normal process |
| Decision in Process | Editor making final decision | 3-7 days | Wait—decision coming soon |
| Required Reviews Completed | Reviews received, editor deciding | 3-10 days | Wait—almost done |
| Major Revision | Substantial changes needed | – | You have 2-3 months to revise |
| Minor Revision | Small changes needed | – | You have 4-8 weeks to revise |
| Revise & Resubmit | Significant revision, not guaranteed acceptance | – | Assess if worth pursuing |
| Accept | Paper accepted for publication | – | Celebrate! Production starts |
| Reject | Paper not suitable for journal | – | Submit elsewhere |
| Desk Reject | Rejected without peer review | 1-7 days | Find better-fit journal |
Pre-Review Statuses (Submission to Editor Review)
1. Submitted / Manuscript Received
What it means:
Your manuscript has been successfully uploaded to the journal’s system. This is confirmation of receipt—nothing more.
Timeline: Day 0
What’s happening:
- Administrative staff verify completeness
- System checks file formats and requirements
- Automated plagiarism screening may run
What you should do:
- Verify you received confirmation email
- Check that all files uploaded correctly
- Wait for editor assignment
If status doesn’t change within 7-10 days, contact editorial office to ensure submission was received.
2. Editor Assigned / With Editor
What it means:
A handling editor (associate editor or section editor) has been assigned to your manuscript.
Timeline: 1-7 days after submission
What’s happening:
The editor is:
- Reading your abstract and introduction
- Assessing scope fit
- Checking if topic aligns with journal priorities
- Deciding whether to send for peer review or desk reject
What you should do:
- Wait patiently
- This is when most desk rejections occur
Decision point: Editor decides:
- Send to reviewers (60-70% of submissions)
- Desk reject (30-40% of submissions)
3. Awaiting Reviewer Selection / Reviewers Invited
What it means:
Editor has decided to send your paper for peer review and is inviting reviewers.
Timeline: 1-3 weeks
What’s happening:
- Editor identifies 5-10 potential reviewers
- Sends invitations via email
- Many reviewers decline (busy, conflicts)
- Editor keeps inviting until 2-3 accept
What you should do:
- Wait—this is normal
- Don’t worry if this takes 2-3 weeks
Common delay: Finding willing reviewers is the biggest bottleneck in academic publishing. Journals typically need to invite 5-8 reviewers to get 2-3 acceptances.
During Review Statuses
4. Under Review / With Reviewer
What it means:
At least one reviewer has accepted the invitation and is actively reviewing your manuscript.
Timeline: 2-8 weeks (highly variable)
What’s happening:
- Reviewers read your manuscript thoroughly
- They evaluate methods, results, significance
- They write detailed comments and recommendations
- Each reviewer works independently
What you should do:
- Weeks 1-6: Wait patiently
- Week 7-8: Still normal, wait
- Week 9+: Acceptable to send polite inquiry to editor
Sample inquiry (after 8+ weeks):
Dear Dr. [Editor Name],
I submitted manuscript #[ID] titled "[Title]" on [Date], which has been under review for [X] weeks. I wanted to check on the status and expected timeline. I understand the review process takes time, and I appreciate the reviewers' efforts.
Thank you for your consideration.
Best regards,
[Your Name]Why it varies:
- Reviewer availability
- Manuscript complexity
- Field norms (some fields take 4-6 months)
- Journal efficiency
5. Awaiting Reviewer Scores / Reviews Submitted
What it means:
Reviewers have submitted their reviews, but the editor hasn’t made a final decision yet.
Timeline: 3-7 days
What’s happening:
- Editor reading all reviewer comments
- Assessing consensus or disagreement
- Deciding on recommendation (accept, reject, revise)
- Writing decision letter
What you should do:
- Wait—decision is imminent
- This is a good sign (paper completed peer review)
6. Decision in Process / Evaluating Recommendation
What it means:
The editor is actively making the final decision on your manuscript. The timeline from submission through “Decision in Process” typically spans 12-24 weeks depending on your field.
Timeline: 3-10 days
What’s happening:
- Editor synthesizing reviewer feedback
- Determining if revisions can address concerns
- Writing decision letter with guidance
- Possibly consulting senior editor for complex cases
What you should do:
- Wait—you’re very close to a decision
- Decision typically within 1 week
This status is usually positive: Your paper completed peer review and wasn’t immediately rejected.
7. Required Reviews Completed
What it means:
All requested reviews are in; editor is finalizing decision.
Timeline: 3-7 days
What’s happening:
- Same as “Decision in Process” above
- Just different terminology used by different journal systems
What you should do:
- Check your email frequently
- Decision coming within days
Decision Statuses (After Peer Review)
8. Accept / Accepted
What it means:
🎉 Congratulations! Your manuscript has been accepted for publication.
Timeline: Immediate notification
What happens next:
- You’ll receive acceptance letter
- Copyright transfer forms
- Paper moves to production (copyediting, formatting)
- Proofs sent for your review (2-6 weeks)
- Published online (4-12 weeks after acceptance)
What you should do:
- Celebrate with co-authors!
- Complete copyright forms immediately
- Respond promptly to production queries
- Review proofs carefully when received
- Update CV and ORCID profile
Important: “Accept” means accepted pending minor production edits. Very rarely, major issues found in proofs could complicate publication, so stay engaged through production.
9. Accept with Minor Revisions / Conditional Accept
What it means:
Your paper is essentially accepted, but requires small changes before final acceptance.
Timeline: You have 1-2 weeks for changes
What’s required:
- Typically just copyediting corrections
- Clarifying a few sentences
- Fixing references or figure labels
- Responding to editor’s specific requests
What you should do:
- Make changes quickly (within 1 week)
- List all changes made
- Resubmit promptly
Acceptance probability: 98-99% if you address the minor points
10. Minor Revision
What it means:
Reviewers found your manuscript strong but identified small improvements needed.
Timeline: 4-8 weeks to revise
Common requests:
- Clarify specific sections
- Add a few references
- Improve figure quality or labeling
- Expand discussion of limitations
- Address specific reviewer questions
Acceptance probability: 85-95% after addressing comments
What you should do:
- Address every comment thoroughly
- Write point-by-point response letter
- Submit within deadline
- See our guide: How to Handle Minor Revisions
11. Major Revision
What it means:
Reviewers see potential but identified substantial issues requiring significant work.
Timeline: 2-3 months to revise
Common requests:
- Additional experiments or analyses
- Substantial rewriting of sections
- New literature review content
- Methodological improvements
- Expanded results or discussion
Acceptance probability: 70-90% after thorough revision
What you should do:
- Carefully assess if feasible
- Plan revision timeline with co-authors
- Address substantive concerns first
- Create detailed response letter
- See our guide: Major Revision Strategy
Key difference from R&R: “Major Revision” typically has higher acceptance probability than “Revise and Resubmit.”
12. Revise and Resubmit (R&R)
What it means:
Journal sees potential but requires significant improvements with no guarantee of acceptance.
Timeline: 2-4 months to revise
Acceptance probability: 60-80% after revision
Key characteristics:
- More uncertain than “major revision”
- Paper will likely go back to same reviewers
- Treated as new submission (can still be rejected)
- Requires substantial effort
What you should do:
- Assess if worth the effort (use our decision framework)
- Consider alternative journals if concerns are unreasonable
- If proceeding, treat as seriously as initial submission
- See our complete guide: Revise and Resubmit: Is It Worth It?
13. Reject / Rejected
What it means:
The journal has decided not to publish your manuscript after peer review.
Timeline: Immediate notification
Common reasons:
- Fundamental methodological concerns
- Insufficient novelty or significance
- Results don’t support conclusions
- Concerns about reproducibility
- Scope mismatch (should have been desk rejected earlier)
What you should do:
- Read reviewer comments carefully
- Identify if issues are fixable
- Decide: Revise for elsewhere vs. submit as-is to new journal
- Choose better-matched journal for resubmission
- Don’t give up—many rejected papers are published elsewhere
Key insight: Rejection after peer review is more serious than desk rejection, but still common. About 30-50% of manuscripts are rejected after review at most journals.
See our guide: What to Do After Manuscript Rejection
14. Desk Reject / Rejected Without Review
What it means:
Editor rejected your manuscript before sending it for peer review.
Timeline: 1-7 days after submission
Common reasons:
- Manuscript outside journal scope
- Poor fit with editorial priorities
- Insufficient preparation or quality
- Wrong article type
- Ethical concerns
What you should do:
- Don’t take it personally—usually about fit
- Review journal’s recent publications
- Find better-matched journal
- Minimal revisions usually needed
- Resubmit within 2-4 weeks
Success rate elsewhere: 60-70% of desk-rejected papers are accepted at more appropriate journals.
See our complete guide: Desk Rejection Explained
Post-Decision Statuses (After Acceptance)
15. In Production / Copyediting
What it means:
Your accepted manuscript is being prepared for publication.
Timeline: 2-8 weeks
What’s happening:
- Professional copyeditors reviewing text
- Formatting to journal style
- Creating final layout
- Generating proofs for your review
What you should do:
- Watch for emails from production team
- Respond promptly to queries
- Be available for proof review
16. Author Review / Proofs Available
What it means:
Formatted proofs are ready for your review and approval.
Timeline: You have 48-72 hours to review
What you should do:
- ⚠️ Act immediately—tight deadline
- Check for formatting errors
- Verify figures and tables display correctly
- Confirm author names and affiliations
- Do NOT make substantive changes at this stage
- Approve proofs promptly
Common mistake: Missing the proof review deadline can delay publication by weeks.
17. In Press / Ahead of Print
What it means:
Your article has been accepted and formatted but not yet assigned to a specific journal issue.
Timeline: 2-12 weeks until issue assignment
What’s happening:
- Article is essentially published
- Citable with DOI
- Available online
- Awaiting issue assignment
What you should do:
- Add to CV immediately (cite as “in press”)
- Share with colleagues
- Update research profiles (ORCID, Google Scholar)
18. Published / Available Online
What it means:
Your article is officially published and publicly available.
Timeline: Final stage
What you should do:
- Share on social media, email lists
- Update all research profiles
- Deposit in institutional repositories if required
- Monitor citations and mentions
- Respond to correspondence if readers contact you
Special Statuses and What They Mean
“Awaiting AE Recommendation” (Associate Editor Recommendation)
What it means: Associate editor reviewing manuscript and reviewer comments to make recommendation to editor-in-chief.
Timeline: 1-2 weeks
What you should do: Wait—this is normal workflow
“Awaiting EIC Decision” (Editor-in-Chief Decision)
What it means: Final decision-maker reviewing associate editor’s recommendation.
Timeline: 3-7 days
What you should do: Wait—decision imminent
“Withdrawn” or “Author Withdrew Manuscript”
What it means: You (or co-authors) withdrew the submission before a decision.
Timeline: Immediate upon your request
Common reasons to withdraw:
- Found better-fit journal
- Major error discovered
- Co-author disagreement
- Changed research direction
- Accepted elsewhere (duplicate submission)
How to withdraw: Email editorial office stating withdrawal request with manuscript number.
“On Hold” or “Awaiting Author Input”
What it means: Journal needs information or action from you before proceeding.
Common reasons:
- Missing files or forms
- Need clarification on authorship
- Ethical approval documentation required
- Conflict of interest disclosure needed
What you should do: Respond immediately—your submission won’t proceed until you act
Timeline Expectations by Journal Type
High-Impact Multidisciplinary Journals (Nature, Science, PNAS)
- Desk decision: 3-7 days
- Review (if sent): 2-4 weeks
- Total to decision: 3-6 weeks
Top-Tier Specialized Journals
- Initial decision: 4-8 weeks
- Revision time (if R&R): 2-3 months
- Second decision: 4-6 weeks
- Total to acceptance: 4-8 months
Mid-Tier Field Journals
- Initial decision: 6-12 weeks
- Revision time: 2-3 months
- Second decision: 6-8 weeks
- Total to acceptance: 6-12 months
Society and Regional Journals
- Initial decision: 8-16 weeks
- Revision time: 2-4 months
- Second decision: 6-12 weeks
- Total to acceptance: 9-18 months
Why the variation:
- Reviewer availability
- Editorial resources
- Submission volume
- Field-specific norms
What to Do When Status Hasn’t Changed
When to Inquire
Acceptable to contact editor if:
- “Under Review” for 8+ weeks with no update
- “Decision in Process” for 3+ weeks
- “With Editor” for 4+ weeks
- Any status hasn’t changed in 2+ months
How to inquire professionally:
Subject: Status Inquiry - Manuscript #[ID]
Dear Dr. [Editor Name],
I submitted manuscript #[ID] titled "[Title]" on [Date]. The current status is "[Status]" as of [Date]. I wanted to politely inquire about the expected timeline for the next stage.
I understand the review process requires time, and I appreciate the effort of the editorial team and reviewers. Any information you can provide would be helpful for planning purposes.
Thank you for your consideration.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Affiliation]When NOT to inquire:
- Before 6-8 weeks of “Under Review”
- Within 1 week of status change
- Multiple times per month
- To complain about timeline
Understanding Decision Letter Language
Positive Signals in Decision Letters
Phrases that suggest strong potential:
- “The reviewers found your work interesting…”
- “After careful consideration by expert reviewers…”
- “We believe your manuscript could be suitable pending revision…”
- “The reviewers identified important contributions…”
Negative Signals
Phrases that suggest rejection is likely:
- “After careful consideration, we have decided…”
- “While your work may have merit…”
- “We must prioritize manuscripts that…”
- “We recommend submission to a more specialized venue…”
Ambiguous Language (Revise and Resubmit Territory)
Phrases that indicate uncertain outcome:
- “Substantial revisions are required…”
- “We cannot make a decision without significant changes…”
- “The reviewers raised important concerns that must be addressed…”
- “Your manuscript will be treated as a new submission…”
Frequently Asked Questions About Journal Statuses
Why has my status been “With Reviewer” for 3 months?
Common reasons:
- Reviewers are busy (volunteer work, not paid)
- Original reviewers declined, new ones invited
- Holidays or conference season
- Journal is understaffed
What to do: Politely inquire with editor after 8-10 weeks. They may chase reviewers or invite new ones.
Can I check status more frequently than the portal updates?
No. The online portal is updated by editorial staff as decisions are made. Checking multiple times daily doesn’t provide new information and won’t speed the process.
How often portals update: Typically within 24-48 hours of status changes.
Does “Decision in Process” mean acceptance or rejection?
It means neither—yet. This status indicates the editor is actively making a decision but doesn’t reveal the outcome.
However: Reaching “Decision in Process” means you completed peer review successfully, which is positive. You weren’t immediately rejected.
What if status goes backward (e.g., from “With Reviewer” back to “Editor Assigned”)?
Possible explanations:
- All reviewers declined, editor finding new ones
- Editor decided to take different action
- System error (rare)
- Manuscript being reassigned to different editor
What to do: If status regresses, wait 1 week then email editor for clarification.
Can I withdraw after reviewers have been assigned?
Yes, you can withdraw at any point before final decision. However, consider:
- Reviewers have already invested time
- You might receive useful feedback
- Some journals note withdrawals in your author account
Best practice: Only withdraw for good reason (found major error, accepted elsewhere, etc.).
Key Takeaways
- Most statuses are self-explanatory—the online portal tells you what stage you’re in
- “Under Review” is the longest wait—2-8 weeks is normal, don’t worry until 10+ weeks
- “Decision in Process” means decision within days—usually 3-7 days max
- Status hasn’t changed ≠ problem—peer review is slow, especially finding reviewers
- Polite inquiries are okay after 8+ weeks—but be patient and professional
- Different journals use different terminology—but concepts are similar across systems
Bottom line: Journal statuses track a predictable workflow. Understanding what each means helps manage expectations and reduces anxiety during the waiting process. Most delays are normal; extreme delays warrant polite inquiry.
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