TL;DR

• Journal of Youths in Science publishes peer-reviewed research by student authors.

• Submission is free, with no publication fees for accepted papers.

• Acceptance is competitive; strong methodology and clear writing matter most.

• Manuscripts must follow the journal's formatting guidelines before submission.

• Peer review feedback is provided to all submitted authors, accepted or not.

Getting a research paper published as a high school student is one of the most meaningful academic achievements you can pursue. It signals to universities that your intellectual curiosity goes beyond coursework. It shows you can produce original work and defend it through peer review. But knowing where to submit, what to expect, and how to prepare your manuscript is rarely taught in school.

The Journal of Youths in Science is one of the most accessible and credible venues for student researchers. It was built specifically for young scientists who want a genuine publishing experience, not a vanity platform. If you are considering submitting your work there, this guide covers everything you need to know: acceptance rates, fees, formatting requirements, and the full submission process.

Understanding how one journal works also teaches you how to approach academic publishing more broadly. That foundation matters no matter where your research takes you next.

What is the Journal of Youths in Science?

The Journal of Youths in Science (JOYS) is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes original research conducted by secondary school and undergraduate students. It covers natural sciences, social sciences, and interdisciplinary topics. Submissions are evaluated by a panel of trained peer reviewers, including older student researchers and academic mentors, using the same criteria applied in professional academic publishing.

JOYS was created to fill a specific gap. Most peer-reviewed journals require authors to be affiliated with a university or research institution. That shuts out high school students entirely, even when their research is methodologically sound. JOYS removes that barrier. It accepts work from students who are still in secondary school, provided the research meets its quality standards.

The journal publishes work across a wide range of disciplines. Biology, chemistry, psychology, environmental science, economics, and public health have all appeared in its pages. If your research question is clearly defined, your methodology is appropriate, and your conclusions are supported by your data, JOYS will consider it regardless of your field.

One feature that sets JOYS apart from some student journals is its commitment to genuine peer review. Every submission receives structured written feedback, whether or not it is accepted. That feedback is one of the most valuable parts of the process. It tells you exactly where your paper is strong and where it needs work, which is something most students never get from a teacher or mentor alone. If you are still building your research skills, learning how to write a cover letter for journal submission is a practical next step alongside preparing your manuscript.

Journal of Youths in Science Acceptance Rate: What to Expect

JOYS does not publish its acceptance rate as a fixed percentage, and any specific number you find online should be treated with caution unless it comes directly from the journal. What is clear from the journal's published editorial standards is that acceptance is selective. Not every submission is accepted, and the review process is rigorous by design.

Based on the journal's stated review criteria, papers are evaluated on four main dimensions: clarity of the research question, appropriateness of the methodology, accuracy of the analysis, and quality of the written presentation. A paper that scores poorly on any one of these dimensions is unlikely to be accepted without significant revision.

Revision is a normal part of the process. Many papers that are eventually published go through at least one round of revisions after the initial review. Receiving a request for revisions is not a rejection. It means the reviewers see enough merit in your work to invest time in helping you improve it. Treat revision requests as a sign of progress, not failure.

If you want to understand how acceptance rates and review standards vary across student journals, comparing JOYS with other venues is useful. The Journal of Emerging Investigators acceptance rate and submission process offers a helpful comparison point for biology and life science researchers specifically. If you are working on research and want structured help preparing your manuscript before submission, joining the Publication Compass waitlist gives you early access to an AI platform built for exactly that stage of the process.

Journal of Youths in Science Fees: Is There a Cost to Submit?

Submitting to the Journal of Youths in Science is free. There are no submission fees and no article processing charges for accepted papers. This makes JOYS one of the genuinely accessible options for student researchers who do not have institutional funding or grant support behind their work.

This matters because fee structures vary significantly across student journals. Some journals charge submission fees ranging from $50 to over $200, which can be a real barrier for independent researchers. Others charge article processing fees after acceptance, sometimes framed as optional but effectively required for open-access publication. JOYS does not operate this way.

When you are evaluating any journal, checking the fees page directly on the journal's official website is essential. Fee information changes, and third-party summaries are not always current. The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), which sets international standards for academic publishing, recommends that journals make their fee policies clearly visible before submission so authors can make informed decisions. JOYS meets this standard.

For context on how other student journals handle fees, the STEM Fellowship Journal acceptance rate and fees guide breaks down a comparable journal's cost structure in detail.

How to Submit to the Journal of Youths in Science: Step by Step

Submitting to JOYS follows a structured process. Here is how it works from start to finish.

1. Prepare your manuscript. Your paper must be written in clear academic English. It should include an abstract, an introduction, a methodology section, results, a discussion, and a reference list. The abstract should be no longer than 250 words and should summarise your research question, methods, findings, and conclusions. Check the journal's author guidelines on its official website for any word count limits or section requirements specific to your submission type.

2. Format your citations correctly. JOYS requires consistent citation formatting throughout your manuscript. Most student journals in the sciences accept APA or Vancouver style. Confirm which style JOYS currently requires before you finalise your reference list. Inconsistent or incomplete citations are one of the most common reasons manuscripts are returned before peer review. If you need guidance on this, the guide on how to format citations for academic journal submission covers the key rules in plain language.

3. Write your cover letter. A cover letter is required with your submission. It should state your research question, explain why your work is appropriate for JOYS, confirm that the paper has not been submitted elsewhere simultaneously, and declare any conflicts of interest. Keep it under one page. It is not a summary of your paper. It is a professional introduction of your work to the editorial team.

4. Submit through the journal's official submission portal. JOYS accepts submissions through its online system. Create an account, complete the submission form, upload your manuscript and cover letter as separate files, and confirm the submission. You will receive an automated confirmation by email. Save that confirmation for your records.

5. Wait for the editorial decision. Initial editorial screening typically takes a few weeks. If your paper passes screening, it moves to peer review, which can take several additional weeks depending on reviewer availability. JOYS will contact you with a decision: accept, revise and resubmit, or reject. All decisions include written feedback.

One thing many first-time submitters underestimate is the importance of the initial screening stage. Editors check formatting, citation completeness, and whether the paper falls within the journal's scope before it ever reaches a peer reviewer. A manuscript that fails at this stage is returned without review, which wastes your time and the editorial team's. Getting the basics right before you submit is the most efficient investment you can make.

How to Strengthen Your Submission Before You Send It

The difference between a paper that gets rejected at screening and one that reaches peer review is almost always preparation. There are specific things you can do before you submit that meaningfully improve your chances.

Read at least three papers that JOYS has already published. Look at how they are structured, how long each section is, how citations are formatted, and how the abstract is written. Published papers in the same journal are the most accurate template you have. They show you exactly what the editorial team considers acceptable, not what a generic style guide recommends.

Ask someone who has not read your paper to read the abstract and introduction. If they cannot explain your research question back to you after reading those two sections, your writing is not clear enough yet. Clarity is not a minor stylistic concern in academic publishing. It is a core quality criterion. Reviewers who cannot follow your argument cannot evaluate your methodology, and a paper they cannot evaluate is one they cannot recommend for acceptance.

Check whether your research question is actually answerable by your data. One of the most common weaknesses in student research papers is a conclusion that claims more than the data can support. If your sample size was small, say so and explain what that means for your findings. Reviewers respect intellectual honesty. They do not expect undergraduate-level resources from a high school student. They do expect you to understand the limits of your own study.

For a broader view of how journal selection affects your chances, the guide on how to choose the right journal for your research paper walks through the key factors to consider before you commit to a submission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can high school students submit to the Journal of Youths in Science without a faculty advisor?

Yes. JOYS accepts submissions from secondary school students who conducted independent research. A faculty advisor or mentor is not required, though having one strengthens your methodology section and your credibility with reviewers. If you worked with a teacher or university researcher, acknowledge their contribution in your paper's acknowledgements section. If you worked independently, that is acceptable.

How long does the Journal of Youths in Science peer review process take?

The full process from submission to final decision typically takes between six and twelve weeks, though timelines vary depending on reviewer availability and the number of revision rounds required. Editorial screening alone can take two to four weeks. Plan your submission timeline accordingly, especially if you want a decision before a college application deadline.

What happens if the Journal of Youths in Science rejects my paper?

A rejection from JOYS includes written feedback from the peer reviewers. Use that feedback to revise your paper before submitting elsewhere. Many strong papers are rejected on first submission and later published after revision. Other student journals, including those listed in the Journal of Student Research submission guide, may be appropriate next venues depending on your topic and discipline.

Is the Journal of Youths in Science a predatory journal?

No. JOYS uses a genuine peer review process, charges no fees, and provides structured editorial feedback. Predatory journals typically charge fees, skip peer review, and accept almost everything submitted. JOYS does not match that profile. When evaluating any journal, check whether it is listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and whether it follows COPE guidelines as a baseline for legitimacy.

Can I submit the same paper to the Journal of Youths in Science and another journal at the same time?

No. Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is against standard academic publishing ethics and is explicitly prohibited by most journals, including JOYS. You must wait for a final decision before submitting elsewhere. For a full explanation of why this matters and what the rules are, the guide on whether you can submit the same paper to two journals covers the policy in detail.

What to Do Next

Publishing in the Journal of Youths in Science is achievable. The process is structured, the fees are nonexistent, and the feedback is real. What it requires from you is a well-prepared manuscript, a clear research question, and the patience to work through the review process properly. None of those things are beyond a motivated high school researcher.

Start by reading the journal's author guidelines on its official website. Then read two or three papers it has already published. Then look honestly at your own manuscript and ask where it falls short of what you just read. That gap is your revision list. For more guidance on the full submission process and how to find the right journal for your specific research, the complete guide to submitting a research paper to a peer-reviewed journal is the best place to continue.