TL;DR

• NHSJS publishes original research by high school students worldwide.

• Manuscripts must follow strict formatting before submission is accepted.

• Peer review by student editors typically takes several weeks.

• Rejection is common; a clear abstract and correct citations help most.

• Free to submit; no publication fee is charged to student authors.

You finished your research. You have data, a methodology, and a conclusion you believe in. Now you want to publish it somewhere real, somewhere that will actually be read. The National High School Journal of Science is one of the few peer-reviewed journals designed specifically for researchers at your stage. It is student-run, openly accessible, and free to submit to.

But wanting to publish and knowing how to submit are two different things. Most first-time submitters lose time on avoidable formatting errors, incomplete cover letters, or mismatched scope. This guide walks through every stage of the National High School Journal of Science submission process so you can submit with confidence the first time.

Start here, and by the end you will know exactly what the journal expects and how to meet that standard.

What is the National High School Journal of Science?

The National High School Journal of Science (NHSJS) is a peer-reviewed, open-access academic journal that publishes original research written by high school students. It accepts work across biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, computer science, mathematics, and related fields. All peer reviewers are also high school or early undergraduate students, making it one of the few journals where the entire editorial process is student-led.

NHSJS was founded to give pre-university researchers a credible, citable outlet for original work. Publication in NHSJS carries real academic weight because the journal applies genuine peer review, not a simple editorial read. Papers are assigned to reviewers with subject knowledge, and authors receive structured feedback whether their paper is accepted or not. That feedback alone makes submission worthwhile even if your first paper is rejected.

The journal is free to access and free to submit to. There are no article processing charges. This matters because many open-access journals charge authors hundreds or thousands of dollars to publish. NHSJS removes that barrier entirely.

If you are still deciding whether to target a student journal or a broader academic outlet, the guide on how to choose the right journal for your research paper covers the full decision framework.

Who can submit to NHSJS?

Any current high school student, or a team of high school students, can submit to NHSJS. There is no geographic restriction. International students submit regularly. The journal does not require institutional affiliation, so independent researchers without a school laboratory can still submit. If you conducted your research at a university lab or with a faculty mentor, you may include that person as a corresponding author, but the primary author must be a high school student.

Co-authored papers are accepted. If your research team includes three or four students, all names appear on the published paper. Each co-author must be a current high school student at the time of submission. Graduated students who conducted the research while enrolled are generally still eligible, but you should confirm this directly with the editorial team before submitting.

If you have never published before, NHSJS is a realistic first target. The journal expects student-level work, not professional laboratory output. What it does expect is original methodology, honest data reporting, and a paper written in the conventions of academic science. Understanding how to publish a research paper as a high school student gives you the broader context before you focus on any single journal.

National High School Journal of Science submission guide: formatting requirements

NHSJS requires manuscripts to follow a specific structure before they will be reviewed. Submitting an unformatted document delays the process and often results in an immediate desk rejection. Follow these steps in order before you upload anything.

1. Title page. Include the full title of your paper, the names of all authors, current grade level, school name, and the name and email of the corresponding author. Do not include this information anywhere else in the manuscript body, because reviewers receive a blinded copy.

2. Abstract. Write a structured abstract of 150 to 250 words. Cover your research question, methodology, key findings, and conclusion. The abstract is the first thing an editor reads, and it determines whether your paper moves forward. A weak abstract is one of the most common reasons papers stall at the desk review stage. The post on how to write an abstract journal editors read is worth reading before you finalise yours.

3. Main body sections. Organise the manuscript into Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion. Each section must be clearly labelled. Do not combine Results and Discussion into one section unless your field convention explicitly supports it, and even then, note this in your cover letter.

4. References. NHSJS accepts APA, MLA, or Chicago citation formats. Choose one and apply it consistently throughout. Every source cited in the text must appear in the reference list, and every reference in the list must be cited in the text. Mismatched citations are flagged immediately in peer review. For detailed guidance, the post on how to format citations for academic journal submission covers each major style.

5. Figures and tables. Number all figures and tables sequentially. Include a descriptive caption beneath each one. If you are using images or data from other sources, include proper attribution and confirm you have permission to reproduce them.

6. File format. Submit your manuscript as a Microsoft Word document (.docx). PDF submissions are not accepted at the initial submission stage. Use 12-point Times New Roman or Arial, double-spaced, with one-inch margins.

If you want a complete walkthrough of what journals look for in a submission document, reading how to read a journal's submission guidelines will help you apply the same careful approach to any journal you target in the future.

If you are still working through your manuscript and want structured feedback before you submit, Publication Compass is a platform built for exactly this stage: you upload your draft, receive detailed editorial feedback, and get matched with journals that fit your research before you commit to a submission.

How to write your cover letter for NHSJS

A cover letter for NHSJS should be one page, professional in tone, and specific to the journal. It is not a summary of your paper. Its job is to confirm you meet eligibility requirements, explain why your research fits the journal's scope, and flag anything the editor needs to know before assigning reviewers.

Address the letter to the NHSJS Editorial Board. In the first paragraph, state your paper's title, confirm that all authors are current high school students, and confirm the paper has not been submitted elsewhere simultaneously. NHSJS, like most peer-reviewed journals, does not accept simultaneous submissions.

In the second paragraph, describe your research in two to three sentences. Do not copy your abstract. Instead, explain the significance of the work and why it belongs in NHSJS specifically. If your research addresses a gap in existing student-level literature, say so plainly.

In the third paragraph, disclose any conflicts of interest. If there are none, state that explicitly. If a faculty mentor contributed to the work, describe the nature of that contribution so the editors can assess authorship appropriately.

Close with your contact information and a polite sign-off. Keep the total length under 400 words. For a full template and worked examples, the post on how to write a cover letter for journal submission takes you through every paragraph.

National High School Journal of Science submission guide: the review process

After you submit, NHSJS editors conduct a desk review first. This checks that your paper meets basic formatting and scope requirements. Papers that pass desk review are assigned to two or three peer reviewers with relevant subject knowledge. The peer review process at NHSJS is double-blind: reviewers do not know your identity, and you do not know theirs.

The review timeline varies. NHSJS does not publish a guaranteed turnaround, but student-run journals typically complete peer review within six to twelve weeks based on their published editorial cycles. If you have not received a decision after twelve weeks, a polite follow-up email to the editorial team is appropriate.

Decisions fall into four categories:

1. Accept. Your paper is accepted as submitted or with minor copyediting. This outcome is rare on a first submission.

2. Minor revisions. The paper is strong but requires specific changes. Reviewers will identify them clearly. You respond to each comment and resubmit.

3. Major revisions. The paper has potential but needs significant reworking. This is not a rejection. Address every reviewer comment thoroughly and resubmit with a detailed response letter.

4. Reject. The paper does not meet the journal's standards at this time. Read the reviewer comments carefully. Most rejected papers can be improved and resubmitted to a different journal.

Receiving major revisions or a rejection is not a signal to stop. It is a signal to revise. Peer review feedback from NHSJS, even on a rejected paper, is more useful than most feedback a high school researcher will receive anywhere else.

Common reasons NHSJS submissions are rejected

Understanding rejection patterns helps you avoid them. Based on the journal's published guidance and the common issues flagged in student peer review, the most frequent reasons for rejection fall into three categories.

First, scope mismatch. NHSJS publishes original empirical research. Literature reviews, opinion essays, and theoretical papers without data are generally outside scope. If your paper does not include a methods section and original findings, reconsider the target journal before submitting.

Second, methodology gaps. Reviewers look for a clearly described, reproducible methodology. If another researcher could not replicate your experiment from your methods section alone, the paper will not pass peer review. Write the methods section as if the reader has never seen your lab, your materials, or your process.

Third, citation errors. Missing references, inconsistent formatting, and uncited claims are the fastest route to a desk rejection. Every factual statement that is not your own original finding needs a citation. Every citation needs to be formatted correctly and consistently.

Addressing these three areas before you submit will put your paper ahead of a significant portion of first-time submissions. For a broader look at the full submission process across different journal types, the guide on how to submit a research paper to a peer-reviewed journal covers every stage in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the National High School Journal of Science peer-reviewed?

Yes. NHSJS uses a double-blind peer review process. Submitted manuscripts are evaluated by student reviewers with subject-area knowledge. Authors receive written feedback from reviewers regardless of the final decision. This makes it a credible, citable publication rather than a simple student showcase.

How long does the NHSJS review process take?

NHSJS does not publish a fixed timeline, but student-run journals typically complete peer review within six to twelve weeks. Desk review, which checks formatting and scope before full review begins, usually takes one to two weeks. If you have not heard back after twelve weeks, a polite follow-up to the editorial team is reasonable.

Can international students submit to NHSJS?

Yes. NHSJS accepts submissions from high school students worldwide. There is no geographic restriction. The journal is published in English, so manuscripts must be written in English. Students whose first language is not English are encouraged to have their paper reviewed for language clarity before submission.

Does NHSJS charge a submission or publication fee?

No. NHSJS is free to submit to and free to access. There are no article processing charges for authors. This distinguishes it from many open-access journals that require payment to publish. Authors retain the right to share their published work freely after publication.

What should I do if my paper is rejected by NHSJS?

Read the reviewer comments carefully and treat them as a revision roadmap. Most rejected papers can be improved and resubmitted to a different journal. If the feedback points to scope mismatch, identify a journal that better fits your research type. If it points to methodology or citation issues, address those before submitting anywhere else.

Conclusion

Submitting to the National High School Journal of Science is a concrete, achievable goal for any high school researcher with original data and a well-structured paper. The process rewards preparation: correct formatting, a focused cover letter, a strong abstract, and clean citations will take your submission further than almost any other single factor. Peer review will do the rest, and the feedback you receive, whatever the outcome, will make your next submission stronger.

Take the submission checklist in this guide, work through it section by section, and submit when every item is complete. For more guidance on the full publication process, the Publication Compass blog covers every stage from choosing a journal to responding to reviewer comments.