Frequently Asked Questions

This page was last updated on October 10th, 2026.

Below are answers to questions we hear most often from students, parents, teachers, and mentors. If you don't see your question here, email us at editor@curieuxreview.com and we'll get back to you soon.

What is The Curieux Review?

The Curieux Review is a youth-led academic journal that publishes research and academic writing by middle school, high school, and undergraduate students. We review work across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Our goal is to give young researchers a platform to share their work and gain real, rigorous experience with academic review, revision, and publication.

Is there a submission deadline?

No. We accept submissions on a rolling basis throughout the year, so you can submit whenever your paper is ready. We publish a issues monthly, and accepted papers usually appear within two to three months of acceptance.

What does the publication process look like?

Every paper goes through the same review process in which two of our editors separately review each article and decide whether it is suitable for publication. Here’s what happens from submission to publication:

Submit your paper. Fill out our online submission form with a link to your paper as a Google Doc, formatted in MLA style and no longer than 20 pages (not including works cited). Choose the subject category that best fits your work.
Receive confirmation. You’ll get a confirmation email once we’ve received your submission.
Editor assignment. Based on your category, your paper is assigned to two editors with experience in that field. Before review, author names and school information are removed so editors evaluate the work without knowing who wrote it.
Independent review. Each editor reviews the paper separately, assessing academic integrity, factual accuracy, the quality of the research and argument, and the writing.
Editorial decision. The two editors compare their evaluations and decide together whether to accept the paper, request revisions, or decline it. Fast-Track authors receive a decision within three weeks; Seasonal Review authors are notified when the next issue is released.
Revisions. If revisions are requested, you’ll receive specific feedback from the editors and can revise your paper before a final decision.
Acceptance and publication. Once accepted, you’ll receive an official confirmation email, publication invoice, and information on the publication timeline. Accepted papers are published in an upcoming monthly issue, usually within two to three months.

Does paying guarantee publication?

No. Payment never affects whether a paper is accepted. Submitting is always free, and every paper is reviewed independently by two editors before any fee is involved. Papers that don’t meet our standards are rejected or returned for revision, and in 2025–26 we accepted less than 40% of the submissions we received. Like many open-access journals, we charge a publication fee only after a paper has been accepted through review, and financial aid is available for any author who needs it.

What is The Curieux Review's policy around AI?

When it comes to using AI tools, every submission must reflect the student’s own research, analysis, and writing. Generative AI may play a supporting role, but it can’t replace the author’s original work. Listed below is a non-exhaustive list of allowed and not allowed AI use cases. We encourage authors to review the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair AI use guidelines.

Acceptable AI Use

Previewing sources: Getting an AI overview of a source’s main points before reading the original yourself.
Brainstorming: Exploring or developing early ideas with AI.
Polishing your writing: Asking for grammar or sentence-structure suggestions on text you’ve already written, as long as the AI doesn’t change your ideas.
Starting code: Using AI to draft initial code, as long as AI-generated portions are clearly marked.

Unacceptable AI Use

Writing your paper: Having AI produce your writing or submitting AI-generated text or analysis as your own.
Drawing conclusions: Using AI to write your conclusions, recommendations, future research directions, or interpretation of results.
Data: Using AI to collect, generate, or fabricate research data.
Unverified sources: Relying on AI-provided summaries or citations without finding and evaluating the original sources yourself.

Are publishing standards different for Fast-Track and Seasonal review?

No. Both pathways use the same editors, the same review process, and the same acceptance standards. The only difference is timing: Fast-Track authors receive a decision within three weeks, while Seasonal Review authors are notified when the next issue is released. Choosing Fast-Track will not improve a paper’s chances of acceptance.

Are there any fees for submission or publication?

Submitting is always free. A publication fee is charged only after a paper is accepted: $250 for Fast-Track Review or $200 for Seasonal Review. Authors whose papers are rejected never pay anything. Publication fees support our editing capacity and our Community Outreach programs. Financial aid is always available for any accepted author who needs it; see below for more information.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. No student should be kept from publishing because of cost. If your paper is accepted and the publication fee is a financial burden, email us at editor@curieuxreview.com with the subject line “Financial Aid Request.” Please send financial aid requests only after your paper has been accepted. We review all submissions on a need-blind basis, so editors never know whether an author may need assistance. Requests are kept confidential and have no effect on your paper’s acceptance.

Does The Curieux Review accept literature reviews?

Yes. We welcome literature reviews alongside original research papers. A strong literature review goes beyond summarizing sources: it analyzes and compares existing research, identifies patterns, and makes a clear argument about what the research shows as a whole. Because we hold literature reviews to a high standard and accept less than 10 per year, the selection process is extremely competitive.

Ready to submit? Visit our Submissions page, and we look forward to reviewing your work!