TL;DR
Publishing your biology research is the next step once you have a finished paper in high school. Student journals give you a chance to go through parts of the academic publishing process, including manuscript preparation, peer review, revisions, and publication. The journals below cover original research, literature reviews, interdisciplinary biology, and related life-science topics. Some are free to submit to, while others charge submission or publication fees. If you are still working on your research, you can explore Horizon’s biology research opportunities and online biology research programs before choosing a journal.
If you’re a high school student who has completed a biology research paper, the next step is to get it published. Publishing your work can help you become more familiar with academic research, from presenting your findings to going through the publication process. But with so many journals out there, figuring out where your paper fits can take some digging. That’s why we’ve compiled 14 of the best biology journals for high school students. If you’re still looking for a chance to conduct research and build your research skills, check out the Horizon Academic Research Program.
What should you check before submitting a biology paper?
A journal can be a good fit for one biology paper and a poor fit for another. A genetics experiment, for example, may need a different outlet from a literature review on climate change and infectious disease.
Before you submit, check:
- Eligibility: Does the journal accept high school authors?
- Research type: Does it accept original research, reviews, or both?
- Subject area: Does your topic fit the journal’s scope?
- Fees: Does it charge a submission fee, publication fee, or both?
- Submission window: Is the journal currently accepting papers?
- Formatting: Does your manuscript follow the required citation style and structure?
- Mentorship requirements: Does the journal require a teacher, advisor, or research mentor?
If you’re still working on your research question, Horizon’s guide to choosing a research topic as a high school student can help you narrow your idea before you start writing.
Biology journals for high school students at a glance
The journals below range from biology and broader STEM publications to interdisciplinary journals that may fit biology research with a focus on neuroscience, public health, environmental science, ethics, psychology, or the history of science. Always check the journal’s current scope before submitting.
| Journal | Main Focus | Cost | Deadline |
| Oxford Journal of Student Scholarship | Student research across academic disciplines, including biology | $230 APC after acceptance | Rolling |
| Journal of Emerging Investigators | Biology, chemistry, physics, and related sciences | $49 submission fee | Rolling |
| National High School Journal of Science | High school science and social science research | Free standard publication; $280 expedited review option | Rolling |
| International Journal of High School Research | High school research across STEM and social sciences | $350 publication fee after acceptance | Rolling |
| STEM Fellowship Journal | STEM research, including biology | $400 CAD | Rolling |
| American Journal of Student Research | Student research across academic disciplines | $496 APC after acceptance | Rolling |
| Journal of High School Science | High school science and social science research | $95 submission fee | Rolling |
| Young Scientist Journal | Scientific research, including biology | Free | November 1–December 1 |
| Walt Whitman Journal of Psychology | Psychology, neuroscience, behavioral science, and related areas | Not specified | Check current submission guidelines |
| Journal of Research High School | High school research across academic disciplines | $350 submission fee | Rolling |
| Curieux Academic Journal | Research across natural sciences, engineering, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences | Free to submit | Rolling |
| Critical Debates in Humanities, Science, and Global Justice | Interdisciplinary research across science, humanities, ethics, and global justice | Submission fee required | December 15 |
| The Concord Review | History and social sciences, including history of medicine and science | $70 eBook submission fee | Rolling |
| Columbia Junior Science Journal | Natural sciences, physical sciences, engineering, and social sciences, including biology | Free | September 30 |
Not sure what kind of biology project you could research in the first place? Check out 60 biology research topics for high school students for ideas across genetics, ecology, human biology, and environmental science.
1. Oxford Journal of Student Scholarship (OJSS)
Cost: $230 APC after acceptance; optional fast-track review costs $125 upfront
Deadline: Rolling
Subject Areas: Natural sciences, medicine and health sciences, STEM, humanities, social sciences, business, and law
Type of Research: Original research articles and literature reviews
Estimated Acceptance Rate: Not publicly specified
The Oxford Journal of Student Scholarship is a multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal that accepts work from high school and early undergraduate students. Its current author guidelines specifically accept original research articles and literature reviews. For biology students, this can include experimental research or literature reviews in areas such as molecular biology, genetics, ecology, or health sciences.
Best suited for: Students whose biology research is complete and can be presented as either original research or a well-developed literature review.
2. Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI)
Cost: $49 submission fee; limited scholarships are available
Deadline: Rolling
Subject Areas: STEM, including biology and other life sciences
Type of Research: Original, hypothesis-driven research
Estimated Acceptance Rate: Not publicly specified
The Journal of Emerging Investigators focuses on research by younger student researchers and is particularly suited to original scientific work. Biology projects need to be based on a testable research question and follow the journal’s submission requirements. The current submission fee is $49, with limited financial assistance available.
Best suited for: High school researchers with an original experiment, clear hypothesis, methods, results, and conclusion.
3. National High School Journal of Science (NHSJS)
Cost: Free for standard publication; optional expedited review costs $280
Deadline: Rolling
Subject Areas: Science and social science disciplines, including biology
Type of Research: Original research and literature reviews
Estimated Acceptance Rate: Not publicly specified
The National High School Journal of Science is a student-focused, peer-reviewed publication covering a broad range of scientific subjects. Biology students can submit work involving areas such as environmental science, neuroscience, genetics, or other life sciences. Its rolling submission model means you can submit when your manuscript is ready.
Best suited for: High school students looking for a broad science journal that accepts biology research.
4. International Journal of High School Research (IJHSR)
Cost: No submission fee; $350 publication fee after acceptance
Deadline: Rolling
Subject Areas: STEM and social sciences, including biology
Type of Research: Original research and literature reviews
Estimated Acceptance Rate: Not publicly specified
The International Journal of High School Research publishes student research across STEM and social science subjects. Biology projects can fit within its science scope, and the journal accepts both original research and literature reviews.
Best suited for: Students whose biology work combines original research or substantial literature analysis with a broader scientific question.
5. STEM Fellowship Journal (SFJ)
Cost: $400 CAD
Deadline: Rolling
Subject Areas: STEM disciplines, including biology
Type of Research: Original research, hypothesis-driven research, review articles, abstracts, and viewpoints
Estimated Acceptance Rate: Not publicly specified
The STEM Fellowship Journal covers a wide range of STEM research and accepts several different article formats. That gives biology students room to submit experimental research, reviews, or shorter academic pieces depending on the journal’s current requirements.
Best suited for: Students with detailed STEM research that goes beyond a standard classroom project.
6. American Journal of Student Research (AJSR)
Cost: $496 Article Processing Charge after acceptance
Deadline: Rolling
Subject Areas: All academic disciplines, including biology and other STEM fields
Type of Research: Original research and review articles
Estimated Acceptance Rate: Not publicly specified
The American Journal of Student Research publishes research by high school, undergraduate, and graduate students across multiple disciplines. Biology papers can be submitted as original research or review articles. The current $496 APC is payable only after an article has been accepted.
Best suited for: Biology students who want a multidisciplinary journal and already have a polished academic manuscript.
7. Journal of High School Science (JHSS)
Cost: $95 submission fee
Deadline: Rolling
Subject Areas: Science and social science subjects, including biology
Type of Research: Original research, technical notes, case studies, and selective literature reviews
Estimated Acceptance Rate: Not publicly specified
The Journal of High School Science publishes research by high school students and uses peer review. Its current author information lists a $95 non-refundable submission fee and no additional publication fee after acceptance.
Best suited for: Students with a well-structured science paper and a clear research question, methodology, and findings.
8. Young Scientist Journal (YSJ)
Cost: Free
Deadline: November 1–December 1
Subject Areas: Scientific research, including biology
Type of Research: Original research only
Estimated Acceptance Rate: Not publicly specified
Young Scientist is a peer-reviewed publication associated with Vanderbilt’s Collaborative for STEM Education and Outreach. Its current eligibility requirements state that authors must be high school students who have completed an original research project within the past one to two years. Literature reviews are not accepted.
Best suited for: High school students with completed original biology research who are prepared to go through a formal peer-review process.
9. Walt Whitman Journal of Psychology (WWJOP)
Cost: Not specified
Deadline: Check the current submission guidelines
Subject Areas: Psychology, neuroscience, behavioral science, and related areas
Type of Research: Original research, analysis pieces, and letters
Estimated Acceptance Rate: Not publicly specified
The Walt Whitman Journal of Psychology is primarily a psychology publication, but it can be relevant to biology students whose work focuses on the relationship between biology and behavior. Topics such as neuroscience, biopsychology, cognition, and behavioral biology may fit its scope.
Best suited for: Biology researchers working on the brain, behavior, cognition, or another topic that overlaps with psychology.
10. Journal of Research High School (JRHS)
Cost: $350 submission fee
Deadline: Rolling
Subject Areas: All academic subjects, including biology
Type of Research: Original research and significant literature reviews
Estimated Acceptance Rate: Approximately 30% of submitted research papers
The Journal of Research High School is an online journal dedicated to high school research. It accepts work across academic disciplines, including natural sciences. The current FAQ states that a $350 submission fee is required and that approximately 30% of submitted research papers have been published.
Best suited for: Students with a complete biology paper who want a multidisciplinary high school research journal.
11. Curieux Academic Journal
Cost: Free to submit; publication fees apply to optional Fast-Track and Seasonal Review pathways
Deadline: Rolling
Subject Areas: Natural sciences, engineering, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences
Type of Research: Research papers, review articles, and interdisciplinary work
Estimated Acceptance Rate: Not publicly specified
Curieux Review accepts submissions from middle school, high school, and undergraduate students. Biology submissions can fit particularly well when the project connects life science with another field, such as environmental science, data analysis, engineering, or public health. Standard submission is free, while its optional Fast-Track and Seasonal Review pathways have publication fees after acceptance.
Best suited for: Students whose biology research connects with another field or who want to submit either original research or a review article.
12. Critical Debates in Humanities, Science, and Global Justice
Cost: Submission fee required
Deadline: December 15 for the Winter issue
Subject Areas: Humanities, science, global justice, public policy, ethics, and interdisciplinary research
Type of Research: Research articles, literature reviews, critiques, academic blogs, and other scholarly submissions
Estimated Acceptance Rate: 15–20% for Research Articles; 40% for Academic Blogs
Critical Debates is an interdisciplinary journal, so it is not intended for conventional laboratory biology papers. It becomes relevant when your research connects biology with areas such as public health, environmental justice, bioethics, genetics and identity, or the social implications of biotechnology. Its current author page lists December 15 as the next major research-article deadline.
Best suited for: Biology students whose research explores the social, ethical, political, or policy dimensions of science.
13. The Concord Review
Cost: $70 eBook submission fee
Deadline: Rolling
Subject Areas: History and social sciences, including history of medicine and science
Type of Research: Academic research essays
Estimated Acceptance Rate: Approximately 5%
The Concord Review is different from most journals on this list because it focuses on history and social science rather than experimental biology. It can still work for a biology student researching subjects such as the history of medicine, epidemiology, public health, bioethics, or major developments in science.
Best suited for: Students whose biology-related research has a strong historical or social-science focus.
14. Columbia Junior Science Journal
Cost: Free
Deadline: September 30
Subject Areas: Natural sciences, physical sciences, engineering, and social sciences, including biology
Type of Research: Original research papers and review articles
Estimated Acceptance Rate: Not publicly specified
The Columbia Junior Science Journal (CJSJ) is a high school research journal supported by the Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal. It accepts original research papers and review articles across natural sciences, physical sciences, engineering, and social sciences, including biology.
Best suited for: High school students with original biology research or a strong review paper in a scientific field.
Which biology journal fits your research?
What should you do before submitting?
Once you have found a journal that fits your paper, read its current submission guidelines from beginning to end. Check the required format, author eligibility, manuscript length, citation style, figures and tables, fees, and submission process. Before submitting, it’s also worth reviewing how to publish research in high school so you know what to expect from formatting, journal selection, peer review, and revisions.
It is especially important to check whether the journal wants original research or a literature review. A journal that accepts both may still have different formatting requirements for each type of manuscript.
You should submit your paper to one journal at a time unless the journal’s policies explicitly allow simultaneous submissions. Keep a copy of your manuscript, figures, data, references, and any supporting documents before submitting.
If you are still working toward your first research paper, Horizon’s research programs for high school students and biology research opportunities can help you find a research experience before you start the publication process.
FAQs
Yes. Journals such as the Journal of Emerging Investigators and Young Scientist Journal specifically provide publication opportunities for younger researchers. Eligibility and manuscript requirements vary by journal.
No. Some journals accept both original research and literature reviews. For example, the Oxford Journal of Student Scholarship, International Journal of High School Research, and Journal of Research High School accept more than one type of academic paper. The Young Scientist Journal currently requires original research and does not accept review articles.
Yes. The Young Scientist Journal is free to submit to. The Curieux Academic Journal is free for standard submission, although its optional publication pathways have fees. Other journals on the list charge submission or publication fees.
There is no standard price. Some journals charge nothing, while others charge a submission fee or an Article Processing Charge after acceptance. For example, the Journal of High School Science currently charges $95 to submit, while the American Journal of Student Research charges a $496 APC after acceptance.
Yes, depending on the journal. The Oxford Journal of Student Scholarship, International Journal of High School Research, Journal of Research High School, and Curieux Academic Journal accept literature reviews. Always check the current author guidelines before preparing your manuscript.
It varies significantly between journals. Peer review, revisions, editing, and publication can take several weeks or several months. The Young Scientist Journal currently estimates roughly six months from manuscript submission to publication.
It can, if the research genuinely falls within the journal’s subject area. The Walt Whitman Journal of Psychology may be relevant for research involving neuroscience, behavior, cognition, or biopsychology. A paper focused purely on molecular biology or genetics would generally be better suited to a biology or broader STEM journal.
You can start with a research program or mentored project. Horizon’s biology research opportunities cover different areas of life science, while its online biology research programs offer options you can explore remotely.
Want to conduct biology research before you publish?
If you have an idea but need mentorship and a structured research experience first, the Horizon Academic Research Program offers research opportunities in biology and other subjects. You work with a professor or PhD scholar on a research project and develop a formal academic paper that you can later explore submitting for publication.
You can learn more through Horizon’s 30 Research Programs for High School Students or explore more biology-specific options in 15 Online Biology Research Programs for High School Students.
Image source: Horizon Academic Research Program