eLife Submission Process
eLife's submission process, first-decision timing, and the editorial checks that matter before peer review begins.
Senior Researcher, Oncology & Cell Biology
Author context
Specializes in manuscript preparation and peer review strategy for oncology and cell biology, with deep experience evaluating submissions to Nature Medicine, JCO, Cancer Cell, and Cell-family journals.
Readiness scan
Before you submit to eLife, pressure-test the manuscript.
Run the Free Readiness Scan to catch the issues most likely to stop the paper before peer review.
How to approach eLife
Use the submission guide like a working checklist. The goal is to make fit, package completeness, and cover-letter framing obvious before you open the portal.
Stage | What to check |
|---|---|
1. Scope | Post your preprint on bioRxiv |
2. Package | Submit to eLife via the submission portal |
3. Cover letter | Senior Editor assessment |
4. Final check | Peer review with reviewer consultation |
Decision cue: eLife's submission process is fundamentally different from traditional journals. There is no accept/reject binary. Every paper that passes editorial screening gets a public Reviewed Preprint with reviewer feedback and an eLife Assessment. Authors then decide whether to revise and publish a Version of Record. Understanding this model before you submit changes how you think about the entire process.
Quick answer
eLife uses a "Publish, Review, Curate" model. You submit a preprint (or post one during submission), editors decide whether to send it for review, and reviewers produce a public eLife Assessment plus detailed feedback. The Reviewed Preprint is published on eLife's site with the reviews visible. Authors can revise and eventually publish a Version of Record as a formal journal article.
The fee is $2,000, charged when the preprint is sent for peer review. The acceptance rate for editorial screening is roughly 15 to 20%.
Stage | What happens | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
Preprint posted | Paper publicly available on bioRxiv, medRxiv, or similar | Before or during submission |
Submission to eLife | Authors submit via eLife's system | Same day |
Editorial evaluation | Senior editor and reviewing editor assess | 1 to 2 weeks |
Peer review | 2 to 3 reviewers produce reports + eLife Assessment | 4 to 8 weeks |
Reviewed Preprint published | Paper + reviews + assessment posted on eLife.org | ~2 weeks after review concludes |
Author revision (optional) | Authors revise based on feedback | No fixed deadline |
Version of Record (optional) | Final journal article published | When authors are satisfied |
How eLife's model differs from traditional journals
In a traditional journal, peer review is private and the outcome is a binary accept or reject. At eLife, peer review is public and the outcome is a Reviewed Preprint with transparent feedback.
This means:
- your paper does not get "rejected" in the traditional sense after peer review
- the reviewer feedback and eLife Assessment are published alongside your preprint
- you choose when (or whether) to submit a revised version
- you choose when to convert the Reviewed Preprint into a formal Version of Record
The model separates the peer review function (feedback and evaluation) from the publication decision (which stays with the author). This is a fundamental shift from how most journals operate.
Before you submit
eLife's submission system is at elifesciences.org. You can also submit via transfer from bioRxiv or medRxiv.
Confirm these are ready:
- a preprint posted publicly (bioRxiv, medRxiv, or equivalent), or willingness to post one during submission
- manuscript in standard format (eLife provides templates but is flexible)
- cover letter explaining the significance of the findings
- data availability information
- ethics declarations and conflict of interest statements
- suggested and excluded reviewers
The preprint requirement
eLife only reviews papers that are available as preprints. If you have not posted a preprint, you can do so during the submission process. eLife will ask about preprint status during submission and can facilitate posting to bioRxiv.
This is not negotiable. The entire model depends on the work being publicly available before review.
Step-by-step submission flow
1. Post or confirm preprint
Before or during submission, ensure the manuscript is publicly available as a preprint. Include the preprint DOI in your submission.
2. Submit via eLife's system
Go to eLife's submission portal. Provide the preprint link, cover letter, author information, and declarations. Select the research area that best matches your work.
3. Editorial evaluation
A senior editor paired with a reviewing editor evaluates whether the paper should be sent for peer review. They assess:
- significance of the findings within the field
- whether the paper reports results of broad interest
- methodological soundness at a high level
- fit with eLife's editorial scope (biomedical and life sciences)
About 80 to 85% of submissions are declined at this stage. The editorial screen is the main filter and the most selective step in the process. If your paper passes editorial evaluation, it is very likely to receive a complete Reviewed Preprint with full reviewer feedback and a public eLife Assessment. The decline rate at this stage is high because eLife is intentionally selective about which papers receive their review resources.
4. Peer review
Papers that pass editorial screening go to 2 to 3 reviewers. The reviewers produce individual reports and then collaboratively write the eLife Assessment and Public Review Summary.
The eLife Assessment evaluates two dimensions:
- Significance of findings: landmark, fundamental, important, valuable, or useful
- Strength of evidence: exceptional, compelling, convincing, solid, or incomplete
These terms have specific meanings in eLife's framework and appear publicly alongside the Reviewed Preprint.
5. Reviewed Preprint published
Within about 2 weeks of review completion, eLife publishes the Reviewed Preprint on its website. This includes the paper, the eLife Assessment, public review summaries, and the author response (if provided).
This is a citable publication with a DOI. It is not a draft or a provisional version. It is a peer-reviewed preprint with transparent evaluation.
6. Revision and Version of Record
After receiving the reviews, authors can:
- revise the manuscript and submit an updated version for possible re-review
- publish a Version of Record (formal journal article) at any point after review
- leave the Reviewed Preprint as the final publication
There is no fixed deadline for revision. Authors can take as long as needed to address reviewer feedback.
The $2,000 fee
eLife charges $2,000 when the preprint is sent for peer review. This covers the editorial evaluation, peer review, Reviewed Preprint publication, any subsequent re-reviews, and the Version of Record. Fee waivers are available for authors who cannot pay.
The fee is charged regardless of the outcome of peer review. Even if the eLife Assessment is unfavorable, the Reviewed Preprint is published.
Common questions about the model
Does a negative eLife Assessment hurt my paper?
An Assessment rating of "incomplete" evidence or "useful" significance is less favorable, but the Reviewed Preprint is still a peer-reviewed publication. Authors can revise and request re-review to improve the Assessment.
Can I still list eLife on my CV?
Yes. A Reviewed Preprint is a peer-reviewed publication in eLife. The Version of Record is a traditional journal article. Both are citable.
Is the eLife Assessment permanent?
The initial Assessment is published with the first Reviewed Preprint. If authors revise and the revision is re-reviewed, the Assessment can be updated. Both versions remain visible.
How eLife compares to nearby alternatives
Feature | eLife | PLOS Biology | Nature Communications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Model | Publish, Review, Curate | Traditional peer review | Traditional peer review | Traditional peer review |
Preprint required | Yes | No (but allowed) | No (but allowed) | No (but allowed) |
Review visibility | Public (reviews + Assessment) | Private | Private | Private (some opt-in) |
Fee | $2,000 | $1,895 | $5,900 | $5,790 |
Editorial screen | ~15 to 20% pass | Soundness based | Significance based | Significance based |
Best for | Life sciences, transparency-first | Broad, soundness-focused | High-significance biology | Broad, high-impact |
Choose when | You want public peer review and author control over publication | You want fast, accessible publication | The work is genuinely field-defining | The result needs broad visibility |
Submit if
- the manuscript reports significant findings in biomedical or life sciences
- you are comfortable with public peer review and a visible eLife Assessment
- the work is already posted or ready to post as a preprint
- you want author control over the revision and publication timeline
- the $2,000 fee is manageable (or a waiver is available)
Think twice if
- you are not comfortable with public reviewer feedback attached to your paper
- the work is outside biomedical and life sciences (eLife does not cover all fields)
- you need a traditional accept/reject decision for career or tenure purposes
- the preprint requirement conflicts with your institution or funder's policies
- you prefer private peer review with a binary editorial decision
Before you submit, check your readiness score with a free scan. It takes about 60 seconds and evaluates methodology, citations, and journal fit.
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