Nature Communications 'Under Consideration': What It Means and How Long It Takes

If your Nature Communications submission shows Under Consideration, your paper has entered the editorial pipeline. That phrase covers a lot of ground, from initial editor screening through full peer review, and the status page won't tell you which stage you're actually in.

Here's what happens behind the scenes, how long each phase typically takes, and when it makes sense to reach out.

What "Under Consideration" Actually Covers

Nature Communications uses a few status labels, but Under Consideration is the broadest. It can mean any of these:

1. An editor is reading your paper for the first time (desk review)
2. Your paper has been assigned to a handling editor for deeper evaluation
3. Reviewers have been invited and the journal is waiting for reports
4. Reviewer reports are in and the editor is deliberating

You can't tell which of these phases you're in just from the status. The only reliable signal is time: if you've been Under Consideration for more than 2 weeks without a rejection, you've almost certainly passed desk review.

Timeline: What to Expect

Here's the typical Nature Communications timeline from submission to first decision:

The 9-day median for first editorial decision is one of the fastest among high-impact journals. But that number includes desk rejections, which are quick. If you're sent to review, the full process takes longer.

Phase 1: The First 9 Days (Desk Review)

Your paper lands on an editor's desk. Nature Communications has professional editors (not working academics), which means faster turnaround. They're checking:

• Scope fit: Does this belong in a broad-scope journal, or is it too specialized?
• Significance: Is this a genuine advance, or incremental?
• Technical quality: Do the methods and data look sound on first read?
• Presentation: Is the paper clearly written with logical structure?

About 50-60% of papers are rejected at this stage. The rejection email is usually brief and generic. Don't take it personally. With over 60,000 submissions per year, editors can't write detailed feedback for desk rejections.

If you're still Under Consideration after 14 days, that's a strong signal you've cleared the desk.

Phase 2: Finding Reviewers (Weeks 2-4)

This is often the slowest part. The editor needs to find 2-3 qualified reviewers who:

• Have relevant expertise
• Don't have conflicts of interest
• Actually agree to review (reviewer acceptance rates have dropped across all journals)

Sometimes the first round of invitations gets declined and the editor has to try again. This can add 1-2 weeks. There's nothing you can do about it, and the journal won't tell you it's happening.

Phase 3: Peer Review (Weeks 3-6)

Once reviewers accept, they typically have 2-3 weeks to submit reports. Some are fast, some drag. The editor can't force the timeline. If one reviewer is late, the editor usually sends reminders but won't make a decision with only one report unless they have to.

Phase 4: Decision (Week 6-8)

The handling editor reads the reviewer reports, weighs them against each other (reviewers often disagree), and makes a recommendation. At Nature Communications, a senior editor typically signs off on the final decision.

Possible outcomes:

• Accept (rare on first round, ~5% of reviewed papers)
• Minor revision (good news, usually means acceptance after fixes)
• Major revision (you'll need to address all reviewer concerns, sometimes with new experiments)
• Reject after review (reviewers found fundamental problems)

When to Follow Up

Keep the follow-up brief. One sentence: "I'm writing to inquire about the status of manuscript NCOMMS-XX-XXXXX, submitted on [date]. I'd appreciate any update on the expected timeline."

What If You Get Desk Rejected?

About half of all Nature Communications submissions get desk rejected. It's not a reflection of your science. It usually means one of:

• The work is solid but too specialized for Nature Communications' broad readership
• The advance isn't big enough for a journal at this IF level
• The field is saturated with similar findings

Your next steps: check the rejection against common desk rejection reasons, consider what to do after desk rejection, and look at alternatives like PNAS (IF 9.1, 15% acceptance) or eLife (IF 6.4, ~15%).

How Nature Communications Compares

For context on where Nature Communications sits:

• Nature Communications vs PNAS - two different publishing philosophies
• Nature Communications vs Science Advances - comparing the two big OA journals
• Acceptance rates across 50+ journals - see how 20% stacks up
• Review timelines compared