What does 'Under Review' mean at PNAS?

Under Review at PNAS means your paper has been assigned to a PNAS editor (usually an NAS member) and sent to external peer reviewers. It has passed the initial editorial screening stage.

How long does PNAS review take?

PNAS targets 45 days from submission to first decision. The desk review typically takes 7-14 days. If your paper goes to reviewers, expect 30-45 days total. Some papers take longer if reviewers are slow or if additional review is needed.

What is a PNAS Significance Statement?

Every PNAS paper requires a 120-word Significance Statement explaining why the work matters to a broad scientific audience. This is reviewed along with the paper and is often a reason for revision requests. Write it for a scientist outside your field.

What percentage of PNAS papers are accepted?

PNAS accepts about 15% of submissions. After the 2022 reforms eliminated the Contributed track, all submissions go through standard peer review. The desk rejection rate is estimated at ~40%.

Can I track my PNAS submission status?

Yes, PNAS uses an online submission system where you can check your manuscript status. The status labels include 'With Editor', 'Under Review', 'Decision in Process', and 'Decision Made'. Status changes are also emailed to the corresponding author.

Journal Guides8 min read

PNAS 'Under Review': What Each Status Means and How Long to Wait

By Research Scientist, Neuroscience & Cell Biology•February 17, 2026

Research Scientist, Neuroscience & Cell Biology

Works across neuroscience and cell biology, with direct expertise in preparing manuscripts for PNAS, Nature Neuroscience, Neuron, eLife, and Nature Communications.

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If your PNAS submission shows Under Review, your paper has cleared the initial editorial filter and is being evaluated by peer reviewers. Here's what each status means, how the PNAS review process works since the 2022 reforms, and when to expect a decision.

PNAS Status Labels Explained

PNAS uses relatively clear status labels compared to most journals:

Status	What it means	Typical duration
Submitted	Paper received, quality checks in progress	1-3 days
With Editor	An NAS member editor is reviewing your paper	7-14 days
Under Review	Paper sent to 2-3 external peer reviewers	3-5 weeks
Decision in Process	Editor has reviewer reports, drafting decision	3-7 days
Decision Made	Decision email sent to corresponding author	-

The 2022 Reforms Changed Everything

Before 2022, PNAS had three submission tracks: Direct Submission, Contributed (NAS members could submit their own work), and Communicated (NAS members could submit others' work). The Contributed track was controversial because authors could suggest their own reviewers.

All that's gone now. Every paper goes through the same Direct Submission process with standard editorial peer review. This leveled the playing field but also increased competition. The ~15% acceptance rate reflects this single-track system.

Phase 1: With Editor (Days 1-14)

After basic quality checks, your paper is assigned to an editor. PNAS editors are typically members of the National Academy of Sciences, active researchers in the relevant field. They read your paper and decide:

Send to review - the paper has potential and fits PNAS scope
Desk reject - insufficient significance, poor fit, or fundamental problems

PNAS desk rejects an estimated ~40% of submissions. The decision typically comes within 7-14 days.

What editors look for at this stage:

Broad significance beyond your immediate subfield
Methodological rigor appropriate to the claims
Novelty that goes beyond incremental advances
A strong Significance Statement (120 words explaining why this matters)

The Significance Statement matters more than most authors realize. Editors use it to gauge whether you can articulate why your work is important to a broad audience. A weak Significance Statement can sink an otherwise good paper.

Phase 2: Under Review (Weeks 2-6)

If you clear the desk, the editor identifies 2-3 peer reviewers. PNAS reviewers typically get 14-21 days to submit their reports, though many take longer.

The editor can't force reviewers to be fast. If a reviewer declines or is late, the editor needs to find a replacement, which adds time. This is the phase where timelines become unpredictable.

What reviewers assess:

Technical soundness of methods and analysis
Whether conclusions are supported by the data
Significance relative to the existing literature
Quality of the Significance Statement
Whether the work fits PNAS's broad-scope mission

Phase 3: Decision in Process (Days 1-7)

Once reviewer reports are in, the editor weighs the feedback and makes a recommendation. At PNAS, the editor has significant autonomy in the decision.

Possible outcomes:

Accept (uncommon on first submission, maybe 5-10% of reviewed papers)
Minor revision (good sign - editors expect a quick turnaround)
Major revision (substantive changes needed, possibly new experiments)
Reject after review (fundamental issues identified by reviewers)

Timeline Summary

Scenario	Expected timeline
Desk rejection	7-14 days
Full review, first decision	30-45 days
Revision + re-review	Add 30-60 days
Total to acceptance	3-6 months typical

When to Follow Up

Before 30 days: Don't. Everything is normal.
30-45 days: Normal range. Be patient.
45-60 days: Getting long. A polite inquiry is reasonable.
60+ days: Something may be stuck. Follow up.

Email the editor directly if you have their name (check the submission system). Keep it short: "I'm writing to inquire about the status of manuscript PNAS-XXXX-XXXXXX. Any update on expected timeline would be appreciated."

What If You're Rejected?

At 15% acceptance, most PNAS submissions don't make it. Common next steps:

Specialty journal in your field - often a better fit if the work is strong but too narrow for PNAS
Nature Communications (IF 15.7, 20% acceptance) - higher IF, broader scope
Science Advances (IF 12.5, 10% acceptance) - AAAS counterpart, competitive
eLife (IF 6.4) - open review model, less prestige-driven

See what to do after desk rejection or check your paper against common desk rejection red flags.