Science Advances First Decision Time: What to Expect in 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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Science Advances typically delivers a first decision in 4-8 weeks. That means editorial desk decisions in the faster range and post-reviewer decisions in the slower range. Understanding the stages helps you plan timelines and know when following up is reasonable.
Typical Timeline by Stage
Stage | Typical duration |
|---|---|
Submission to editor assignment | 1-3 days |
Editor desk review | 1-4 weeks |
Reviewer recruitment | 1-3 weeks |
Peer review | 3-6 weeks |
Post-review editorial decision | 1-2 weeks |
Total (desk rejection) | 2-5 weeks |
Total (sent to review) | 8-14 weeks |
Revision window (if invited) | 4-12 weeks |
Desk Rejection Timeline
Science Advances desk rejects the majority of submissions without sending to peer review. These decisions typically arrive in 2-5 weeks, sometimes faster.
The desk review is conducted by professional editors. They evaluate whether the paper has sufficient significance and scope for a broad-audience AAAS journal. Papers that narrowly miss Science are natural candidates; work that belongs in a specialist journal typically gets a fast desk rejection.
Peer Review Timeline
If your paper clears the desk, expect a longer wait. Science Advances uses external reviewers, and recruiting qualified reviewers for a submission in your specific area can take 2-3 weeks on its own.
Once reviewers are assigned, the review period typically runs 3-6 weeks. After reviews come in, editors take another 1-2 weeks to make a decision.
Total from submission to post-review decision: 8-14 weeks is common. Some papers take longer if reviewer recruitment is difficult or if reviewers request extensions.
Science Advances vs Comparable Journals
Journal | Typical first decision | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Science Advances | 4-8 weeks (desk); 10-14 weeks (peer review) | AAAS family, board of editors |
3-6 weeks (desk); 8-12 weeks (peer review) | Slightly faster | |
2-6 weeks (desk); 8-12 weeks | Member track can be faster | |
eLife | 4-6 weeks (desk) | Then consulting editors decide on full review |
Nature Communications tends to be slightly faster than Science Advances. If review speed is critical to your timeline, that's worth factoring into your journal choice.
When to Follow Up
Science Advances doesn't encourage frequent status inquiries, but a polite follow-up is appropriate if:
- 8+ weeks with no update and the submission is still showing "under review"
- 12+ weeks for any status
Email the editorial office — not an individual editor. Keep it brief: confirm the submission is still active and ask if there's an expected timeline.
Don't follow up at 4 or 6 weeks. The system shows when it's "under review" vs "with editor" vs "awaiting reviewer scores." Use the status tracker first.
What "Under Consideration" and "Under Review" Mean
Most journal systems use slightly different labels, but the general pattern at Science:
- "With editor" — in desk review, hasn't gone out for peer review yet
- "Under review" — reviewers assigned, awaiting their reports
- "Awaiting editorial decision" — reviews received, editor deciding
If it's been 6+ weeks "with editor", a brief inquiry is fine. If it's "under review", wait the full reviewer period before following up.
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