Is Curieux Academic Journal Legit?
Updated: 6th November, 2026
TL;DR
Yes, Curieux is legit, but you should know what you're getting. It's a student publication where two editors review each paper, not outside experts. Submitting is free, and accepted authors pay $200 for Seasonal Review or $250 for Fast-Track Review. It fits middle school, high school, and undergraduate students who want editorial feedback. If you want a 1-on-1 research project with a PhD mentor, look at the Lumiere Research Scholar Program. It's built to help you develop an independent paper and prepare it for journal submission.
What is Curieux Academic Journal?
Curieux Academic Journal is a student publication run as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and new papers now go through The Curieux Review. The older journal site stays online as a repository of past work and tells authors to submit at The Curieux Review. Here are the quick facts.
Detail | Information |
Where to submit | The Curieux Review |
Old site | Curieux Academic Journal, now a repository of past work |
Who can submit | Middle school, high school, and undergraduate students |
Subjects | All academic subjects, including sciences, social sciences, and humanities |
Deadline | Rolling submissions |
Review | Two editors review each paper separately |
Submission fee | Free |
Fee if accepted | $200 Seasonal Review or $250 Fast-Track Review |
Decision time | Usually two to five weeks |
Time to publication | Usually two to three months after acceptance |
Is Curieux legit?
Yes. Curieux is a real student publication with a stated review process, posted submission rules, and a nonprofit status on its older site. That site lists the organization as a registered 501(c)(3) and shows an ISSN (2769-6359). The current site gives clear submission instructions and an editor contact.
One catch matters. The older Curieux Academic Journal site no longer publishes new work. It sends you to The Curieux Review, so use the current site and don't treat the old one as the active journal.
Is Curieux peer-reviewed?
Curieux uses a two-editor review, which is not the same as review by outside experts. Two editors read each paper separately, check it for academic integrity, factual accuracy, and grammar, and then decide together whether to accept it or decline it.
The site names the reviewers as editors. It doesn't say they are outside specialists. So think of this as the journal's own editorial review, not the model used by university research journals. That's fine for a first publication, but describe it honestly on an application.
How do you submit to Curieux, and are there fees?
Submitting is free. If your paper is accepted, you pay $200 for Seasonal Review or $250 for Fast-Track Review. The journal says fees support its Community Outreach program. If you need help with the cost, you can email the editors and they'll try to accommodate you.
To submit, follow these steps:
Fill out the online form on the submissions page.
Share a Google Doc link with editor access turned on.
Format the paper in MLA style, Times New Roman, 12-point font, with 1.15 line spacing.
Keep it to 20 pages or fewer, not counting the works cited.
How long does Curieux take to review a paper?
Most authors hear back in two to five weeks. Fast-Track Review promises a decision within three weeks. With Seasonal Review, you're notified when the next issue comes out.
After acceptance, papers usually appear within two to three months. Timing can change, so check the current submission page when you apply. Fast-Track changes how fast you hear back, not the standard the editors use.
Is Curieux still accepting submissions?
Yes. The Curieux Review accepts papers on a rolling basis, so there's no fixed deadline. Send your paper whenever it's ready. Use the current site, not the older Curieux Academic Journal repository.
Is Curieux worth submitting to?
It can be, if you have a carefully researched paper and want practice with editing and revision. The journal doesn't publish an acceptance rate on its submission page. As a labeled estimate only, Lumiere's guide to journals to publish your research in high school puts it at about 60–70%. Treat that as a rough guess, not an official number.
Pros -
Submitting is free, so you pay nothing if your paper is declined.
Two editors review each paper and can ask for revisions.
Rolling submissions let you send work when it's ready.
The journal takes all academic subjects and several writing types.
Cons -
Accepted authors pay $200 or $250 unless the journal grants aid.
The site names editors as reviewers, not outside experts.
No acceptance rate is published, so you can't judge selectivity.
Fast-Track costs $50 more and doesn't improve your odds of acceptance.
For more on other venues, read how to publish a research paper in high school. If you want a more selective target, see how to get published in the International Journal of High School Research.
Frequently asked questions: Curieux Academic Journal
Can international students submit to Curieux?
The submission page lists authors by school level, not by country. Middle school, high school, and undergraduate students can submit. It doesn't state a rule for international students, so email editor@curieuxreview.com before you submit. Ask about any limits and keep the reply for your records.
Do colleges recognize Curieux?
No college has a set rule for how it weighs one journal. A publication gives you a concrete way to talk about your research, writing, and response to feedback. It doesn't guarantee an admissions edge. Describe your role honestly and focus on what you learned.
What can you submit to Curieux besides research papers?
You can submit review articles and humanities or social science writing, along with research papers. The journal says it accepts all forms of academic writing. Pick the subject category that fits your paper best on the form.
Is The Curieux Review the same as Curieux Academic Journal?
Not exactly. The Curieux Academic Journal site is now a repository of past work and says it won't publish new papers. It sends you to The Curieux Review to submit. Check that you're on the current site before you send anything.
What is Curieux's acceptance rate?
The journal doesn't publish one on its submission page. Lumiere's journal guide estimates about 60–70%, but that's an estimate, not an official figure. Since the site doesn't confirm it, plan to submit your strongest, most polished work.
Can middle school students publish in Curieux?
Yes. Middle school, high school, and undergraduate students can all submit. Your paper still has to meet the 20-page limit and the MLA format rules. Ask a teacher to read it before you send it.
Worried about paying a fee after acceptance, or about a review done only by editors? Look at the Lumiere Research Scholar Program. It pairs you 1-on-1 with a PhD mentor for an independent research project, done entirely online, with publication support on select tracks. Apply here.
Stephen Turban is the co-founder of Lumiere Education and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics before beginning a PhD at Harvard Business School. A former McKinsey & Company consultant and former researcher, his research has been covered by the Harvard Business Review, The Economist, BBC News, Freakonomics Radio, and the Washington Post. In his articles for Forbes, he writes on what students and professionals can learn from high school research, high school passion projects, critical thinking, and mentorship. At Lumiere, he leads a selective research program where students work one-on-one with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper. Connect with him on LinkedIn.