Frequently asked questions
Everything below reflects the 2026–2027 Edition. If your question isn't here, ask the editors directly; addresses are on the contact page.
- Who is eligible to submit?
- High school, undergraduate, and graduate students from anywhere in the world, as long as the submission is in English. You do not need any affiliation with Columbia.
- Does it cost anything to submit or publish?
- No. Columbia Scientist charges no submission fee and no publication fee, and the journal is free to read.
- When will I hear back?
- Decisions for the 2026–2027 Edition are made by late April 2027. Every author is notified by email, whether or not their piece is accepted.
- How long should my piece be?
- Written work runs 500–1,500 words. Visual work must fit on one 8.5 × 11-inch page. See the guidelines for the requirements specific to each category.
- Can I submit more than once?
- Each student may make one submission per publishing year, in any category.
- What kinds of figures can I include?
- Supplement your article with an infographic, a diagram, a photograph, or a table that helps explain a scientific concept. Figures must fit within 8.5 × 11 inches.
- Do I need original research?
- No. The opposite, in fact. Columbia Scientist exists for non-research work: argument, explanation, commentary, and art. If you have original research, submit it to the Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal instead.
- Can I use AI to help write my submission?
- You must disclose any use of generative AI in your cover letter and acknowledgments, including the full prompt, the tool, and its version. Undisclosed AI use is grounds for redaction from the published edition.
- Who holds the copyright to my work?
- You do. Published pieces are released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence, which lets others share your work as long as they credit you.
- Will my piece have a permanent link I can cite?
- Yes. Every published piece gets its own page on this site with a stable URL and a formatted citation you can put on a CV or application.
- Where can I learn more about CUSJ?
- Columbia Scientist is published by the Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal. You can read more at https://cusj.columbia.edu.
- Who can I contact with other questions?
- Email either Editor-in-Chief: Ahmed Hamdan (aah2229@columbia.edu) or Gautam Ray (gr2783@columbia.edu).