What to Do if a Paper Is Waiting for AE Assignment

A manuscript marked “Awaiting AE Assignment” is generally waiting for the journal to appoint an associate editor (AE), sometimes called a handling editor or academic editor. The editor will typically assess whether the submission is suitable for the journal and, if it proceeds, oversee peer review. The exact workflow and status labels differ between journals and submission systems.

A delay at this stage is not, by itself, evidence that the manuscript has been rejected, lost, or judged negatively. The useful question is whether the wait is unusually long for that journal—and what to do if it is.

What the status usually means

The journal may have completed initial administrative checks but not yet assigned an editor. Alternatively, a staff member may still be checking the submission, or an editor may have been invited but not yet accepted the assignment. Some systems keep the same status while these steps happen, so the label may not reveal the precise cause or how much work has been done.

An AE is usually responsible for handling the scientific or scholarly review process. They may assess the paper’s fit, identify reviewers, consider reports, and make a recommendation to the editor-in-chief or another decision-making editor. This does not mean the manuscript has already been sent to reviewers.

How long is too long?

There is no universal deadline. Journal size, subject area, editor availability, submission volume, and time of year all affect how quickly an editor is assigned. A specialized journal may have a small pool of suitable editors; holidays and academic breaks can also slow routine decisions.

Start with the journal’s author instructions, submission FAQ, or published processing-time information. If the journal reports typical times, use those as a guide, recognizing that they are averages or estimates rather than guarantees. Also check that the submission is complete: required files, declarations, suggested information, and any requested forms should be present, and the system should show the manuscript as submitted rather than still in draft.

If the journal gives no guidance, a few weeks without a status change is not necessarily cause for concern. As a practical rule of thumb, after roughly four to six weeks with no movement, it is reasonable to ask the editorial office for an update. A longer wait may still be normal at some journals, while a shorter delay may warrant a message if the journal’s own stated timeline has clearly been exceeded or there is a time-sensitive issue.

How to ask for an update

Write to the editorial office or the contact address listed on the journal’s website. Keep the message factual and courteous. Include:

• the manuscript title;
• the manuscript ID;
• the date you submitted it; and
• the current status shown in the system.

For example:

Subject: Status inquiry — manuscript [ID]

Dear Editorial Office,
I am writing to ask whether there is an update on my manuscript, “[Title]” (ID [ID]), submitted on [date]. The submission system has shown “Awaiting AE Assignment” since [date]. I understand that processing times vary, but I would be grateful for any information about its current status.
Best regards,
[Name]

A first inquiry should not demand a decision or imply that the journal has acted improperly. It is appropriate to ask whether the submission is complete and whether any additional information is needed.

What to do after contacting the journal

Allow a reasonable time for a reply; editorial offices may also have backlogs. If you hear nothing after about one or two weeks, a brief follow-up is usually more useful than sending repeated messages every few days. If the journal has a formal contact route, use it rather than trying to reach individual editors through unrelated channels.

If the delay becomes substantially longer than the journal’s stated norms and you receive no helpful response, you can consider withdrawing and submitting elsewhere. Before doing so, check the journal’s withdrawal procedure and obtain confirmation that the manuscript is withdrawn. Do not submit the same manuscript to another journal while it is still under consideration, unless the first journal has confirmed withdrawal; simultaneous submission is generally prohibited by journal policies.

Common mistakes

• Treating the status as a verdict. It describes a workflow stage, not the quality of the paper or the eventual decision.
• Assuming every journal uses the label identically. “AE” usually means associate editor, but the system may use a broad status for several internal steps.
• Sending repeated messages too soon. One clear inquiry, followed by a measured follow-up if needed, is generally more effective.
• Withdrawing without confirmation. Make sure the journal has recorded the withdrawal before sending the manuscript elsewhere.
• Comparing your wait directly with another author’s. Their journal, editor, topic, and submission circumstances may be different.

The most reliable guide is the journal’s own stated timeline. If there is no timeline and the status has been unchanged for several weeks, a concise inquiry is a normal and professional step.