Polaris National Undergraduate Magazine

About

Polaris Literary Magazine is an award winning national undergraduate magazine. As an undergraduate magazine, our mission is all about providing opportunities for undergraduates. We want undergraduate writers from around the United States to have a chance to publish their work in a professional quality national venue, building their confidence, and their publishing credentials. We also strive to create a welcoming community for undergraduates on Ohio Northern University campus through the student organization that is Polaris, and through offering professional development opportunities for our student editors through paid competitive positions. Additionally, we hope to provide the satisfaction to our student editors, student staff, and published writers, of having tangible proof of their work in the form of a magazine with their name in it.

Limited Demographic: Submissions are restricted to undergraduates.

Country of Publication & Year Established

United States

Established in 1958

Publication Medium & Frequency

Print Publication Print Publication: Published 1 x per year

AI Policy

Human-created work only; no AI use allowed

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Collapse section Fiction Open

Dates:

Open to fiction submissions through 01 February 2027* (approx. 139 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Specific group.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Flash Fiction: Up to 1,000 words.
Short Story: 1,000 - 2,500 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Absurdist, Experimental, Humorous, Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

No monetary payment to Semi-pro payment (1-4.9 US cents per word) Pays occasionally, up to Semi-pro payment. Details: USD $25 to $50 for two selected pieces; the rest will not receive monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Nonfiction Open

Dates:

Open to nonfiction submissions through 01 February 2027* (approx. 139 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Specific group.

Lengths:

Essay: Up to 2,500 words.
Narrative Nonfiction: Up to 2,500 words.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Experimental, Humorous, Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics including...
Travel.

Payment:

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Poetry Open

Dates:

Open to poetry submissions through 01 February 2027* (approx. 139 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Specific group.

Genres:

General

Lengths:

Poem: No line limits known; 3 - 5 pieces.

Poetry Forms:

Open to all/most Forms, including: Experimental poetry, Formal verse, Free verse, Prose poetry.

Styles:

Open to all/most Styles, including: Absurdist, Experimental, Humorous, Literary.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

No monetary payment to Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) Pays occasionally, up to Semi-pro payment. Details: USD $25 to $50 for two selected pieces; the rest will not receive monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Text.

Collapse section Visual Art Open

Dates:

Open to visual art submissions through 01 February 2027* (approx. 139 days from now).

Audience:

Open to a broad Audience, including: Specific group.

Lengths:

Artwork: Up to 3 pieces.

Art Media:

Open to all/most Art Media.

Art Styles:

Open to all/most Art Styles.

Topics:

Open to all/most Topics.

Payment:

No monetary payment to Semi-pro payment (US$10-49 per piece) Pays occasionally, up to Semi-pro payment. Details: USD $25 to $50 for two selected pieces; the rest will not receive monetary payment.

Submissions:

Method: Online form.
Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.
Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed.
Media: Image.

Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary.
* We do not know the time and/or timezone, so we cannot be more precise. Submit early to avoid disappointment.

No recent cover image available for Polaris

Go to publication's website

Report:
Submission/Response
Correction/Update
New Cover Art

Social:
Instagram @onupolaris
X (Twitter) @onupolaris

For the Editor(s):
Request Interview
Duosuma Submission Manager
Link to Duotrope

Polaris Submission Statistics

The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics.

We have not received any submission reports for this listing in the past 12 months.

Your Submissions

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Before Submitting

We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.

Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.
Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.
Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.
Be professional, patient, and persistent.

Dates

Last Updated: 31 Aug 2026

We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.