Define: Under review

What does "under review" mean?

"Under review" means that something you have submitted is being looked at by the person or team responsible for deciding on it. The item has been received and entered a checking stage, but a final decision has not been made. You will usually see the phrase attached to an application, a document, a contract draft, or a set of performance metrics.

The phrase describes a status rather than a result. Saying a matter is under review tells you where it sits in the process, not how it will end. It is a signal to wait while someone completes their assessment.

What does "application under review" mean?

When your application status shows "under review," it usually means an employer, recruiter, or admissions team is reading and screening what you sent. Your application has passed the initial receipt stage and is being compared against the requirements for the role or program. The exact meaning of the application status can vary between systems: some portals mark every submission "under review" the moment it lands, while others only switch to it once a hiring manager actually starts reading.

At this point no hiring decision has been reached. You may be one of many candidates being screened, and the review can take days or weeks depending on how many applications the employer received. A common question is whether "under review" is good or bad. It is neutral: your application has not been rejected, but it has not been advanced either.

What should you do while an application is under review?

1. Wait a reasonable period. Reviews take time, and repeated messages rarely speed them up.
2. Follow up politely. If the usual timeline has passed, a short, professional email asking about your application status is appropriate. Address it to the recruiter or hiring manager named in the posting.
3. Keep applying elsewhere. An "under review" status is no guarantee of an offer, so keep other options open and start another application if the role fits.
4. Watch for a status change. The status usually shifts to the next stage, such as interview, offer, or a decline, once the review is complete.

If a portal gives you no answer and no contact details, check the confirmation email you received when you applied, since it often names the person or team handling the role.

What does "under review" mean in a contract?

In a commercial setting, "under review" describes the stage where a contract, clause, or deliverable is being examined before it is accepted, signed, or approved. A counterparty's terms might be under review while your team checks them against your own playbook. A draft agreement might be under review while both sides negotiate wording. A completed piece of work might be under review while the client confirms it meets the agreed standard.

For a business without an in-house lawyer, contract review often becomes a bottleneck: every set of terms has to be read, understood, and risk-checked before anyone can sign. GenieAI, an Agentic Lawyer, reviews counterparty terms, flags risk against your own playbook using red, amber, and green ratings, and returns track-changes redlines so a deal doesn't sit under review longer than it needs to.

Where you'll see "under review"

• Hiring. An application status of "under review" while a recruiter screens candidates.
• Contracts. Counterparty terms or a draft agreement being checked before signing.
• Performance. Metrics or a submitted report being assessed against targets.
• Compliance and approvals. A request under review while it is validated against internal rules.

How "under review" works in practice

Consider a candidate who applies for a sales role. Here is how the status typically moves:

1. Submitted. The candidate sends a resume through the company portal. The status reads "Application received."
2. Under review. Two days later the status changes to "Under review." This means the recruiter is now screening the application against the job requirements. No decision has been made.
3. Follow up. After the employer's usual two-week window, the candidate sends a short note asking about their application status.
4. Outcome. The status finally updates to "Interview scheduled," "Offer," or "Not selected," ending the review stage.

The same pattern applies to a contract. A supplier sends terms, your team marks them "under review" while checking each clause, then either signs, sends redlines back, or declines. In both cases "under review" is the waiting stage between submission and decision.

"Under review" vs "under consideration"

These two phrases are close but not identical. The table below shows the difference.

The specific wording a system uses can vary, so read the status alongside any timeline or note the employer or counterparty provides rather than reading too much into the phrase alone.