Q: What does 'Awaiting Referee Selection' mean?

The status ‘Awaiting Referee Selection’ typically means that the manuscript is awaiting peer review. This means the initial check on the manuscript is complete, which means that the Editor-in-Chief (EiC) and/or the Associate Editor (AE) believe/s the manuscript fulfills basic journal criteria such as novelty of the research, quality of the writing, match with the journal’s scope, and adherence to the journal’s guidelines. They have thus decided to send the manuscript for peer review and are now looking out for suitable peer reviewers (also known as referees) for your paper. This should happen soon, and then, the actual peer review shall begin.

In some cases though, this may mean the internal review itself. But going by the statuses you have shared, that’s probably not the case here, and the present status mostly refers to the external (peer) review.

Hope that answers your query. For a better understanding of peer review, journal decision-making, and journal statuses, you may find the following resources helpful:

• A journal editor's insight into what happens post manuscript submission
• Peer review process and editorial decision making at journals
• A guide to understanding journal statuses [Handbook]

All the best for the next stages on your manuscript!