<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-07-10</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001383571</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GLOBE SPECIALTY METALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GSM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001323226</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Kestenbaum Alan</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O GLOBE SPECIALTY METALS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>600 BRICKELL AVENUE, STE 1500</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MIAMI</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33131</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive Chairman</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-07-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>20.4482</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9711003</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-07-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>24900</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>20.1752</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9686103</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The average sales price over several transactions is $20.44824: 100 @ $20.20; 400 @ $20.21; 100 @ $20.215; 200 @ $20.22; 200 @ $20.225; 400 @ $20.23; 700 @ $20.24; 700 @ $20.25; 100 @ $20.255; 200 @ $20.26; 100 @ $20.265; 400 @ $20.27; 500 @ $20.28; 100 @ $20.285; 200 @ $20.29; 400 @ $20.30; 100 @ $20.31; 100 @ $20.35; 100 @ $20.36; 100 @ $20.365; 100 @ $20.375; 100 @ $20.39; 1000 @ $20.41; 100 @ $20.42; 1450 @ $20.43; 1250 @ $20.44; 1300 @ $20.45; 1171 @ $20.46; 729 @ $20.47; 900 @ $20.48; 1200 @ $20.49; 100 @ $20.495; 2500 @ $20.50; 1100 @ $20.51; 100 @ $20.515; 900 @ $20.52; 1300 @ $20.53; 1300 @ $20.54; 600 @ $20.55; 300 @ $20.56; 100 @ $20.565; 100 @ $20.57; 100 @ $20.59; 535 @ $20.60; 465 @ $20.61; 500 @ $20.62; 200 @ $20.625; 200 @ $20.63; 100 @ $20.64.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The average sales price over several transactions is $20.17522: 800 @ $20.00; 700 @ $20.01; 300 @ $20.015; 700 @ $20.02; 200 @ $20.025; 800 @ $20.03; 1300 @ $20.04; 400 @ $20.05; 1112 @ $20.06; 900 @ $20.07; 300 @ $20.08; 1255 @ $20.10; 200 @ $20.11; 200 @ $20.12; 600 @ $20.13; 600 @ $20.14; 500 @ $20.15; 485 @ $20.16; 901 @ $20.17; 400 @ $20.18; 500 @ $20.19; 304 @ $20.20; 100 @ $20.21; 100 @ $20.23; 100 @ $20.25; 1000 @ $20.26; 2588 @ $20.27; 2451 @ $20.28; 3800 @ $20.29; 98 @ $20.295; 906 @ $20.30; 100 @ $20.31; 100 @ $20.33; 100 @ $20.35.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Stephen Lebowitz, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-07-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
