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Fellowship Pathway for Primary Care

For NHS England primary care staff

Gain recognition for your educational work through Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy

A guided pathway from first interest to a submission-ready Fellowship application, with peer review and internal expert sign-off. Open to NHSE Educators, clinicians of any background and non-clinical staff who support educational programmes in Primary Care.

Why apply

Recognition that travels

Fellowship is a UK-wide professional standard that follows you between roles, networks, and systems.

A clearer route

The pathway turns Advance HE's framework into practical steps with peer and expert support.

Open to all of primary care

Doctors, nurses, AHPs, practice managers, trainers, and educators — clinical and administrative.

The four levels

Advance HE recognises four levels of Fellowship, set against the UK Professional Standards Framework. Use the level checker if you're unsure where you fit.

Associate Fellow (AFHEA)

For those newer to teaching or supporting learning in a focused way. A trainee supervisor, an occasional teacher, or a team member supporting a single course or activity.

Fellow (FHEA)

For those with substantive, ongoing educational responsibilities, designing and delivering teaching, supervising, and assessing across their role.

Senior Fellow (SFHEA)

For those with a sustained record who lead, coordinate, or mentor. Organising programmes, supporting other educators, and influencing teaching across a team or area.

Principal Fellow (PFHEA)

For those with strategic leadership and influence on education, within their organisation and across the wider national or international system.

How it works

  1. Check your level

    Use the short level checker, or sign in and let your cohort lead advise.

  2. Draft your application

    Use the structured editor, with live word counts and PSF Dimension tagging.

  3. Peer review

    Two reviewers at your level give structured, named feedback.

  4. Revise and prepare statements

    Nominate referees or advocates who write a short statement through a secure link.

  5. Internal expert review

    An expert reviewer marks the pack ready or sends it back with notes.

  6. Submission-ready pack

    Download a print-ready PDF in the Advance HE form layout.

Ready to start?

You can pick a level later — what matters now is creating an account and getting your first draft into the editor.