Higher Education Academy Fellowships

About the fellowships

The Higher Education Academy (HEA) Fellowships works with institutions worldwide to improve higher education. Becoming a Fellow connects you to an international community that values quality teaching and supports learning. Obtaining HEA Fellowship demonstrates your commitment to teaching and learning and evidence of your standing as a Higher Education (HE) practitioner.

Teaching academics and professional staff who support learning are welcome to apply for a fellowship.

Fellowships are awarded in four categories:

• Associate Fellowship (AFHEA) – this is suitable for staff who are fairly new to a role in teaching and/or support for learning or may have a limited teaching portfolio; for example, sessional/ part time staff or early career researchers with some teaching responsibilities. They may be new or experienced staff with specific roles in supporting HE learning such as technicians, librarians, professional staff, learning technologists, careers advisors, etc.
• Fellowship (FHEA) - this is suitable for staff with substantive teaching responsibilities or professional staff with responsibilities to support HE learning.
• Senior Fellowship (SFHEA) – this is suitable for staff who lead and influence HE academic practice and higher education learning in a many different settings. Working with and through ‘others’ (e.g., colleagues, peers, mentees, etc.) they operate to support, guide and initiate change or lead / influence enhancement of practice in a wide range of global contexts.
• Principal Fellowship (PFHEA) – this is suitable for highly experienced individuals whose practice involves a sustained record of effectiveness in strategic leadership of high-quality learning. Their impact is extensive.

These categories are based on descriptors of the Professional Standards Framework (PSF 2023).

The UKPSF sets out the knowledge, skills, and behaviours demonstrated by those teaching and/or supporting higher education learning.

You can work through a series of questions to decide your fellowship category. Please see the Fellowship Category Tool.

You are required to complete certain elements for each category of submission. You will always provide evidence of your work meeting the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF).