Applying for Fellowship

Find out about the eligibility for Fellowship and how to apply. Applications for 2026 are open now and will close on 15 September.

What is Fellowship of the College?

We award Fellowship as a mark of distinction and recognition of contributions to psychiatry. Fellows are entitled to use the FRCPsych post-nominal as a sign of this accolade. 

You can hear more from some recent new Fellows in the video below, and read more about the importance of applying in Dr Sandhu's blog.

Why apply for RCPsych Fellowship
Play

Why apply for RCPsych Fellowship
Read Dr Sandhu's blog about Fellowship

Who's eligible?

You're eligible if you've been a Member (with MRCPsych) for 10 continuous years or more and can demonstrate significant contributions in at least one of the following domains:

  1. Service development, improvement and setting standards
  2. Education, teaching and training
  3. Research
  4. Leadership
  5. Other work (such as volunteering, public engagement, work with patients and carers etc.)

UK and Overseas Members (with MRCPsych) working at any grade can apply, including SAS doctors and retired members. Unfortunately, Affiliates and Associates can't apply.

If you'd like to check whether you're eligible to apply for Fellowship in 2026 you can use our new Fellowship eligibility checker. Simply complete your details and we'll get back to you within one working day to let you know if you're eligible to apply this year.

How do I apply?

To apply for Fellowship you need to complete our online application form.

You'll be asked to provide:

  • a brief overview your work history,
  • details of your achievements in the five Fellowship domains listed above,
  • information on your good standing, and
  • the names of a proposer and seconder who will support your application.

Please see our guidance notes which walk you through how to complete the application and give some top tips to maximise your chances of success.

Apply for Fellowship

What happens after submission?

All applications will be scored using a new scoring system. 

Each of the five domains will be given a score from 0-3:

  • 0: No achievement in this area
  • 1: Average achievement in this area, but not above and beyond
  • 2: Good achievement in this area, goes above and beyond
  • 3: Exceptional achievement in this area, clearly above and beyond

Applications need to reach a minimum score of 6 to be elected to Fellowship.

All applications are sent to the College's Nominations Committee in the autumn. They'll review each application and decide who should be elected to Fellowship.

All applicants will be told the outcome of their application in November each year.

If you're successful, congratulations! You'll then be able to register as a Fellow, this involves paying the Fellowship registration fee, and usually involves a top-up subscription fee for the end of the year.

Once you've paid the registration fee, you can use the FRCPsych postnominals and will officially be a Fellow of the College.

Please note, once you've registered as a Fellow you can't downgrade your membership back to Member.

If you're unsuccessful, you'll be told why and invited to consider reapplying again in future.

After you've registered as a Fellow you'll be sent a certificate to recognise this within two months. You'll also be invited to attend one of our ceremonies for new Fellows where you can celebrate your achievements.

General Fellowship FAQs

Please see our detailed guidance notes for questions relating to the application form.

Yes, retired members are welcome to apply for Fellowship, as long as you have the necessary 10 years of membership.

Yes, you don't have to be a consultant to apply for Fellowship. As long as you have the necessary 10 years of MRCPsych membership you can apply no matter what your career grade/job title is.

Yes, as long as you're a full MRCPsych Member and you have the necessary 10 years of membership then you can apply for Fellowship if you work overseas.

An application would be rejected if:

  • there is an ongoing GMC investigation or the applicant is under supervision or has a current written warning
  • there is knowledge of behaviour that could bring psychiatry into disrepute
  • the applicant fails to follow guidance and demonstrate necessary achievements in an application, e.g. not enough information contained in 5 domains which leads to a low score.

Yes, you're welcome to reapply in a subsequent year if your application is unsuccessful.

When you're told of the outcome there'll be an explanation of why your application was unsuccessful, so this will help you know which areas need strengthening when you come to reapply.

If you need any further clarification, please contact the Membership Services team at membershipservices@rcpsych.ac.uk.

Further questions

If you have any further questions about Fellowship please contact the Membership Services team on MembershipServices@rcpsych.ac.uk or 020 8618 4098.