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Become a Fellow
Become a Fellow
Fellowship Overview
About

The American Academy of Nursing (Academy) is an honorific society, the members, called Fellows, of the Academy are selected through a rigorous nomination and review process. Academy Fellows are inducted into the organization for their extraordinary contributions to improve health locally and globally. With more than 3,000 Fellows, the Academy represents nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia.

Fellows who are selected, participate in an Induction Ceremony held during the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference in Washington, DC. After an individual who is selected participates in the Induction Ceremony, they are formally accepted into the organization and may use the FAAN credential, signifying that are a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), the most prestigious recognition in nursing.

Learn More

Applying for Fellowship

Typically, the Fellowship application opens annually in early January and is open for about 6 weeks with a deadline in mid-February.

Please note that the 2025 Fellowship Application Cycle will open on January 7, 2025.

Fellowship Application Resources
Preparing to Apply

Prospective applicants need to work WELL in advance of January to start to prepare their application, especially in coordination with their sponsors.

  • The first step is to identify your sponsors and think through how to articulate your impact based on the criterion and how you want to craft your applicant statements and CV to reflect your impact and how your sponsor statements can reinforce that information.
  • The applications are reviewed by the Fellow Selection Committee (FSC) and the FSC International Subcommittee (tasked with reviewing international applications only), which consists of a combination of elected and appointed Fellows with diverse backgrounds and expertise.
  • Applicants are typically notified of admission decisions in late June/early July regarding if they have been selected.
  • If selected, individuals must participate in the Induction Ceremony held during the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference in DC, typically held in October, to officially become a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and use the FAAN credential.
Applicant Self-Assessment
By answering the questions below, you will have the opportunity to assess your impact and hone your responses to the application questions. The questions on the application require succinct and purposeful responses, with word limits ranging from a minimum of 100 to a maximum of 600. Therefore, you should work to answer each of these questions in no more than 300 words.
  1. Summarize your significant individual contributions on the national/international level or describe a state/regional effort demonstrating potential for scalable impact (consider this section to be similar to an abstract of the work you will describe in Question 2).  
  2. Briefly describe the substantive, sustained, and outstanding impact of your contribution that is the focus for this application (for state or regional contributions, please identify the potential, scalable impact of your work). In addition, include your potential for significant continuing contributions in this area to health or health care. Be as specific as possible, providing data to support the impact of your work. Ensure that information listed in your CV aligns with the description provided. 
  3. How does your significant contribution(s) advance the mission of the American Academy of Nursing? The Academy's mission is to "Improve health and achieve health equity by impacting policy through nursing leadership, innovation, and science." View the Strategic Plan to learn more.
Criterion for Selection of Fellows
Specific evidence of your substantive, sustained, and outstanding contribution to health or health care at the national/international level or state/regional work demonstrating potential for scalable impact.
  • The Academy receives Fellowship applications via an online portal.
  • Applicants must be sponsored by TWO Regular Fellows (Academy members) in good standing as outlined in the Academy’s bylaws. At least one sponsor must be a Regular Fellow who holds membership in an American Nurses Association (ANA) Constituent/State Nurses Association (C/SNA) as a full C/SNA ANA member or direct ANA membership through the individual member division of ANA.
  • The application collects applicant information, applicant statements, sponsor information and statements, the applicant’s CV, and a $375 application fee.
Applicant Statement

Applicant statements should explain their substantive, sustained, and outstanding contribution to health or health care at the national/ international level or state/regional work demonstrating potential for scalable impact and the context in which it occurs. And how their contribution advances the Academy’s mission.

Sponsor Statement

Sponsor statements should verify and amplify the applicant's statements, citing evidence of the significant and sustained contribution and the impact or potential impact of those contributions. It should also reinforce how the applicant can help to advance the mission of the Academy.

Applicant CV Template

The intent of the CV template is to provide a resource for applicants to amplify and reinforce their applicant and sponsor statements by providing evidence of their contribution and impact. 

2025 Application Cycle

 

Please note that the 2025 Fellowship Application Cycle is scheduled to open on January 7, 2025. The 2025 application guide and instructions will be released by the end of November. In the meantime, please refer to the 2024 application guide and instructions which includes the questions contained within the application, to prepare in advance. Please note that the application questions, requirements, and the application fee of $375 will remain the same for the 2025 cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions
 

Yes. The Academy encourages candidates to seek sponsors who will provide strong support for the applicant’s admission into the Academy. Whether or not they are from the applicant’s institution or state is not considered.

It is advised that applicants search within their network as well as the Directory or Expert Panel members within their expertise to connect with potential Sponsors. Additionally, many members of the Academy's Committees, such as the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity Committee, are active Fellows that would be willing to support potential applicants. Please note, Academy staff is unable to directly refer or match applicants with potential sponsors. Applicants should know and have an existing relationship with sponsors and sponsors should have knowledge of their professional work and impact. This is vital to ensure that sponsors can articulately write a statement in support of an applicant. Prospective applicants need to work far in advance of the application cycle to start to prepare their application and coordinate with their sponsor. This preparation can range between six months and up to two years before submitting their application for consideration.

No. The Fellow Selection Committee will evaluate your candidacy based on the application materials submitted for the current year and nothing else. Whether you have applied in previous years is not discussed and will not affect the decision of the committee.
No. Candidates are evaluated based on the criteria for admission and not in comparison to the pool of applicants for that year.
Notifications will be sent in late June/early July.
The Academy no longer accepts supplemental materials to the application. Please do not send books or articles; the application is designed to stand alone.
The candidate should submit the application and all materials together online. Please note that confirmation emails will be sent to the email provided on the online submission form. 
Yes, your application submission is confidential. Only Academy staff and members of the Fellow Selection Committee have access to your application.
Questions For Sponsors

Yes. As a Fellow in good standing you may sponsor a total of two Fellows. These may include the combination of regular or Honorary candidates.

Yes, Emeritus Fellows in good standing are eligible to sponsor two candidates per year (the same as Fellows).

Yes, Living Legends are eligible to sponsor two candidates per year (the same as Fellows).

No, according to the Academy's bylaws Honorary Fellows are not eligible to sponsor a candidate but may assist in an advisory capacity.

Yes. The Fellow Selection Committee does not distinguish between primary or secondary sponsors. Academy Fellows in good standing may sponsor a total of two candidates per calendar year, whether they are listed as a first or second sponsor on the application.

Technical Questions

The Academy is using an online application portal. All application materials must be submitted together within the portal (CV information, applicant questions, sponsor statements). Please refer to the application guide & instructions for more details.

Confirmation emails will be sent to the email from which the application was received unless otherwise noted. Payment processing may take up to 2 weeks for checks received.

Contact

Contact Claire Holland, the Academy's Member Engagement Manager, at cholland@aannet.org with any questions.

Please note that the 2024 Fellowship Application Cycle has closed and Decision Notifications will be sent to Applicants and Sponsors in late June.