Teaching Fellow Interview Questions UK: 8 Real Questions and What Interviewers Want

Applying for a Teaching Fellow job in the UK? Here is what you are likely to be asked. These questions come from our Teaching Fellow question bank of 16 questions, written for UK employers at mid-level level.

Eight Teaching Fellow interview questions, and what the interviewer is thinking

1. Why do you want a teaching-focused post as a teaching fellow, and what does the role involve?

Why they ask: Panels check that you choose teaching deliberately and understand the contract, rather than seeing it as a fallback.

2. How do you plan a lecture or seminar so that students are actively engaged rather than passively listening?

Why they ask: Teaching fellows are hired to teach well, so planning and pedagogy are the heart of the interview.

3. How do you design and mark assessment so it is fair, and how do you handle suspected academic misconduct including AI use?

Why they ask: Assessment is a large part of the role and integrity is a sector concern.

4. What do you know about the UK Professional Standards Framework and Advance HE Fellowship, and where are you on that journey?

Why they ask: Fellowship is often essential or desirable for teaching fellows.

5. How do you make your teaching inclusive and accessible for students with disabilities and different backgrounds?

Why they ask: Inclusivity is a legal duty and a quality expectation.

6. How do you use the virtual learning environment and educational technology to support learning?

Why they ask: Digital capability is expected, particularly with blended learning.

7. A student emails you late at night, saying they are overwhelmed and are thinking of leaving the course. How do you respond?

Why they ask: Teaching fellows are often the first point of contact for student wellbeing.

8. Tell me about a time you changed your teaching after evidence that it was not working.

Why they ask: Reflective, evidence-informed practice is the hallmark of a good teaching fellow.

A sample answer to question 1

Why do you want a teaching-focused post as a teaching fellow, and what does the role involve?

I want to teach because that is where I do my best work. I enjoy designing sessions, seeing students grasp difficult ideas and improving how a course runs. A teaching fellow post is typically on an education-focused contract, so most of my time goes on delivering lectures and seminars, supervising dissertations, marking and giving feedback, module coordination and student support, with scholarship of teaching as the research element rather than a discipline research agenda. I like that this route recognises pedagogy as a serious academic activity, and many universities now offer promotion on the education track through to senior teaching fellow and professor of education. I know the workload is heavy at peak points, so I plan carefully, and I make use of professional development such as Advance HE Fellowship. I am drawn to this department because of its commitment to innovative teaching, and I would like to contribute to curriculum development and student experience projects.

Common mistake to avoid: Calling it a stepping stone to research; no awareness of the education track

Want the rest?

Full model answers, key points and common mistakes for all 16 questions are on the Teaching Fellow interview questions page. The first five are free, no sign-up needed.