Purpose of the EHRA Advanced Training Fellowship Programme

This programme offers an opportunity for clinical training in the field of Arrhythmias and Cardiac Pacing within an ESC member country, for specialists in cardiac electrophysiology with less than five years of practice after fellowship. 

This programme can be considered as a valorisation of the geographical mobility as well as cultural exchanges and professional practice within the field of cardiology.

The programme aims to support early-career candidates in developing clinical competencies and gaining high-quality experience in Electrophysiology practice.

Candidates are expected to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the programme to help strengthen clinical and academic standards upon returning to their home country.

Eligibility

Applicants elligible for the award are those who:

  • are citizens or permanent residents of an ESC member country (please refer to the Appendix 1 at the end of the Rules and regulations document for additional information)
  • are EP specialists with less than five years practice after fellowship and can provide the year of completion of Cardiology/EP training
  • are preferably less than 40 years of age on the day of the application deadline
  • are EHRA members at the time of submission (mandatory)
  • have a certified B2 level in the required language requested by the relevant hosting centre and/or country 
  • have performed more than 50 procedures of catheter ablations as first or second operator.

Important:

Final validation of the application will be subject to visa approval (when needed).

Note:

•    Applicants who are unsure about their eligibility are encouraged to contact EHRA before submitting an application via the "Contact Us" form (Category: Grants & Fellowships, Sub Category: EHRA Training fellowship programme)
•    Applicants are advised to read all explanatory notes carefully before applying.

Selection Criteria

Candidates applying for the Advanced Programme (1year):

  • Target audience:
    •  For physicians wishing to gain in-depth training in interventional electrophysiology.
  • Objectives:
    • The fellow will gain advanced theoretical and practical knowledge in the fields of diagnosis (advanced mapping) and ablation of complex substrates such as atrial fibrillation, LA re-entry tachycardia, ischemic VT and in difficult anatomic access procedures, such as aortic root, epicardial mapping, and transseptal punctures.
  • Application Criteria:

Basic theoretical and practical experience of:

    • Clinical Cardiology
    • Diagnostic EP studies
    • Catheter ablation of simple arrhythmias: having performed at least 50 catheter ablations as first operator or second operator
    • Fluent English and/or other local language (certified B2 level)
      Fellows are responsible for checking local regulations and confirming their agreed training status (hands-on or hands-off) with the host centre where they will undertake their fellowship.

All paperwork (e.g. visa, language certificate, etc.) should be completed in due time to avoid delaying the start of the fellowship.

Application process for Candidates

Applicants are invited to complete all the sections of the main online application form (Part A).

To access the application form, please log in to your My ESC account and select 'Grant Applications' in the 'New Grant Application' section, then choose 'EHRA Advanced TF Programme in EP - Candidates 2026'. Alternatively, the application form can be accessed directly by clicking here. 

In addition, the following supporting forms, available for download below must be completed by third parties:

Part B – To be completed by the head of department or supervisor.

Part C – To be completed by the Referee(s).

A letter of support from the National Cardiac Society/Working group on arrhythmias is strongly recommended.

Parts B and C, together with the following supporting documents, must be merged into one single PDF File and uploaded through the online application form (Part A):

Important:

  • Applications must be submitted through the online application form only. Applications submitted by email or post will not be accepted.
  • Applicants must save and name the PDF using their first name and last name before uploading it.
  • Applicants are requested to carefully read and ensure that they understand the Rules for EHRA Training Fellowship Programmes. Submission of an application implies acceptance of all programme rules and conditions. Any application that does not comply with these rules will not be considered.
  • Applications will be submitted for review exactly as received. Applicants are therefore encouraged to ensure that all forms are completed accurately and that all required supporting documents are provided, as incomplete applications may not be considered.
  • Part A (the main online application form) and the applicant's name box on Parts B and C should be completed by the applicant. Applicants are asked to note that it remains their responsibility to provide Parts B and C to the relevant persons. Failure to return the parts before the application deadline will be considered as an incomplete application and as such the entire application will be rejected.
  • Individuals and Centres interested in participating in the EHRA Training Fellowship Programme are invited to submit their applications separately. The Selection Committee will select both - candidates and training centres - and will jointly determine the attributions. 
  • Pre-arrangements between Centres and Candidates will not be taken into account, unless they are consistent with the final decision of the Selection Committee. The decision of the Committee is final and undisputable.
  • Applicants who have experienced a serious illness that may affect the fulfilment of the fellowship are invited to inform EHRA confidentially. This information may be submitted separately and addressed to the Chair of the Selection Committee. Refer to section “Level of support” regarding financial provision.
  • Applying for a second time: in exceptional circumstances a grant recipient can apply a second time for a grant in the following year. This new application will be evaluated on an equal basis with other new applications. 
  • The EHRA Training Fellowship application form will only be visible during the application period and only to applicants who meet the eligibility criteria. If you believe you are eligible but cannot access the application form, please verify that your My ESC profile information is accurate. If the issue persists, please contact EHRA for assistance via the "Contact Us".
  •  

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION TUESDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2026

Tenure:

The training period must start after completion of the whole application process (after receiving formal confirmation from the ESC/EHRA). If necessary, the length of the training period may be extended, in which case the host institution will bear the costs. 

Fellows will have to start the training programme before March 2028.

Level of support:

Fellows will receive a sum of € 35,000.00 per annum for their living expenses.
The amount will be paid separately in two instalments, i.e. €17,500.00 at the beginning €17,500.00 after 6 months.

An agreement will be signed between the host institution and the grant recipient. The agreement should specify the training status of the grant recipient during the period spent in the host institution.

If a fellow is unable to complete at least 80% of the programme for any reason, repayment of the full grant amount may be requested. In exceptional circumstances, the Selection Committee will review the situation and decide whether this requirement should apply.

If upon completion of the training programme, the fellow decides not to return to his/her home country, he/she will be required to reimburse the full amount of the grant within six months.

Duties and Reporting Requirements:

  • Publication

During or following the fellowship period, fellows are expected to:

Publish at least one scientific paper in EP Europace or another equivalent peer-reviewed journal; and/or submit two abstracts as first author to an official EHRA Congress (Europace).

A copy of each publication (off-print or web link) should be sent to ehra@escardio.org 

  • EHRA Certification Examination

Fellows are required to sit and pass the EHRA Certification Examination in Electrophysiology (EP) at the end of the programme.

The registration fee for the online examination will be covered by EHRA.

  • Final Report

Grant recipients are required to submit a final report in English before the end of their training period (or within one month after completion).

The report, limited to one A4 page, should summarize the training activities carried out at the EHRA Training Centre, including procedural experience, the quality of the training received, and the fellow’s planned professional position after completion of the fellowship. Fellows may also include comments or feedback on the programme.

The report must be signed by both the fellow and the host supervisor and should also be shared with the institution employing the fellow after completion of the fellowship.

  • One-Year Follow-Up Report

Fellows are required to submit a follow-up report to EHRA 12 months after completion of the training programme. The report should describe their current professional position, key achievements, and the impact of the fellowship on clinical practice in their region and home country.

 

Application Process for Training Centres 

This programme is restricted to EHRA Recognised Training Centres (ERTC) only. Eligible centres will be contacted individually when the call opens and invited to apply to host a fellow. Candidate allocation to training centres will be decided exclusively by the EHRA Selection Committee.
  • Applications are submitted exclusively via an online form
  • Applications by email or paper applications will not be accepted
  • To access the online application form please log in to your My ESC account and select 'New Application' in the 'Grant' section, then select 'EHRA TF Programme EP - Centres 2026'

Rules and regulations

For further information, access the rules and regulations for the EHRA clinical electrophysiology with emphasis on catheter ablation training fellowship.