What Is a Fellow Craft? The Second Degree of Freemasonry Explained
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A Fellow Craft—also written Fellowcraft—is a Mason who has received the second of the three Craft degrees of Freemasonry. It comes after Entered Apprentice and before Master Mason.
The second degree is sometimes overlooked because candidates are eager to reach the third. That is a mistake. Public Masonic education treats the Fellow Craft stage as its own period of intellectual and moral development, not simply a waiting room on the way to Master Mason.
Where does Fellow Craft fit in the three degrees?
The core Craft sequence is:
- Entered Apprentice — first degree
- Fellow Craft — second degree
- Master Mason — third degree
Masons of California describes these as stages of membership associated with self-development and increased knowledge. UGLE likewise publicly identifies Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason as the three Craft degrees.
Why is it called Fellow Craft?
The terminology draws on the language of working stonemason guilds. An apprentice learned the trade; a fellow of the craft had progressed in skill and understanding; a master represented further advancement.
Modern speculative Freemasonry uses that craft vocabulary symbolically. The degree is not a professional credential in stonework. It is part of a moral and educational system that borrows the tools and structure of building trades as metaphors.
What does the Fellow Craft degree mean?
Without entering private ritual, the public theme is growth through learning, discipline and thoughtful use of one's abilities. The second degree often receives attention for its emphasis on education and the development of the mind.
That is also why many Masons advise new Fellow Crafts not to rush through it. Current public discussions frequently describe the degree as one that reveals more on reflection than it does in the excitement of the night itself.
What does 'passed to Fellow Craft' mean?
Masonic language traditionally uses different verbs for the three Craft degrees. A candidate is commonly described as:
- initiated as an Entered Apprentice;
- passed to the degree of Fellow Craft;
- raised to the degree of Master Mason.
These are traditional terms, not separate organizations. If someone says, “I was passed last night,” the context usually means he received the second degree.
What can a Fellow Craft do?
Rights and meeting access vary by jurisdiction. A Fellow Craft has progressed beyond the first degree but has not yet completed the third. Some lodges allow EAs and FCs to participate in a broad range of meetings and education; others restrict certain portions according to degree.
Recent discussions among Masons show substantial jurisdictional variation even on ordinary questions such as which degree a stated meeting opens on. Your local Grand Lodge rules are the authority.
Can a Fellow Craft visit another lodge?
Possibly, but the rules for visitation, examination, introductions and degree eligibility vary. A Fellow Craft who wants to visit should coordinate through the lodge Secretary rather than assume that customs found online apply everywhere.
For the larger issue of recognition between jurisdictions, see What Is a Grand Lodge?.
How long does someone stay a Fellow Craft?
There is no worldwide standard. Advancement can depend on minimum time requirements, proficiency work, mentoring, lodge scheduling and local Grand Lodge law. Some candidates progress in weeks or months; others take longer.
Speed by itself is not the goal. A well-used Fellow Craft period gives a Mason time to understand the degree, participate in lodge life and prepare for the responsibilities of Master Mason.
Is Fellow Craft the same as the second degree?
Yes, in ordinary Craft Masonry. “Second degree,” “Fellow Craft degree” and “Fellowcraft degree” refer to the same stage.
Is a Fellow Craft a higher rank than an Entered Apprentice?
It is the next degree in the formal sequence, but “higher” can be misleading if it suggests social superiority. The degrees represent progression through a curriculum of Masonic instruction.
Likewise, a Master Mason is not automatically a lodge officer, and holding a lodge office is not the same thing as receiving another degree. Our degree overview separates these systems.
Why do some Masons call the second degree underrated?
Because it sits between two emotionally obvious milestones: initiation and becoming a Master Mason. The middle stage can look transitional from the outside. In practice, many Masons later describe it as one of the richest degrees for study because of its educational symbolism and emphasis on continued improvement.
Recent 2026 public discussions show the same pattern: new Fellow Crafts frequently talk about wanting to revisit the degree, understand it more deeply and avoid treating it as something merely to complete.
FAQ
What does FC mean in Freemasonry?
FC usually means Fellow Craft or Fellowcraft, the second Craft degree.
What comes before Fellow Craft?
Entered Apprentice, the first degree.
What comes after Fellow Craft?
Master Mason, the third Craft degree.
Why is a Fellow Craft 'passed'?
“Passed” is the traditional verb used for receiving the second degree, just as “initiated” is associated with the first and “raised” with the third.
Can a Fellow Craft join the Scottish Rite or other appendant bodies?
Eligibility depends on the body and jurisdiction, but many major appendant bodies require Master Mason status. See our guide to Masonic appendant bodies before assuming that every additional organization is open at the Fellow Craft stage.
A degree worth taking time to understand
The Fellow Craft degree is best understood as a stage of learning, not a box to check. If you are marking a milestone with a symbolic gift, browse our Masonic coin collection while keeping your own lodge's customs about degree-specific symbols in mind.
Specific product match: For jurisdictions where this style is appropriate, see the Masonic Blue Lodge Fellowcraft Apron.