> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://app.simcare.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Step 1: Joining cohorts

> How faculty supervisors join the cohorts their students are in, either by email invitation or by cohort code.

As a Faculty Supervisor, your students are organized into **cohorts** — groups tied to a specific course or placement term (for example, COU 690-002 or Spring Practicum). Joining the right cohort is the first thing you need to do in FieldX: it connects you to your students, their assignments, and their submitted documents so you can review and sign off on their work.

You only need to join a cohort once. After that, your students and their tasks will appear automatically in your Overview and Cohorts tabs.

## Two ways to join a cohort

### Invitation

The Program Coordinator at your students' institution can invite you directly by email. When they do:

1. You'll receive an email from **[noreply@simcare.ai](mailto:noreply@simcare.ai)** with a join link.
2. If you don't have a FieldX account yet, the link will walk you through creating one.
3. If you already have an account, clicking the link will add you to the cohort automatically — no extra steps needed.

<Note>Check your spam or junk folder if you don't see the invitation within a few minutes. Emails come from [noreply@simcare.ai](mailto:noreply@simcare.ai).</Note>

### Cohort code

If your program gives you an 8-character cohort code instead of a direct invitation:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Log in to FieldX">
    Go to your institution's FieldX URL and sign in.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go to the Cohorts tab">
    Navigate to the **Cohorts** tab in the main navigation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Join Cohort">
    Click the **Join Cohort** button in the header.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the code">
    The **Join a Cohort as Instructor** modal opens. Type in the 8-character cohort code provided by your program coordinator and click **Join Course**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Once joined, the cohort will appear in your list and your students' tasks will show up in your **Cohorts → My Tasks** sub-tab.

<Note>Once inside a cohort, you'll see your specific group of students and any assignments related to them.</Note>

## Creating your own cohort

Some programs let faculty supervisors create cohorts directly. If this applies to you, click **Create Cohort** on the Cohorts tab and enter a track code, name, and optional description.

If you don't see a **Create Cohort** button, your program manages cohort creation centrally — contact your Program Coordinator.

## Common issues

**I didn't receive an invitation email.**
Check your spam or junk folder. Emails come from [noreply@simcare.ai](mailto:noreply@simcare.ai). If it's not there, ask your Program Coordinator to resend the invitation or provide you with a cohort code instead.

**The invitation link says it has expired or is invalid.**
Invitation links can expire. Contact your Program Coordinator and ask them to send a new invitation, or use the cohort code method to join directly.

**I joined a cohort but I don't see any students.**
This is normal if students haven't been added or haven't completed clearance. Students appear once they're enrolled in the cohort and approved. If a student is enrolled but not appearing, contact your Program Coordinator.

**I entered a cohort code but got an error.**
Double-check the code with your Program Coordinator — codes are case-sensitive and may contain zeros vs. the letter O. Make sure there are no extra spaces when pasting.

**I can see the cohort but it shows the wrong students.**
You may have joined the wrong cohort. Contact your Program Coordinator to confirm which cohort code corresponds to your group of students.

<Tip>Next step: Once in your cohorts, review student progress from your Overview dashboard. See [Step 2: Viewing student progress](/docs/fieldx/faculty/step-2-viewing-student-progress).</Tip>