5 Steps to Becoming a Foreign Service Officer
Updated: March 2024
Step 1: Apply for the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT)
Applications to the Foreign Service are reviewed by a Qualifications Evaluation Panel (QEP), using a total candidate approach to score each candidate based on educational and work background, responses to personal narrative questions, and the FSOT score. The best-qualified candidates are invited to the next step: the Foreign Service Officer Assessment (FSOA).
Apply to Become an FSO.
Step 2: The Foreign Service Officer Assessment (FSOA)
The FSOA is offered in-person in Washington, D.C. Beginning with candidates who took the FSOT in February 2024, it will be offered exclusively online from anywhere in the U.S. and many overseas locations. The FSOA includes three components:
Candidates who receive a passing score in the FSOA are given a conditional offer of employment from the Department of State and move to the next step.
Step 3: Final Reviews
To qualify for a final offer of employment, each candidate must:
- Meet the minimum medical qualification standard following a medical review
- Receive a Top Secret security clearance following a background investigation
- Receive a positive evaluation from a suitability review panel
Candidates who meet all three eligibility requirements above are placed on the Register – the next step.
Step 4: The Register
The Register is a rank-ordered list of successful candidates, sorted by career track. Ranking on the register is based on your score on the FSOA compared to other candidates in your selected career track. You can get additional credit for:
Learn more about Foreign Service Registers
Step 5: Final Offer
Foreign Service candidates are hired in cohorts and orientation classes are usually held four times a year. The Department sends invitations to join an orientation class and receive a final offer of employment based on the ranked registers and hiring needs of the service. The higher your ranking, the more likely and the more quickly you will receive an invitation to join the Foreign Service.
Choose a Career Track
Candidates should fully educate themselves about the five Foreign Service Officer careers tracks: Consular, Economic, Management, Political and Public Diplomacy. Review the five career tracks infographic or visit careers.state.gov. Candidates will NOT have the opportunity to change career tracks after submitting the online FSOT application, so careful thought should be given to making this decision. During the course of a career, however, you can expect to serve in more than one career track and it is not unusual for FSOs to have assignments in two or three different career tracks. Moreover, all new FSOs can expect to serve their first and/or second tour in a consular position.
Learn more about each career track
In your Personal Narratives (PNs), you will answer questions prompting you to describe the knowledge, skills, and abilities you would bring to the Foreign Service. The PNs offer the opportunity to highlight not just what you have done, but how you did it and what you learned. You should provide examples from your experiences that show you have the skills to be a successful Foreign Service Officer (FSO). The PNs are an important part of your application and are carefully scored along with your FSOT results in determining who is invited to the Foreign Service Officer Assessment. Qualification Evaluation Panels (QEPs), made up of trained FSOs including career track representatives, review candidate submissions for the corresponding career track. The panels assess each candidate’s file based on responses to six prompts which reflect the skills that predict success in the Foreign Service. These skills are:
- Leadership: innovation, decision making, teamwork, openness to dissent, community service and institution building
- Interpersonal: professional standards, persuasion and negotiation, workplace perceptiveness, adaptability, representational skills
- Communication: ability to effectively convey, interpret, and retain information; active listening, public outreach, foreign language skills
- Management: operational effectiveness, performance management and evaluation, management resources, customer service
- Intellectual: information gathering and analysis, critical thinking, active learning, leadership and management training
- Substantive Knowledge: Understanding of U.S. history/ government/culture and ability to apply such understanding in international situations; knowledge or application of relevant career track information.
To help write your PNs, focus on your own experience and actions in answering the questions. Use the skills above as a guide to (1) give positive examples that demonstrate your abilities; (2) identify learning experiences; and (3) indicate how your learning experience will contribute to success in your chosen Foreign Service career track. Make sure you show why you have skills or a particular interest in the career track you have selected. Please make sure you directly address each question as asked.
The application to become an FSO opens for approximately five (5) weeks three times each year and immediately precedes the FSOT test window. (View the Take the FSOT section to see current testing periods). To begin your application, first, go to www.pearsonvue.com/fsot to create an account. You can create an account at any time but will not be able to begin your application until the specific registration window opens.
Once the window opens, you will need to submit completed eligibility verification and application forms as well as your completed Personal Narratives. When applying, keep in mind that all the information you submit to the Board of Examiners through Pearson VUE is subject to verification. Any exaggeration of your experience and qualifications, including your language ability, will weaken your candidacy. Misrepresentations may be grounds for terminating your candidacy, or for dismissing you even after you have joined the Foreign Service, and may be punishable by a fine or imprisonment.
Once an application is submitted it cannot be changed for that application window. You will receive an on-screen confirmation message after you submit your completed eligibility verification and application package.
The Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) is the first of five steps in the FSO selection process. It is a computer-based test that consists of four separate sections:
- Job Knowledge
- English Expression
- Situational Judgment
- Written Essay
The first three sections of the test contain items in a multiple-choice format. The Written Essay appears in the last section of the FSOT. Each section of the test is timed separately and must be completed within the designated time limit.
You will receive a confirmation message after you select a seat. You will also receive an e-mail from Pearson VUE, which includes details about your testing appointment, ID requirements, and directions to the testing center.
Note: You may select a seat for the announced testing window only. Applications are valid for a specific test period only and will expire when that testing window closes. The number of testing center seats for each window is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
You may, however, reschedule your appointment for another date during that same testing window up until the close of the five-week registration process. Once the five-week registration process closes you can only cancel an appointment.
If you need to cancel your test you must do so at least two business days (48 hours) before your scheduled appointment. Your e-mailed confirmation letter will contain information on how to do so. If you fail to appear or cancel in a timely manner, you will be assessed a $72 “no-show” fee. You will need to apply again, during another application window, if you cancel. You may apply and take the FSOT during any of the three annual testing windows but may only do so once in a 12-month period.
If you have technical problems/questions regarding the registration process, click on the contact Pearson VUE link for assistance.
The Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) is administered three times per year, generally in February, June, and October, each time for a period or “window” of eight days.
Upcoming Foreign Service Officer Testing Windows | |||
| This chart contains relevant dates for the next three Foreign Service Officer Tests. As a reminder you will be able to apply and select a seat—for approximately five weeks before each testing window. | |||
| June 2023 | October 2023 | February 2024 | |
| Testing Window Dates | June 3 – June 10, 2023 | September 30 – October 7, 2023 | February 3 – February 10, 2024 |
| Registration opens | April 25, 2023 | August 22, 2023 | December 18, 2023 |
| Registration closes | June 1, 2023 | September 28, 2023 | February 1, 2024 |
*The FSOT is offered at both domestic and overseas locations. Find a test center. | |||
It is free to take the FSOT, but if you need to cancel your test, you must do so at least 48 hours (two business days) before your scheduled appointment or you will be charged a $72 “no show” fee. NOTE: Pearson VUE work days include Saturdays, but not Sundays worldwide. It’s best to give yourself plenty of time — avoid waiting until the deadline.
Beginning with candidates who took the FSOT in February 2024, the FSOA will transition to a virtual platform, conducted over two separate days. Invited candidates will receive instructions on scheduling the Case Management Exercise portion first, in advance of the remaining two components. After completing the Case Management Exercise, candidates will receive further instructions on scheduling the Group Exercise and Structured Interview to occur consecutively on the same day.
If you have technical problems/questions regarding the registration process, click on the contact Pearson VUE link for assistance.
The Case Management Exercise evaluates the candidate’s management and writing skills. For this exercise, each candidate is given background materials describing tasks to complete, with information about the central issue, a summary of ongoing problems, and additional information reflecting various perspectives, pertinent regulations, and other details. The candidate is given 90 minutes to review all case materials and draft a memo that incorporates data and other numerical analysis in addressing the issues and questions as tasked in the materials.
Get more details about the Foreign Service Officer Assessment in the Information Guide found on the Careers Downloads page.
For the Group Exercise, candidates are brought together in groups of three to six to represent a mock Embassy task force charged with allocating resources to competing projects in their fictitious host country. Each candidate is given 30 minutes to read and absorb a package of common background materials as well as a five-page candidate-specific project. There are three components to this exercise: the Presentation Phase, the Discussion Phase, and the Ambassador’s Debrief.
Presentation Phase: Each candidate has six minutes to present their project to the others, and should cover all relevant facets of the project, including both negative and positive points, U.S. interests, and required resources.
Discussion Phase: After the last presentation has been made, the group begins the Discussion Phase, the stage in which the candidates must reach a consensus on project selection and allocation of the limited resources.
Ambassador’s Debrief: Following the conclusion of the group’s discussion, each candidate will have three to four minutes to privately brief two assessors on the results of the group’s deliberations in a simulated debrief for the Ambassador.
Get more details about the Foreign Service Officer Assessment in the FSOA Information Guide found on the Careers Downloads page.
All candidates participate individually in a Structured Interview conducted by two assessors. In the Interview, candidates are expected to use sound judgment and draw from their personal background, experience, and motivation to respond to questions designed to assess their Experience and Motivation and responses to Hypothetical Situations and Past Behavior Questions.
Experience and Motivation: In this section, candidates should present a clear and precise picture of themselves, including personality traits and their understanding of the Foreign Service. Assessors consider candidates’ motivation to join the Foreign Service, education and work experience, as well as cross-cultural skills.
Hypothetical Situations: This section consists of a series of hypothetical scenarios designed to test the candidate’s situational judgment. Assessors will give the candidate brief scenarios to read that provide information about a fictitious country and the candidate’s position in a mock embassy, setting the scene for hypothetical situations. Candidates are advised that, while the problems occur in a simulated Foreign Service setting, candidates are not expected to know how an Embassy operates or to be familiar with government rules and regulations. Rather, candidates are asked to fashion a solution that employs good judgment and common sense.
Past Behavior Questions (PBQs): In this section, assessors ask candidates a series of targeted questions to elicit examples from the candidates’ own experiences in specific areas. The questions are based on job analyses and are keyed to successful performance required of entry-level Foreign Service Officers. Candidates will be given time to choose one of two questions related to a particular Dimension and prepare responses. Responses should include examples appropriate for the question and drawn from candidates’ past actions and experience.
Get more details about the Foreign Service Officer Assessment in the FSOA Information Guide found on the Careers Downloads page.
Candidates who pass the Assessment must apply for the security clearance required for appointment to the Foreign Service. A comprehensive background investigation, conducted by the U.S. Department of State in cooperation with other federal, state, and local agencies, will provide the information necessary to determine a candidate’s suitability for appointment to the Foreign Service and for a Top Secret security clearance.
The process considers such factors as: failure to repay a U.S. Government-guaranteed loan or meet tax obligations; failure to register for the Selective Service; past problems with credit or bankruptcy; unsatisfactory employment records; a criminal record or other violations of the law; drug or alcohol abuse; and less than honorable discharge from the armed forces.
Candidates who hold dual citizenship, have had extensive travel, education, residence and/or employment overseas, or who have foreign contacts, a foreign-born spouse, immediate family members or relatives who are not citizens of the United States, should be aware that the clearance process will take longer to complete. The background investigation includes interviews with current and previous contacts, supervisors and coworkers. Candidates who do not receive a security clearance are ineligible for appointment. Potential candidates who have any serious issues that may prevent them from receiving a clearance should give some thought to the likelihood of their being found ineligible before starting this process.
Separate from the background investigation and medical examination, a Suitability Review Panel will examine your candidate files (minus any privileged medical information) to determine suitability for employment with the Foreign Service. The attainment of U.S. foreign policy objectives depends substantially on the confidence of the public (both American and foreign) in the individuals selected to serve in the Foreign Service. Given the representational nature of Foreign Service employment, the Department of State requires Foreign Service employees to maintain the highest standards of conduct and to demonstrate an especially high degree of integrity, reliability, and prudence. The purpose of the suitability review is to determine, from the candidate’s total record, whether the candidate is indeed suitable to represent the United States. The Suitability Review Panel has the authority to terminate a candidacy.
In evaluating suitability, the Suitability Review Panel takes into consideration a variety of factors, including the following:
Misconduct in prior employment, including marginal performance or inability to interact effectively with others;
Criminal, dishonest, or disgraceful conduct;
Misrepresentation, including deception or fraud, in the application process;
Repeated or habitual use to excess of intoxicating beverages affecting the ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the employee’s position;
Trafficking in or abuse of narcotics or controlled substances;
Reasonable doubt as to loyalty to the U.S. government;
Conduct which clearly shows poor judgment and or lack of discretion which may reasonably affect an individual or the agency’s ability to carry out its responsibilities or mission; and
Financial irresponsibility, including a history of not meeting financial obligations or an inability to satisfy debts.
If you successfully pass the Foreign Service Officer Test; Qualifications Evaluation Panel; Officer Assessment; security and medical clearances; and a suitability review, you are placed on a hiring register. You are rank ordered on the Register based on the specific career track you chose at the time you registered for the Foreign Service Officer Test and your Assessment score, plus any additional credit for language ability or veterans’ preference you receive. You should be aware that your placement on the Register does not guarantee an appointment as a Foreign Service Officer. Hiring depends on the needs of the Foreign Service. Your position on the Register is dynamic. People with higher scores will be placed above you regardless of when they are placed on the Register. Likewise, you will be placed above candidates with lower scores, regardless of how long they have been on the Register. Your name may stay in the Register for a maximum of 18 months. If you do not receive an appointment offer within that period, your name will be removed. Veterans Preference points or credit for demonstrated foreign language proficiency (see below) may raise your standing on the Register. Instructions on how to receive additional credit in these areas will be provided on successful completion of the Assessment. You may also seek to improve your place on the Register by re-taking the Foreign Service Officer Test again after 11 months. You will need to complete the FSOT, Officer Assessment, medical and security clearances and suitability review processes successfully again before your name will be re-entered on the Register. You may choose a different career track through this process.
If you rise to the top of the Register in your chosen career track, based on the hiring needs of the Foreign Service, you may receive an offer of employment. This often entails locating to Washington, D.C. with only a few weeks’ notice in order to begin training. You may decline the first offer of employment. If you decline a second offer, however, your name will be removed from the Register. In rare cases, such as a military deployment or other overseas obligation to the U.S. government, you may be eligible to defer your appointment. These cases are not common.
New Foreign Service professionals begin their careers with a six-week orientation program. The purpose of orientation is to introduce new employees to the structure and function of the Department and its role in the development and implementation of U.S. foreign policy, and to enhance core skills needed by all Foreign Service professionals. The Orientation course, based at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Arlington, VA, is primarily a classroom experience, with sessions conducted in a combination of large group plenaries and smaller breakouts. In addition to presentations by guest speakers and U.S. Department of State officials, Orientation also includes a series of practical exercises and case studies. These sessions are complemented by virtual instruction and self-study. At the end of Orientation, Foreign Service professionals receive their first assignments, which will govern the type of specialized training that follows. For some, that may include training in consular affairs, political-economic tradecraft, public diplomacy, or resource management. Any required language training can last for an additional six to nine months. Overall, newly hired FS professionals can expect to spend from three months to one year in training before departure for their first overseas (or domestic) assignment.
Some other Things to Consider
Candidates with Disabilities
For qualified candidates who will require accommodation upon appointment, the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations, Disability and Reasonable Accommodations Division determines reasonable accommodations.
Reasonable accommodation for candidates with disabilities during the FSOT or FSOA
We encourage candidates who have disabilities to apply to the Foreign Service Officer Test. The Department is committed to provide reasonable accommodations to enable qualified applicants with disabilities to take the test. In addition to preparing and administering the FSOT, Pearson VUE is responsible for all reasonable accommodation requests for candidates with disabilities for the FSOT. Candidates who need accommodations to take the test should apply for reasonable accommodations at least 30 days before the next testing window. The accommodation approval process can be lengthy. To allow sufficient time for approval and the necessary arrangements, submit an accommodations request in writing with accompanying documentation to Pearson VUE at least 30 days before the requested test date.
Follow the detailed instructions for accommodations requests provided at: http://www.pearsonvue.com/accommodations/
Those receiving an accommodation will receive a letter from Pearson VUE confirming the accommodation to be provided. If your request is incomplete or does not support the accommodation request, Pearson VUE will notify you in writing. You may then provide complete or updated documents prior to the deadline. Every effort will be made to provide an accommodation at your chosen test center. However, be aware that some test centers may be unable to provide certain types of accommodations.
For those who are invited to take the Foreign Service Officer Assessment (FSOA), reasonable accommodations are also available for those who may need them. Contact OAA@state.gov at least six weeks before your scheduled FSOA. Please ensure your email to OAA@state.gov has a subject line that reads “Reasonable Accommodation Request for FSOA – Your name.” If you do not receive an approved accommodation at least five business days before your assessment date, you will be required to reschedule.
While knowing a foreign language is not a requirement to be considered for the Foreign Service, demonstrated proficiency in a language will enhance a candidate’s competitiveness on the Register by giving an increase in points. (FSOA scores on a six-point scale.) FSO candidates can receive 0.17 bump-up points for any one language listed here if they pass a telephone language test at a speaking level 3 after passing the FSOA. The following eight languages are currently eligible for higher bump-up points: Arabic; Chinese (Mandarin); Hindi; Persian (Dari); Persian (Farsi); Pashto; Urdu; and Korean. Candidates testing in the eight languages eligible for higher points need only a level 2 speaking ability (as measured on the telephone test) to obtain the 0.17 language bump-up points. Generalist candidates, who pass the Oral Assessment, receive a link to the Career Candidate Handbook, which describes how to arrange a telephone language test conducted by the Department of State’s Foreign Service Institute (FSI).To receive the higher bump-up points, candidates who pass the telephone test will then need to pass an in-person, two-hour speaking and reading test conducted by the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, Virginia. Any costs associated with the in-person test (travel, lodging in Washington, etc.) are at the candidate’s expense. Those who achieve a minimum score of 3 speaking and 2 reading (S3/R2) will be eligible to receive a total of 0.38 bump-up points. Candidates who receive a rating of at least 2 speaking and 1 reading (S2/R1) but less than 3 speaking and 2 reading (S3/R2) will be eligible to receive a total of 0.25 bump-up points. Generalist candidates who choose to take the in-person test and do not meet the minimum S2/R1 score will forfeit ALL language bonus points in that tested language including any they may have earned through the earlier telephone-administered test.
Language points will be granted for one language only. Candidates may test in another language only if they fail the initial test or if the second language has a higher point value. They may telephone retest in the same language after six months. Candidates who do not pass the in-person FSI test may take a first retest after six months; any further in-person retests are authorized only after a one-year interval from the last full test in that language. Telephone language scores are valid for 18 months or the length of any candidacy initiated during the 18-month language score validity period. In-person tests are valid for five years or the length of a candidacy initiated during the five-year period. A candidacy begins on the date a candidate takes the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT). Most candidates will need a security clearance specific to the country where the language is spoken before being granted the higher language bump-up. Generalist candidates who seek a 0.38 language bump-up must agree to serve in a position where that language is required once during their first two assignments and once after reaching mid-level grades of the Foreign Service. Candidates must complete their second service commitment prior to being able to compete for the Senior Foreign Service. Generalist candidates who qualify for 0.25 bump-up points must agree to serve once during their first two assignments in a post where that language is spoken.
For information to help you assess your own speaking level, visit http://www.govtilr.org and click on “Speaking” under the skill-level descriptions for a general description of the expected proficiency. The speaking self-assessment tool, available on the same site, will also help you estimate your language proficiency.
Qualifying, active military duty candidates may request unrestricted additional time to schedule the FSOA after passing the QEP. Candidates must notify BEX when they are discharged from the military and reschedule an Assessment within the next six months. Foreign Service candidates who can document creditable veterans’ service by submitting form DD 214 or other certification will be eligible to receive additional points on the Hiring Register: 0.175 for a five-point standing and 0.35 for a 10-point standing. In all cases points are awarded once a candidate has passed the FSOA. Instructions on how to claim these points are provided at that time. Qualifying, preference-eligible veterans may be appointed from the rank-ordered Hiring Register at any time before they turn 65. If appointed between the ages of 60 to 65, a qualifying, preference-eligible veteran may serve five years prior to being mandatorily retired.
Anyone applying to be in the Foreign Service must be willing to serve in different locations and roles based on the needs of the service, and willing to support and defend publicly U.S. government policy.
Drug Use and Suitability
Suitability Review Panels consider candidate involvement with controlled substances, including marijuana, in connection with suitability determinations for Foreign Service positions. Drug involvement raises questions about an individual’s reliability, judgment, and trustworthiness or ability or willingness to comply with laws, rules, and regulations, thus indicating his or her employment might not promote efficiency or protect the integrity of the service. Each candidate’s conduct will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.