10 Steps to Becoming a Diplomatic Security Special Agent Selection Process

The Diplomatic Security Special Agent Selection Process selection process begins with an application, proceeds through the selection process, and for those who succeed, culminates in hiring from the register for assignment to an orientation course that marks the beginning of every Foreign Service career.

Step 1: Review the Vacancy Announcement

View the Diplomatic Security Special Agent (DSSA) Vacancy Announcement.

What are the minimum qualifications required to become a DSS Special Agent?

Conditions of Employment:

You must be a U.S. citizen
You must be available for worldwide service.
You must be at least 20 years old and not older than 36 years. (Except for preference eligible veterans.)
You must be fit for physical exertion and pass a pre-employment physical readiness test.
You must be able to obtain/maintain a Top-Secret Security Clearance and TS/SCI access.
You must be able to meet the minimum medical qualifications to obtain a Foreign Service Clearance.
You must be able to obtain a favorable Suitability Review Panel determination.
You must be able to testify in court

Requirements:

You must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
You must have at least one year of work experience and/or academic achievements that reflect progressively increasing levels of responsibility.

Step 2: Submit Your Application

Completing Your Application

To complete your application, please visit www.pearsonvue.com/DSSAT and create a web account. Follow the instructions to complete the DSSAT online application. (Note: Your application is saved automatically as you proceed through it. You can interrupt the application process and return to it until you submit it, after which you will not be able to make changes.)

You must answer all self-assessment questions; Include work history for the past 10 years; and complete the Personal Narrative questions and Statement of Interest. (See the Required Documents section for more information.).

We strongly recommend that you confirm all the information in your application is accurate and complete before submitting as you will not be able to make changes to the application after it is submitted. After you complete and submit the application, this will be used to evaluate your qualifications for this position.

Submitting Personal Narratives

The Personal Narrative questions provide an opportunity to describe examples and accomplishments from your education, life, and/or work experience that demonstrate your qualifications for becoming a Diplomatic Security Special Agent. Examples can be drawn from any part of your professional or personal experience. Each response is limited to 300 words or fewer (maximum length 2,000 characters). You should compose your replies carefully, as one of the skills necessary to succeed as a Foreign Service Specialist is the ability to write clearly and concisely. Answers to all items in the Personal Narratives and Statement of Interest are required and must be completed in the online application.

The Statement of Interest

The Statement of Interest should discuss your:

Motivation for joining the Foreign Service;
Motivation for becoming a Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent;
Relevant work experience, including any unique strengths not described elsewhere, such as special skills (e.g. computer), current licenses, certifications, honors, awards, special accomplishments, and/or training (with date completed) relating to this position;
Experience living or working in a multicultural environment, overseas or in the United States.

Step 3: Take the DSSAT

What is the DSSAT?

The DSSAT is an important part of the selection process that includes job knowledge, English expression, and situational judgement necessary to work as a Diplomatic Security Special Agent. After completing your application, you will select an appointment to take the Diplomatic Security Special Agent (DSSAT) at one of Pearson Vue’s test centers.

When can I take the DSSAT?

You have 6 months from the time you submit your application to take the DSSAT. If you have not taken the DSSAT within six months, you must restart the application process from the beginning.

Where can I take the DSSAT?

You will take the DSSAT at one of Pearson Vue’s test centers. Test centers are located across the United States and around the world.

Do I have to pay for the DSSAT?

Taking the DSSAT is free. When making an appointment to take the DSSAT, you must provide credit/debit card information to Pearson Vue to complete the registration process, and your card will be charged a $5 deposit to hold the appointment. This fee is fully refundable and will be credited back to your card after you take the test. If you do not take the test or do not cancel within the cancellation window, your card will be charged a $40 no-show fee for a total of $45.

When will I receive my results from the DSSAT?

You will receive your results immediately following the DSSAT. However, the Department of State only receives the test results periodically and it can take up to four months from the date of your test to receive email communication from the Department.

If you do not pass the DSSAT, you must wait 12 months + one day from the date of your DSSAT to reapply to the vacancy announcement.

Step 4: Submit your Documents

When should I submit my documents?

If your DSSAT results qualify, you will receive an email from the Bureau of Diplomatic Security’s Human Resources Office requesting documentation by a specific deadline. Please add the Department of State domain name (*.state.gov) as a trusted sender and check your spam/junk mail folder to ensure receipt of email messages regarding your candidacy. It can take up to four months from the date of your test to receive an email since test results are only delivered to the Department of State periodically.

What does my transcript have to include?

Official or unofficial transcripts may be submitted. Your transcript must include your name, the school’s name, the degree, and date awarded. A transcript missing any of these elements or any pages will not pass the minimum qualifications and your candidacy will not continue. Copies of diplomas may not be submitted in lieu of transcripts for education above high school level.

Education from a program or institution within the United States must be accredited at the time of completion by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Education completed in foreign high schools, colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Only accredited organizations recognized as specializing in the interpretation of foreign education credentials that are members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE) are accepted. If documentation from an accredited organization is not provided, your candidacy will not continue.

What military documents are accepted?

Foreign Service Specialist 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. Candidates will receive 0.175 veteran preference points for a five-point standing and 0.35 for a 10-point standing as defined in 5 USC § 2108. (On July 15, 2018, Diplomatic Security Specialist Assessment scoring switched to a 7-point scoring scale.)

Step 5: Qualifications Evaluation Panel

What is the QEP?

The Qualifications Evaluation Panel (QEP) is a panel of experienced Diplomatic Security Service Subject Matter Experts who will consider and evaluate in more detail your education, skills, abilities, motivation, professional experience, and job history.

Step 6: Take the Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent Assessment

Where do I take my Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent Assessment?

The Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent Assessments are conducted at DSS offices in various cities throughout the United States.

What to expect during the Assessment?

Please arrive at the assigned Assessment Center no later than the time indicated in your e-mail invitation. If you arrive late, you may be refused entry to the assessment. You may bring coffee and/or soft drinks to the Assessment Center for use in between assessment exercises. Water will be provided for you. There will be secure space to store coats, bags, and electronic gear. Electronic gear, including cell phones, must be turned off and may not be accessed until the assessments are completed. NOTE: Bags, including luggage, larger than a backpack are not allowed at the Assessment Center, so please leave them at the hotel or elsewhere but do not bring them with you.

The Department of State considers arrangements known as “reasonable accommodations” to candidates with disabilities. Candidates requiring reasonable accommodations for any part of the Assessment should so advise the Department at ReasonableAccommodations@state.gov within one week of receiving their invitation to the Assessment. Decisions for granting reasonable accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.

The Assessment is made up of 2 parts:

The Written Test

You will be given a list of topics to select from and will have 45 minutes to write a 1-2 page essay on a computer. Essays will be evaluated on your ability to analyze a topic and on the quality of your writing, not on the opinions expressed. A well-written essay will be concise and well-organized. It will make a clear and effective argument that is easily read and understood. Other important elements include word choice, spelling, grammar, syntax and punctuation.

The Structured Interview

The second part of the Assessment is the structured interview, conducted by two Examiners and one active-duty Special Agent Subject Matter Expert (SME). You will be expected to respond to questions based on your personal background, professional experience, and motivation to become a DSS Special Agent.

The Structured Interview portion of the assessment lasts approximately 60 minutes and is broken into three parts: Experience and Motivation Interview, Hypothetical Scenarios, and Past Behavior Interview.

The Assessment is not an adversarial process. You are not competing against other applicants for the same position, rather, you will be judged on your ability to demonstrate skills necessary to be an effective Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent. Be sure to review the Dimensions and understand what they mean, as these are the core of the Assessment process.

Assessors score both the Written Test and the Structured Interview on a scale from 1 to 7, with 1 representing poor performance and 7 representing outstanding performance. The combined score from all exercises will determines your overall score. The Diplomatic Security Specialist Assessment cut-off score to continue a candidacy is 5.25.

If you receive a score of 5.25 or higher, you will receive an Immediate Conditional Offer of Employment and will be asked to sign an Essential Physical Requirements certification certifying your ability to meet the physical requirements of the job (as detailed in the vacancy announcement) in order to proceed to the next phase of the hiring process. You will then be given a briefing on the next steps in the selection process, including information on the security background investigation, extra points for language proficiency and veteran’s preference, the medical examination, suitability review, and the Physical Readiness Test.

Step 7: Clearances – Medical & Security

Tell me more about the Minimum Medical Qualifications Process

Those who pass the Diplomatic Security Specialist Assessment will receive a conditional offer of employment and instructions about obtaining medical and security clearances to continue their candidacy. There is no guarantee of employment at this stage.

The Office of Medical Services of the Department of State determines a candidate’s medical fitness and ability to serve overseas. Many Foreign Service posts are in remote areas with extremely limited medical support. Each candidate, therefore, must meet the minimum medical qualifications to qualify for the required worldwide assignment. Medical qualifications are determined by Medical Services based on its thorough review of each candidate’s medical history and a physical examination, including an individual assessment of his/her specific medical needs and the medical capabilities of Foreign Service posts to meet those needs.

After receiving a conditional offer of employment, each candidate is provided with the necessary examination forms (with instructions) to give to the examining health care practitioner (MD, DO, NP, PA). Visit the Career Resources Download Center for a list of forms intended for those who have received conditional offers of employment after the Assessment.

Candidates, who live within 50 miles of Washington, D.C., must schedule their medical exams at the State Department’s Office of Medical Services. Those who live more than 50 miles from Washington may have them done by their own physician or at the State Department. Children under the age of six must be seen by their own pediatrician, regardless of location. The Office of Medical Services will provide an authorization for the Department of State to pay for outside examinations as a secondary insurer once a candidate’s primary insurance provider has paid its share.

Regardless of who administers the medical exam, the Department’s Office of Medical Services determines whether a candidate is medically eligible for assignment to all Department of State posts worldwide. While a candidate may effectively manage a chronic health condition or limitation within the United States or in specific areas outside of the U.S., the Office of Medical Services might well determine that the same individual is not eligible for a worldwide (“Class One”) assignment. Such clearances may only be issued to candidates whom the Office of Medical Services deems able to serve at the most isolated and restricted overseas posts. Some posts could face extreme isolation due to limited air and other transportation service, and unreliable Internet, telecommunications, and postal and delivery systems. Any of these limitations can have a severe adverse impact on the availability of required medical services and supplies or delay timely medical evacuations. Some countries have inadequate infrastructure such as a poor or negligible public health care system, poor sanitation, unreliable electricity and a lack of potable water. There may also be infectious and communicable diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, typhoid, tuberculosis, rabies, encephalitis and gastrointestinal diseases. There may be no health unit at the post and next to no local medical facilities. The local emergency room, for example, might be completely inadequate, without ventilators, defibrillators, x-ray capabilities, etc. There are often no blood banks or limited medical supplies and medications available locally. Due to political instability, security could be a concern. Candidates should be aware that these posts are neither few nor confined to a specific geographic region. There are numerous posts where conditions appear like that of the U.S., but which also suffer from some of these restrictive characteristics. As a result, stress levels among employees may be very high. Given these concerns, the Department of State only assigns employees that meet the minimum medical qualifications to these posts and is unable to hire new employees without such clearances.

While the candidate must be medically cleared for worldwide service as a condition for being offered employment, the Department of State does not consider the medical condition of eligible family members for pre-employment purposes. The Department does, however, require that each eligible family member meet the minimum medical qualifications before they can travel overseas at U.S. Government expense when accompanying an employee on assignment. Please note that employees with a family member who has met the minimum medical qualifications will be issued a clearance, nevertheless, may be assigned to posts where that family member cannot accompany them. We strongly advise candidates to consider this situation as they pursue employment with the Department of State. On request, the Director General of the Foreign Service, or designee, may consider granting a waiver of the worldwide assignment requirement for a candidate who is unable to meet the minimum medical qualifications. Candidates should be aware, however, that the granting of such waivers is rare. For more information on the minimum medical qualifications, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page.

What additional Medical Qualifications do DSS Special Agents need?

Supplemental physical qualification standards can be found here.

Tell me more about the Security Clearances process

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 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.

How long does it take to get Medical and Security Clearances?

The time to obtain medical and security clearances varies widely for each candidate depending on their personal circumstances.

Step 8: Suitability Review Panel

What happens during the Suitability Review Panel?

Upon completion of the background investigation and medical examination, a Suitability Review Panel will examine your file (minus any privileged medical information) to determine your suitability for employment with the Foreign Service.

The Department of State requires the highest standards of conduct by employees of the Foreign Service, including an especially high degree of integrity, reliability, and prudence. Given the representational nature of employment in the Foreign Service, employees must always observe proper standards. 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 the following factors:

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
Financial irresponsibility, including a history of not meeting financial obligations or an inability to satisfy debts

Step 9: Physical Readiness Test

What is the Physical Readiness Test?

The Physical Readiness Test (PRT) consists of three events conducted in sequence to test muscular endurance and aerobic capacity. The events shall be conducted in the following order, with a five-minute rest period between events.

First event: Maximum push-ups completed to standard in two minutes.
Second event: Maximum sit-ups completed to standard in two minutes.
Third event: 1.5 mile run.

You must achieve a satisfactory score or higher in each of the three events to pass the PRT. If you do not pass the PRT on the first try, you will be offered one additional opportunity to pass the PRT after a 60-day waiting period.

Please see Age / Gender PRT standards here.

When and where do I take the PRT?

Once you have received all clearances and passed the Suitability Review Panel, you will be contacted to schedule your PRT. The PRT is offered at DSS offices throughout the United States and around the world.

Step 10: The Register

What is the Register?

If you successfully pass all steps listed above, you are placed on a hiring register. You are rank ordered on the Register based on your DSSAT score and your Diplomatic Security Specialist 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 Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent. 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 Diplomatic Security Specialist Assessment. Assessment. You may also seek to improve your place on the Register by re-applying and going through the entire process again. You must wait 12 months + one day from the date of your DSSAT to reapply to the vacancy announcement.

What happens if I am offered an appointment?

If you rise to the top of the Registrar, 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 DSS Special Agent Candidates begin their careers with a six-week orientation program at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Arlington, Va. The focus of the orientation is on introducing new employees to the structure and function of the Department and its role in the development and implementation of U.S. foreign policy; developing an understanding of the terms of employment; and enhancing core skills needed by all Foreign Service Officers.

After the initial orientation course, DSS Special Agent Candidates will attend the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, GA. This 12-week course …

The final phase of training is the Basic Special Agent Course (BSAC) at the Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (FASTC) in Blackstone, VA. 14 weeks

Overall, newly hired DSS Special Agents can expect to spend 33-34 weeks in training.