A safe bet is to consider the whole process, from your decision to apply to when you are offered the job, to take an average of 1.5 years.
How hard is the FSO exam?
The FSOT is a very challenging exam with a low pass-rate (hovering between just 30% and 50% of test takers). So you should not underestimate the need to study for this test. … In addition to a great overview of all the subjects, it provides a straightforward and highly-effective plan for using your study time well.
How long is the foreign service exam?
The Foreign Service Officer Test measures your knowledge, skills and abilities, including writing skills that are necessary to the work of a Foreign Service Officer. The FSOT is administered online at designated test centers in the U.S. and abroad and takes about three hours to complete.
Do foreign service officers choose where they go?
At this point in their careers, FSOs can settle into a niche area of foreign service and tailor their future placements to fit their unique interests and abilities. For example, some foreign service officers choose to focus the remainder of their time in the field working with a specific country or region.
How can I join the Foreign Service?
Eight Steps to Becoming a Foreign Service Officer (FSO)
- Choose a Career Track.
- Register for the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT)
- Take the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT)
- Submit Personal Narratives for the QEP Review.
- Take the Foreign Service Oral Assessment.
- Clearances: Medical and Security.
- Suitability Review Panel.
Do you need a degree to be a foreign service officer?
To enter the Foreign Service, you must be an American citizen between the ages of 20 and 59 and, although there is no educational requirement to become a Foreign Service officer, the vast majority of applicants hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.
How much does the Foreign Service exam cost?
How often is the FSOT administered? The FSOT is offered three times each year in February, June, and October. Is there a charge/fee to take the FSOT? There is a $5 sitting fee for the FSOT.
Is a foreign service officer a spy?
So, let’s be clear: Foreign service officers are NOT spies. They do not work for the CIA, FBI, DIA, or anyone else in the IC (Intelligence Community). … It is very likely that you’ll have some security clearance and deal with classified information as an FSO, but you are not a spy. You’re a diplomat.
How many times can you take the foreign service exam?
Is there a limit on the number of times a person can take the FSOT? There is no limit on the number of times an individual may sit for the FSOT. However, one must wait 12 months between each test.
Is foreign service a good career?
It is the type of job that is incredibly rewarding and allows you to serve your country and gain a lot of fabulous and interesting experiences at the same time. Just remember, there is no one specific path into the Foreign Service and diplomatic work.
How do you become a UN diplomat?
How to Become a Diplomat. A diplomat must be versed in foreign relations; therefore, the most recognizable route to a career in diplomacy is a bachelor’s and then master’s degree in a major like international relations, political science, cultural anthropology, sociology, or foreign policy.
How do I become a foreign service officer in the Philippines?
If you are a citizen and permanent resident of the Philippines, and a graduate of any four-year Bachelor’s degree course with two years’ work experience or further studies (or a combination of both), you are eligible to take the FSOE.
How many foreign service officers have been killed?
Since the establishment of the Diplomatic Security Service, four Special Agents have died in the line of duty. As of March 2016, a further 133 locally engaged DSS staff, host country law enforcement personnel and members of the US military had been killed while undertaking diplomatic security duties.
How much does the foreign service pay?
How does the salary as a Foreign Service Officer at U.S. Department of State compare with the base salary range for this job? The average salary for a Foreign Service Officer is $109,330 per year in United States, which is 3% lower than the average U.S. Department of State salary of $113,457 per year for this job.
Is a foreign service officer a diplomat?
Becoming a Foreign Service Officer (FSO) is one way to serve as an American diplomat. The mission of a U.S. diplomat in the Foreign Service is to promote peace, support prosperity, and protect American citizens while advancing the interests of the U.S. abroad.