A Typical Fellowship Experience
A typical experience with the Pickering Fellowship Program
The Fellows’ experience begins with their selection in the fall prior to the year in which they plan to start graduate studies. Pickering Fellows include both graduating seniors and individuals with post-undergraduate work experience. Following selections, Pickering Fellows are expected to sign agreements with the Department of State and begin their security clearance process. The Pickering Program assigns each Fellow a Foreign Service mentor who supports the Fellow throughout the program serving as a resource for Fellowship and the Foreign Service. Participation in the Pickering Program is conditional upon successful completion of pre-employment procedures specified by the Department of State, including background investigations for security clearance, suitability determinations, medical examinations, and select elements of the Foreign Service Officer Test and Officer Assessment.
All new Fellows arrive in Washington in June 2027 to participate in an orientation program that introduces them to the program and the Foreign Service career. The Pickering Program covers the cost of domestic travel within the continental United States and housing for the week-long orientation. In mid-August/September, the Fellows begin their approved graduate programs. Fellows must obtain master’s degrees from the Department-Approved Programs list. They receive up to $88,000 annually in assistance for tuition, room, board, books, and other related expenses.
In the summer between their first and second years of graduate school, Fellows complete a 10-week domestic internship at the Department of State in Washington, DC. The Pickering Program covers the costs of domestic travel and housing and provides a stipend to cover fellows’ costs for the domestic internship.
In the summer after completing their graduate degree, Pickering Fellows participate in a 10-week overseas internship at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Each internship experience is different, with Fellows working on a variety of issues and projects in different sections of the Embassies. In the past few years, Pickering Fellows have served in Paris, Wellington, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Brasilia, Mexico City, Nairobi, Ankara, Helsinki, Budapest, Lima, Riga, Tashkent, Kingston, Brussels, and Geneva. These historical examples illustrate previous fellowship experiences and do not indicate available placements for the current cycle. Fellows report that their internships have profoundly impacted them, providing them with firsthand knowledge of U.S. foreign policy and the work and lifestyle of U.S. Foreign Service Officers. The experience sharpens their professional focus and enhances their language and professional communication skills.
The Pickering Program provides a stipend, airline travel, and emergency medical insurance for this internship and reimburses for certain internship-related expenses, such as visas. Housing is provided by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where the Fellow will be interning.
Upon successful completion of the Pickering Program and State Department entry requirements, Fellows receive conditional appointment to the Foreign Service, with a required five years of service in accordance with applicable law and State Department policy. Upon being tenured, Fellows receive a career appointment to the Foreign Service.
The Pickering Fellowship, through collaboration among the Department of State and universities, prepares Fellows to serve the American people, advance U.S. interests, and carry out the responsibilities of diplomatic service.