The Pickering Fellowship Selection Panel judges each applicant based on a variety of different criteria. It seeks individuals who show clear interest in a Foreign Service career with the U.S. Department of State, along with a strong academic background, a commitment to service, leadership skills, financial need for graduate school, diverse interests in areas such as international affairs and government, cultural sensitivity, writing skills, and an ability to demonstrate resilience. A good application introduces the individual to the panel and shows his/her unique motivations, experiences, accomplishments, and goals for a Foreign Service career. Thus, there is no specific formula for preparing a competitive application, as each applicant is unique. However, below are a few tips.
1) Review all application requirements for the fellowship to ensure you are eligible and prepared.
Applicants should review all requirements upfront at the Pickering Program website (pickeringfellowship.org). The program has no flexibility on core eligibility requirements such as U.S. citizenship, cumulative GPA, and plans to attend a two-year graduate program at a U.S. based institution. Applicants should make a plan to complete all aspects of the application on time. This will require steps such as securing letters of recommendation and transcripts, preparing graduate school applications, collecting financial data, and writing a statement of interest. The FAQ section of the website can answer many application questions.
2) Clearly explain in your statement of interest your motivations for applying for the fellowship and identify the background, experiences, skills, and motivation that you believe will make you successful in the Foreign Service.
This fellowship provides a unique pathway to a career in the Foreign Service of the Department of State. A strong interest to pursue such a career should be the main reason for you to apply. Thus, a first step should be to research the work of the Foreign Service (www.careers.state.gov). If you are enthusiastic about representing the government and people of the United States as a Foreign Service Officer, then you should apply. Your statement of interest should highlight why you want to pursue this career and why you believe you will be successful.
Applicants should carefully craft a statement that highlights their motivations, as well as their background, experiences, and skills that would help them to succeed in the Foreign Service. The panel is interested in seeing indications of diverse interests and backgrounds, including experience living, working or traveling overseas; international exposure within the United States; internship or work experiences in government, NGOs, service organizations, and/or business enterprises; and other experiences relevant to the work of the Foreign Service. It values experiences that show cultural sensitivity, including interest or experiences in languages or working with various cultural or socioeconomic groups, as well as those that show planning and organizing skills and other examples of the thirteen dimensions deemed essential to the work of the Foreign Service at the United States Department of State. Competitive applications demonstrate strong writing skills, including clear statements of goals, interests, and background, and proper English usage. The panel is interested in learning about demonstrated examples of the applicant’s tenacity and perseverance in pursuit of a career in the Foreign Service. Competitive applicants demonstrate a commitment to service generally and a career in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State particularly. Applicants do not need to explain to the panel their understanding of specific U.S. foreign policy issues in the statement; however, they should have a knowledge and understanding of fundamental U.S. foreign policy interests and goals, topical international affairs issues, and major foreign policy challenges facing the United States. These issues will be explored during the interview section of the selection process if an individual is chosen as a finalist.
Applicants should review their statements carefully to ensure that they answer the questions asked, that they express ideas clearly and concisely and that they are free from grammatical, spelling or other errors. The statement should be 600 words or less. If your statement is too long, cut out non-essential information. The panel does not need you to tell them what globalization is; it needs to know who you are and why you want to pursue this opportunity and challenge.
3) Demonstrate a strong academic background.
Applicants should provide official transcripts for ALL colleges or universities that they have attended, including study abroad programs. Failure to submit all transcripts upfront can halt consideration of an application. Applicants should request transcripts early and ensure that they are submitted to the Pickering Program before the deadline. The panel reviews all academic transcripts, looking for course work that indicates particular academic ability and rigor or that is relevant to the Department of State Foreign Service skill needs. There is no specific requirement for an academic major, and the panel is interested in the applicant’s overall academic background. However, it does look for coursework in the following areas: Mathematics /Quantitative Courses and/or Sciences; English; Economics, Business, and/or Political Science; and foreign language skill or studies. Coursework in these areas is not required but can be a useful indicator of success in graduate school and beyond.
4) Obtain strong letters of recommendation; ensure they arrive on time.
The fellowship requests two letters of recommendation, one from a faculty member and one from a community leader. The community leader should be an individual in a position of responsibility who can comment on the applicant’s non-academic accomplishments and potential, including work ethic, initiative, dependability, composure, goal-orientation, and interpersonal skills, among others. Examples of community leaders could include an internship supervisor, a faculty advisor for a student organization, employer or supervisor.
Applicants should seek individuals who know them and their work well. Titles of recommenders are less important than the substance of recommendations. Thus, a professor with whom you’ve taken several classes will likely be able to give a more compelling assessment of your strengths and areas for improvement than the Department chairperson whom you do not know as well. Your supervisor in an internship may give better insights on your abilities than a general recommendation from the president of the organization or company with whom you did not work personally.
Applicants should approach recommenders early, provide the needed information, and monitor to ensure that they submit the recommendations on time. The best letters of recommendation directly address the applicants’ suitability for this fellowship program and the Foreign Service. Letters of recommendation that provide specific examples and references are more helpful than generic letters of recommendation. Missing letters of recommendation are one of the most common problems in applications; it is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure that all letters arrive on time.
Applicants can view a template of the letter of recommendation request that the programs send to your recommenders HERE. Applicants will identify and provide contact information for recommenders in the application, and the program will contact them to arrange for them to send the letter of recommendation directly to the program. Please instruct your recommender to complete the form using the link to the recommender portal received once a request is initiated.
5) Review the Department of State website for information about the Foreign Service Career Tracks.
We ask that applicants indicate their career track preferences on the application. We do this for statistical purposes and do not use this information in selections. Successful candidates are not bound by the selections made in the application. However, please familiarize yourself with the roles and responsibilities of each track. We encourage you to read about the 13 Dimensions of qualities that make for a successful Foreign Service Officer, the description of all of the tracks and take the Career Track Quiz.
6) Demonstrate the need for financial assistance to attend graduate school.
During the application period, you are not legally bound to the track of your choice. However, please familiarize yourself with the roles and responsibilities of each track. We encourage you to read about the 11 Dimensions of qualities that make for a successful Foreign Service Officer, the description of all of the tracks and take the Career Track Quiz.
The selection panel factors economic status into the selection process. It is interested in learning of backgrounds that show financial disadvantage or applicant’s need to secure non-family economic assistance to attend graduate school. There are many different manifestations of financial need, including reliance on grants and loans as an undergraduate student, accumulation of significant student debt, the need to work while in school, lack of family resources, choice of less expensive schools, and/or discontinuation of family support for graduate school. Applicants can help the selection panel to understand their particular financial situation in the following ways:
- Answering financial questions in the application, based on the information in the FAFSA. Applicants should use 2021 financial data in the 2023-2024 FAFSA per FAFSA requirements.
- Submitting the Student Aid Report generated from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Again, applicants should use 2021 data in the 2023-2024 FAFSA.
- Only if applicable, submitting documentation from your university that shows financial assistance you received during your undergraduate years. Writing a statement that explains your particular situation. The most useful statements focus specifically on questions of financial need. They clearly and concisely explain the applicant’s need for financial assistance for graduate school and any plans for covering these costs. They use quantitative data whenever possible, including specific data on financial assistance received during undergraduate school and outstanding education-related debt. They can highlight overall family economic status, as well as the individual’s situation, e.g., work during school, low-paid service positions, or particular financial obligations. This is your chance to make your case. You have 400 words to do it.
7) Include in your application all relevant extracurricular, community, or volunteer experiences and highlight any leadership roles in these efforts.
The panel is particularly interested in extracurricular, community, or volunteer activities that show a commitment to service and to social causes, public policy, and related issues. Applicants should list all such activities and indicate any leadership roles that they have had in such activities, including creating programs or organizations or serving as an officer in an organization. The panel also values work experiences that show an interest in such issues.
8) List all relevant professional and academic honors and awards.
These honors and awards could include inclusion in the Dean’s List, service or academic awards, scholarships, selection for prestigious programs, membership in academic or service organizations, or any other honor the individual would like to highlight in his/her academic or professional career.
9) Proofread all aspects of your application carefully; submit all application materials on time.
The fellowship selection process is very competitive. Applications that are polished, well written, address all requirements, and arrive on time and complete, generally, create a favorable impression. You can track the status of your application and recommendations online.
10) Contact the Pickering Program staff if you have any questions after reviewing the website. We are happy to answer e-mails, talk by phone, or schedule an appointment.