Overview & Eligibility
Interested in a career serving U.S. interests abroad? If so, the Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Fellowship offers a unique opportunity to promote positive change in the world.
Program Overview
Established in 1992 and later named in honor of distinguished Career Ambassador Thomas R. Pickering, the Pickering Fellowship attracts outstanding, merit-driven Americans who are committed to advancing U.S. national security and foreign policy goals. The Pickering Program selects 10 fellows annually through a rigorous, merit-based national competition. Grounded in the principle that diplomatic strategy must serve the safety and economic well-being of the American people, the program equips future diplomats with the knowledge, strategic tools, and practical skills necessary to represent the nation with purpose and resolve.
A panel of individuals with experience working with the U.S. Foreign Service makes selections for the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program. A candidate’s community, academic, extracurricular, and leadership activities will be considered during the selection process. Consideration will be given to qualified applicants who, in addition to outstanding leadership skills and academic achievement, demonstrate financial need.
Consistent with the Foreign Service Act and the Administration’s Executive Orders on equal opportunity and merit-based selection (E.O. 14281, E.O. 14173, and E.O. 14151), the assessment to identify financial need will use objective, verifiable measures, such as receiving a Federal Pell Grant or participating in a Federal TRIO Program, consistent with 20 U.S.C. § 1070a-11(h)(3). Once selected, no fellow should be kept from serving because of financial need.
Selected fellows complete two years of intensive graduate study, engage in interagency national security coursework—including a mandatory seminar at the National Defense University (NDU)—complete domestic and overseas internships, and receive direct mentorship from seasoned Foreign Service Officers. Upon successful completion of the fellowship and Foreign Service entry requirements, fellows receive appointments as Foreign Service Officers, serving in Washington, D.C. and at U.S. embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions across the globe to safeguard American sovereignty and promote free, fair, and reciprocal international relations.
Eligibility
This is a highly selective program. To be eligible to participate, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Must possess a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale and maintain at least a 3.2 GPA throughout graduate study.
- Must be seeking admission to enter an approved two-year, full-time master’s degree program in the upcoming fall semester at a Department-approved university in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in an academic field relevant to the Foreign Service. Applicants may be college graduates or undergraduate seniors who will complete their degree by June 2027.
- Must take and pass both the multiple-choice and writing assessment components of the revised Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT). Applications without passing scores attached will not be considered. Applicants to the 2027 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship must have completed the revised edition of the Department of State’s Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT). The Department began offering the revised FSOT in October of 2025. Applicants for this fellowship cycle must have taken the revised FSOT at some point between October 2025 and October 2026. If you have not yet taken the FSOT, please consult the PearsonVUE website for more information on testing opportunities in October 2026. NOTE: For the 2027 cohort only, applicants who do not already have passing results from the FSOT and WE administered on/after October 2025 must take the FSOT in the October 2026 or January 2027 testing window. Applicants who do not have both test results by the application deadline may still apply by submitting: Passing FSOT results and confirmation of either having scheduled or taken the WE but are awaiting results, or Confirmation of registration for the January 2027 FSOT with Pearson VUE. Selected applicants who have yet to provide results for the FSOT and WE will receive a conditional offer, contingent on submitting passing FSOT and WE results before their academic program begins. Fellows who have not passed both tests by then will not be accepted to the Fellowship program. Please be advised that the fellowship cannot accept results from versions of the FSOT offered prior to October 2025. Registration and testing for the October 2026 FSOT run through October 31.
- Must agree to execute a minimum five-year service commitment as a Foreign Service Officer upon successful completion of the program and entry requirements.
Program Components
The Award
The Pickering Program plans to award 10 fellowships of up to $55,000 annually for a two-year period for tuition, room, board, books, and mandatory fees for completion of two-year master’s degrees. This includes up to $27,000 per semester for tuition and mandatory fees and an academic year stipend of $33,000 ($16,500 per semester).
The Degree
Fellows must obtain graduate degrees from a list of programs that have been approved by the Department of State (list available under the Graduate Fellowship tab). Law degrees do not satisfy this requirement. Fellows are expected to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 throughout their period of study. Applicants apply to two-year graduate programs at U.S.-based universities separately from their application to the Pickering Program.
Orientation
Selected 2027 Pickering Fellows will participate in an orientation in Washington, D.C., in mid-2027. The purpose of this orientation is to familiarize the Fellows with all aspects of the fellowship and to enhance their understanding of, and skills for, Foreign Service careers.
Two Summer Internships (Domestic and Overseas)
Pickering Fellows will participate in two internships. The first, a 10-week domestic internship at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., takes place during the summer between the first and second years of graduate study. The second is a 10-week overseas internship at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the summer after completing the graduate degree. The Program provides financial support for both internships, as outlined in the fellowship award terms; overseas housing is provided by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Mentoring
Fellows receive guidance, career insights, and professional connections from fellowship alumni and Foreign Service Officers as they pursue careers in diplomacy.
Employment & Contractual Obligations
Fellow Obligations & Key Requirements
Acceptance into the Pickering Fellowship carries rigorous academic and professional obligations designed to ensure rapid integration into the Foreign Service pipeline:
- FSOT Testing Requirement: Applicants must register for and pass the multiple-choice and writing assessment components of the revised FSOT, taken between October 2025 and October 2026, [and the written exercise component of the FSOA] prior to submitting their application. Registration and testing for the October 2026 FSOT run through October 31. The fellowship cannot accept results from versions of the FSOT offered prior to October 2025.
- NOTE: Due to the timing of 2026 test availability and the relaunch of the program, for the 2027 cycle only, conditional offers will be extended pending successful completion of the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) and the written exercise component of the Foreign Service Oral Assessment (FSOA).
NOTE: For the 2027 cohort only, applicants who do not already have passing results from the FSOT and WE administered on/after October 2025 must take the FSOT in the October 2026 or January 2027 testing window.
Applicants who do not have both test results by the application deadline may still apply by submitting: Passing FSOT results and confirmation of either having scheduled or taken the WE but are awaiting results, or Confirmation of registration for the January 2027 FSOT with Pearson VUE. Selected applicants who have yet to provide results for the FSOT and WE will receive a conditional offer, contingent on submitting passing FSOT and WE results before their academic program begins. Fellows who have not passed both tests by then will not be accepted to the Fellowship program.
- Foreign Service Oral Assessment (FSOA): Fellows are required to take the FSOA structured interview and negotiation exercise for the first time no later than six months after beginning their graduate fellowship program. If unsuccessful on the first attempt, fellows must re-take the FSOA at every available opportunity, as directed by the Department of State, until passing or completing their degree requirements.
- Department-Approved Graduate Programs: Fellows must select and enroll in a two-year master’s program from the official Department-approved list of institutions located within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. This geographic concentration facilitates continuous engagement with Department leadership, participation in policy enrichment activities, and integration with interagency partners.
- National Defense University (NDU) Seminar & Professional Development: All fellows must successfully complete a mandatory two-week professional development seminar at the National Defense University focused on national security, joint operations, and interagency foreign policy strategy, participate in the Washington orientation, and complete all required summer internships (domestic and overseas).
- Service Obligation: Fellows commit to five years of service as a Foreign Service Officer upon successful completion of the program and Foreign Service entry requirements.
- Repayment Obligation: Fellows who fail to meet academic standards, fail to re-take the FSOA as directed, or do not fulfill Foreign Service entry obligations may be separated from the fellowship and required to reimburse the U.S. Government for all financial assistance disbursed in connection with their education-related expenses.