The Foreign Affairs Information Technology (FAIT) Fellowship doesn’t just provide academic funding for your bachelor’s or master’s degree. It also prepares you to enter the Foreign Service as a Diplomatic Technology Officer (DTO). As a FAIT Fellow, you’ll complete two 10-week summer internships, one at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., and one at a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas. You’ll also have a mentor who will guide you throughout the fellowship.
You’ll need to pass the Foreign Service Specialist Assessment (FSSA) before you graduate. But before you can take the FSSA, you will first need to earn a qualifying score on the Diplomatic Technology Officer Test.
What Is the FSSA?
The FSSA is the State Department’s assessment for Foreign Service Specialist candidates, including DTOs. Trained assessors evaluate how well you demonstrate the qualities needed to succeed in the Foreign Service.
What the FSSA Includes
The process begins with a written exercise, in which you respond to a workplace scenario in writing. Candidates who pass move on to a structured interview, where assessors ask why you want to join the Foreign Service, what experiences have prepared you and how you’d handle hypothetical workplace situations. You don’t need to know how an embassy operates to answer. Assessors are looking for sound judgment and clear thinking.
What Assessors Look For
Your performance is measured against the 11 Foreign Service Officer and Specialist Competencies: Critical Thinking, Cultural Proficiency, Mission & Motivation, Information Integration & Analysis, Leadership, Negotiation, Objectivity / Integrity, Planning & Organizing, Presentation Skills, Teamwork and Written Communication. Read the full descriptions of each competency on the State Department’s careers website.
How to Prepare
- Review each competency and identify examples from school, work or volunteering that show it in action.
- Practice writing clear, well-organized responses to workplace problems under time pressure.
- Practice answering questions out loud so you can respond concisely and think on your feet.
- Be ready to explain why you want to serve in the Foreign Service and represent the United States abroad.
So be sure to schedule your DTOT as early as possible (see this article to learn more). Once you earn a qualifying score on the DTOT, the State Department will register you for the FSSA at every available opportunity, up to every 182 days.
Questions? Email FAITFellowship@twc.edu.
