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How to Apply

How to Apply2020-01-23T21:42:59+00:00
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Eligibility

To be eligible for consideration for the 2020 cohort, you must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen.
  • Enrolled in an undergraduate program relevant to Information Technology and entering the junior year in the fall 2020, OR enrolling in an IT-related master’s degree program beginning in the fall of 2020.
  • Hold a minimum 3.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale at the time of the application, and maintain this GPA through participation in the program.
  • Be able to pass medical and security clearances and suitability requirements.
  • Be prepared to enter the Foreign Service (a five-year commitment) in fall of 2022.

Minority groups historically underrepresented in the State Department are encouraged to apply: this includes but is not limited to racial, ethnic, geographic, and gender minorities, as well as those with financial need.

FAIT Fellowship Timeline

FAIT Fellowship Timeline

The program follows this general schedule:

  • Application Opens: Early November 2019
  • Application Closes: February, 14 2020 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
  • In-person Interviews: April 15, 2020
  • Orientation: June 16-18, 2020
  • Program begins: Fall 2020
  • First Internship (in Washington, D.C.): Summer 2021 (between junior-senior years for undergraduates; between first-second years for graduate students)
  • Second Internship (at an Embassy or Consulate abroad): Summer 2022 (after graduation/completion of degree)
  • Information Management Specialist Position begins: Fall 2022 (following completion of international internship; approximately three months post-graduation)
APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

Application Documents

Your application must include:

U.S. passport, birth certificate or naturalization papers

An unofficial copy for all schools attended

Submit your GRE/GMAT scores only if they are required to apply for your intended graduate program(s)

Explain why you want to pursue a career in the Foreign Service (750 words max.):

Maximum two-page resume that highlights your leadership skills (read this article for tips)

If you received financial aid during the most recent academic year, you are required to submit a Financial Aid Letter listing grants or loans.

  • If you received financial aid during the most recent academic year, you are required to submit your SAR form.
  • If you did not receive financial aid during the most recent academic year, you must complete the FAFSA to generate an SAR.

Prepare a short statement (400 words max) explaining your need for financial assistance, including assistance you received during your undergraduate studies, your overall education-related debt, and your ability/plans to pay for graduate school and/or your junior and senior years of undergraduate (depending on whether you are applying for the Graduate or Undergraduate Fellowship).

Select recommenders who can explain why you are uniquely qualified for the fellowship.

  • If you were enrolled in a degree-granting program within the last two years, the letter must be from a professor or faculty member who knows you.
  • If you are returning to graduate school after a couple years, choose someone who is familiar with your academics, professional work, or volunteer/community activities.
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