To work as a foreign service officer, you typically need to:

• be a US citizen;
• be at least 18, but not older than 59;
• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have a bachelor's degree or a combination of education and experience;
• pass a background investigation;
• pass a medical exam (your family must also pass a medical exam if they want to live with you in a foreign country); and
• pass a written and oral test to qualify for consideration as a foreign service officer.

Education after high school

A bachelor's degree is not required. However, most FSO candidates have a bachelor's degree. About 75 percent of those hired recently have a master's or doctoral degree. Many FSOs have an advanced degree in public administration, international relations, history, or law.

Work experience

Certain types of work experience can help you qualify for this occupation. The US Department of State is looking for people who have experience doing one or more of the following:

• taking charge, making sound decisions, and maintaining composure in stressful situations;
• gathering information through observing political and cultural situations;
• learning laws and customs of different countries;
• promoting US interests overseas; or
• working with many different types of people, sometimes very powerful, high-level people.

On-the-job training

New FSOs go through a training course at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Virginia before they start their job. This training introduces them to the Foreign Service. They learn about the mission and structure of the Department of State. They also learn about working and living in a foreign country. When they know which country they will work in, they get training in the language, culture, politics, and economics of that country. Overall, newly hired foreign service officers can expect to spend three months to one year in training before they move to their first overseas job. Once they begin work in a country, they are assigned a sponsor at work and a community sponsor to help them learn their new job and adjust to the country and lifestyle of a FSO.