Foreign Service Officers

Career summary

Foreign service officers (FSOs) work in embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic missions in countries all over the world.

FSOs do many different types of jobs. Some FSOs are responsible for protecting Americans who live and work overseas. They also help to resolve:

• Adoption issues
• Financial and medical emergencies
• Lost passport issues

When necessary, FSOs issue travel warnings and announcements regarding the country where they are working. Some FSOs manage meetings and plan VIP visits when the President, Secretary of State, or Senators visit the country.

FSOs also work with countries to develop trade agreements and foreign business opportunities by meeting people in the country, learning the laws, and promoting American businesses.

FSOs work in over 270 embassies, consulates, and missions around the world. Some countries are difficult and even dangerous to work in. Many FSOs are assigned to countries that are unfamiliar to them. Before leaving for the country, they learn about the country's politics, economics, and language.

Because FSOs interact daily with people from the country, they also receive training in local customs and holidays. For example, FSOs working in the Middle East learn the proper way to shake hands so they won't offend people when they greet them.

FSOs watch and listen for events and information that will help the government make decisions. They read local newspapers and attend social and political events. They are also expected to represent the United States and share knowledge of American history, society, values, and way of life.

Related careers

This career is part of the Government and Public Administration cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Anthropologists
• Business Executives
• Economists
• Geographers
• Historians
• Interpreters and Translators
• Lawyers
• Management Analysts
• Political Scientists
• Public Relations Specialists

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study to consider

• Agricultural Economics
• Economics
• History
• International and Comparative Education
• International Business, Trade, and Finance
• International Relations
• International Studies
• Law
• Pre-Law
• Public Administration
• Second Language, General

Training

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

• be a US citizen;
• be at least 21, 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.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum  may be different from your state's graduation requirements .

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Communications
• Contemporary World Issues
• Economics
• Foreign Languages
• Geography
• Public Speaking
• World Cultures
• World History
• US History

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community are here .

Things to know

Foreign service officers must decide at the beginning of their career which career track they will take in the Foreign Service. The five tracks are:

• Consular affairs (Help Americans and work with foreign citizens)
• Economic affairs (Study economic, trade, environmental, scientific, financial, or agricultural affairs)
• Management affairs (Lead, manage, and coordinate events and policies)
• Political affairs (Analyze political events and think about foreign policy)
• Public diplomacy (Talk to others so they understand American values and concerns)

Additional things to know:

• The choice of career track will not only determine what kind of job you will do, but could affect whether you are chosen to work as a foreign service officer. For example, not many people want to work as consular affairs officers. But many people want to work as political officers. Choosing to go into consular affairs may increase your likelihood of being selected.
• The hiring process for a foreign service officer is very demanding. Each applicant must pass a written exam. It tests knowledge of world economics, politics, geography, history, and many other subjects. Only about 20 percent of those who take the test pass. Those people are invited to take an oral assessment. This assessment is not like a regular job interview. The oral assessment measures the candidate's ability to stay calm, communicate, show their desire to work for the Foreign Service, and study and use data. Of the people who take the oral assessment, about 20 percent are offered a job as a FSO. At this point, you still must pass a security and medical clearance before being hired.
• Foreign service officers must be willing to move anywhere in the world. This sometimes means that a FSO will move to a country at war or in poverty where their families cannot come with them. At other times, FSOs may be able to live with their family in many different countries and experience several languages and cultures.
• The entry-level salary for foreign service officers is between $40,000 and $60,000. The salary depends on the FSOs education and work experience. FSOs can earn more money if they work in countries that are dangerous or hard to live in. For example, FSOs who work in Rwanda and Romania make more money than FSOs who work in Germany or Australia.
• Foreign service specialists work for the US Department of State doing jobs similar to work they would do at an office in America. They manage embassy finances, employee training, wages, and benefits. They supervise the upkeep and construction of new embassy buildings, or install and repair the computers and other technology at the embassies. Some foreign service specialists are medical officers and security agents. They protect and care for the embassy staff and their families.

Other resources

National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration 
1029 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
202.628.8965

United States Department of State 

References

Career cluster

• Government and Public Administration

Career path

• Social

DOT occupation

• Foreign-service Officer (188.117-106) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Social/Conventional/Enterprising