Deadline: 22 June 2015
The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program is one of the Department of State’s premier diversity recruitment programs and a fundament to increase the diverse group representation. The program is providing a helping hand to Women, members of minority groups and especially the students with financial needs.
The Pickering program is designed to recruit and develop new talent for the Department of State’s Foreign Service. The program provides undergraduate Fellows with financial assistance towards covering tuition/mandatory fees, room and board and book reimbursement during the senior year of college and first year of graduate school.
Awards
The approximate total funding available will be $3.6 million pending availability of funds. This award will provide for the selection of 30 Fellows in 2016 (20 graduate and 10 undergraduate) and will cover approved program expenses for the two year program period.
Objectives
The objectives of the Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship Program are to:
Recruit qualified candidates for the fellowship program.
Ensure timely payment of authorized fellowship expenses.
Ensure Fellows fully understand all contractual obligations including repayment obligation, importance of obtaining and maintaining required security, medical and suitability clearances.
Ensure Fellows submit all information in a timely manner required for obtaining and maintaining all Foreign Service entry requirements.
Ensure Fellows complete, successfully and in a timely manner, the rigors of graduate study in a field related to the Foreign Service and enter the Foreign Service on schedule.
Ensure Fellows fulfill their contractual obligations in accordance with stipulated timelines, particularly with regards to taking the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) and the Foreign Service Oral Assessment (FSOA).
Provide Fellows with proper mentoring and professional development training to ensure that they will be successful Foreign Service Officers.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants can be AmericanUniversities, Native American tribal organizations and American nonprofit organizations subjected to 501(c) (3) of the U.S. tax code.
Eligibility for Undergraduate program
Proof of US citizenship.
College junior status with a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or 4.
Maintenance of a grade point average throughout participation in the program.
A demonstration of financial need.
Eligibility for Graduate program
Proof of US citizenship.
Confirmation of seeking to apply to a two year full time master’s degree program.
Minimum 3.2 undergraduate grade point average or higher on a 4.0 scale
maintenance of a grade point average throughout participation in the program
A demonstration of financial need.
How to Apply
Interested students can apply electronically by filling the application form given on the website.
For more information, please visit grants.gov and search for the opportunity number HR-HRTRP-15-002.