Deadline: 22-Sep-21
Interested in a career serving U.S. interests abroad? If so, the Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Fellowship offers a unique opportunity to promote positive change in the world.
The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Program is now accepting applications to the 2022 Graduate Fellowship.
The Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Fellowship is a U.S. Department of State program administered by Howard University that seeks to attract and prepare outstanding young people, who represent ethnic, gender, social, and geographic diversity and have an interest in pursuing a Foreign Service career in the U.S. Department of State.
The Program encourages the application of members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service, women, and those with financial need.
Fellows will participate in two internships. The first, an internship working at the U.S. Department of State headquarters in Washington, DC, will occur in the summer in between their first and second year of graduate study.
The second internship will be an overseas placement in a U.S. Embassy or Consulate that takes place during the summer after fellows’ graduation. The program provides additional support for summer travel, housing, and other related expenses.
Orientation
- Fellows will participate in an orientation at Howard University in early June. The purpose of this orientation is to familiarize the Fellows with all aspects of the fellowship and to enhance their understanding of, and skills for, Foreign Service careers.
The Degree
- Fellows must obtain graduate degrees in international affairs or a related subject such as public administration, public policy, international relations, business administration, economics, history, political science, communications, or foreign languages at a graduate school approved by the Pickering Program. Law degrees do not satisfy this requirement.
- Fellows are expected to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 throughout their period of study.
- Applicants apply to two-year graduate programs at U.S.-based universities simultaneously with their application to the Pickering Program.
Award Information
- The Pickering Program plans to award 45 fellowships of up to $42,000 annually for a two-year period for tuition, room, board, books, and mandatory fees for completion of two-year master’s degrees.
- This includes up to $24,000 per year for tuition and mandatory fees and an academic year stipend of $18,000.
Eligibility Criteria
This is a highly selective program. To be eligible to participate, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale at the time of application.
- Seek admission to a two-year, full-time, on-campus, master’s degree program at a U.S.-based graduate institution to begin in the fall of 2022 in an academic field relevant to the work of the Foreign Service (public policy, international affairs, public administration, business, economics, political science, management science, organizational development/leadership, sociology, or regional studies).
For more information, visit https://pickeringfellowship.org/graduate-fellowship/overview-and-eligibility/