The Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) is the first of eight steps in the FSO (Foreign Service Officer Selection) selection process in the United States. It is a computer-based test that consists of four separate test sections:
1. Job Knowledge Test 2. Situational Judgment Test 3. English Expression Test 4. Written Essay Test
The first three sections of the test contain items in a multiple-choice format. The Written Essay appears in the last section of the FSOT. Each section of the test is timed separately and must be completed within the designated time limit.
Choose a Career Track Choosing a career track during the registration process is very important. Applicants should fully educate themselves about the five Foreign Service careers tracks: Consular, Economic, Management, Political, and Public Diplomacy, and take time to make the best selection given their career aspirations.
Once an application is submitted, it cannot be changed and candidates are locked into the chosen career track for the duration of that candidacy. The candidate may change career tracks when submitting a new application
The knowledge and skill areas covered on the FSOT are:
- Correct grammar, organization, writing strategy, sentence structure, and punctuation required for writing or editing reports: This knowledge area encompasses English expression and language usage skills required for preparing or editing written reports, including correct grammar and good writing at the sentence and paragraph level.
- United States Government: This knowledge area encompasses a general understanding of the composition and functioning of the federal government, the Constitution and its history, the structure of Congress and its role in foreign affairs, as well as the United States political system and its role in governmental structure, formulation of government policies, and foreign affairs.
- United States History, Society, Customs, and Culture: This knowledge area encompasses an understanding of major events, institutions, and movements in national history, including political and economic history, as well as national customs and culture, social issues and trends, and the influence of U.S. society and culture on foreign policy and foreign affairs.
- World History and Geography: This knowledge area encompasses a general understanding of significant world historical events, issues, and developments, including their impact on U.S. foreign policy, as well as knowledge of world geography and its relationship to U.S. foreign policy.
- Economics: This knowledge area encompasses an understanding of basic economic principles, as well as a general understanding of economic issues and the economic system of the United States.
- Mathematics and Statistics: This knowledge area encompasses a general understanding of basic mathematical and statistical procedures. Items requiring calculations may be included.
- Management Principles, Psychology, and Human Behavior: This knowledge area encompasses a general understanding of basic management and supervisory techniques and methods. It includes knowledge of human psychology and behavior, leadership, motivational strategies, and equal employment practices.
- Communications: This knowledge area encompasses a general understanding of the principles of effective communication and publicspeaking techniques, as well as general knowledge of public media, media relations, and the goals and techniques of public diplomacy and their use to support work functions.
- Computers and the Internet: This knowledge area encompasses a general understanding of basic computer operations such as word processing, databases, spreadsheets, and using e-mail and the Internet.
The curriculum of the following college-level courses often helps to familiarize a candidate with theinformation assessed by the test.
- English Composition/Rhetoric - American History - American Studies (including cultural and social history) - American Political Thought - United States Political System - American Economic History - Introduction to Economics (micro and macro) - World History (Western and non-Western) - World Geography - International Economics - World Religions - Introduction to Statistics - Introduction to Management Principles - Intercultural Communication - Mass Communication - Psychology
Candidates who pass the FSOT are invited to submit six Personal Narratives (PNs), of no more than 1,300 characters each, in which they answer questions describing the knowledge, skills, and abilities they would bring to the Foreign Service.
Candidates will be asked to address the following six areas: Leadership Skills, Interpersonal Skills, Communication Skills, Management Skills, Intellectual Skills, and Substantive Knowledge.
The Oral Assessment measures the following 13 dimensions:
- Composure. To stay calm, poised, and effective in stressful or difficult situations; tothink on one’s feet, adjusting quickly to changing situations; to maintain self-control.
- Cultural Adaptability. To work and communicate effectively and harmoniously with persons of other cultures, value systems,political beliefs, and economic circumstances; to recognize and respect differences in new and different cultural environments.
- Experience and Motivation. To demonstrate knowledge, skills or other attributes gainedfrom previous experience of relevance to theForeign Service; to articulate appropriate motivation for joining the Foreign Service.
- Information Integration and Analysis. To absorb and retain complex information drawnfrom a variety of sources; to draw reasoned conclusions from analysis and synthesis of available information; to evaluate the importance, reliability, and usefulness of information; to remember details of a meeting or an event without the benefit of notes.
- Initiative and Leadership. To recognize and assume responsibility for work that needs to be done; to persist in the completion of a task; to influence significantly a group’s activity, direction or opinion; to motivate others to participate in the activity one is leading.
- Judgment. To discern what is appropriate, practical, and realistic in a given situation; to weigh relative merits of competing demands.
- Objectivity and Integrity. To be fair and honest; to avoid deceit, favoritism, and discrimination; to present issues frankly and fully, without injecting subjective bias; to work without letting personal bias prejudice actions. - Oral Communication. To speak fluently in a concise, grammatically correct, organized, precise, and persuasive manner; to convey nuances of meaning accurately; to use appropriate styles of communication to fit the audience and purpose.
- Planning and Organizing. To prioritize and order tasks effectively, to employ a systematic approach to achieving objectives, to make appropriate use of limited resources.
- Quantitative Analysis. To identify, compile, analyze, and draw correct conclusions frompertinent data; to recognize patterns or trends in numerical data; to perform simple mathematical operations.
- Resourcefulness. To formulate creative alternatives or solutions to resolve problems, to show flexibility in response to unanticipatedcircumstances.
- Working With Others. To interact in a constructive, cooperative, and harmonious manner; to work effectively as a team player; to establish positive relationships and gain the confidence of others; to use humor as appropriate.
- Written Communication. To write concise, well organized, grammatically correct, effective and persuasive English in a limited amount of time.
Join 4M+ learners. Unlock unlimited quizzes, wrong-answer tracking, flashcards + reminders, study guides, and 1-on-1 challenges.