The Pickering Fellowship Program finances 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. It also provides two summer internships, offers mentoring from a Foreign Service Officer, and provides other professional development activities. 

Upon successful completion of a two-year master’s degree (does not include law school) program and fulfillment of Foreign Service entry requirements, fellows have the opportunity to work as Foreign Service Officers in accordance with applicable law and State Department policy, serving in Washington, DC and at a U.S. embassy, consulate, or diplomatic mission around the globe. Fellows also agree to a minimum five-year service commitment in the Department of State’s Foreign Service. The five-year service commitment begins upon entry into the Foreign Service.

Fellowship website: https://pickeringfellowship.org/

Level of study: Graduate

General location of study: Domestic

Specific location, if applicable (country and/or institution): Various

Requires campus endorsement/nomination?: No

Campus application deadline (if applicable): N/A

Final application deadline (check fellowship website for specific yearly date): Mid September

General fields of study/professional interests: Humanities, Social Sciences, Languages, Public Service

Other specific criteria: Must be a U.S. citizen with a 3.2+ GPA and seek admission to a two-year, full-time, on-campus, master’s degree program at a U.S.-based graduate institution in an academic field relevant to the work of the Foreign Service (public policy, international affairs, public administration, business, economics, political science, sociology, or foreign languages).