What Are the Requirements To Become a Diplomat?

Diplomats are responsible for representing the United States while living in another country. They often work through consulates or embassies and correspond with those in Washington, D.C.

To become a diplomat, you'll need to choose a specialty and go through several rounds of testing, assessments, and reviews.

Keep reading to learn more about the career tracks for diplomats and discover our step-by-step guide to becoming a diplomat.

What Is a Diplomat?

Diplomats are professionals who represent their home country while living abroad. They protect citizens of their home country and form relationships with other diplomats and leaders.

In the United States, diplomats work for the U.S. Department of State, which is in charge of leading America's foreign policy efforts. Diplomats are also referred to as Foreign Service Officers (FSOs).

Diplomats must work to understand the language, culture, and customs of the country they are stationed in, but their specific duties will depend on their career track.

There are five career tracks for Foreign Service Officers: consular officers, economic officers, management officers, political officers, and public diplomacy officers.

Consular Officers

Consular officers work within a consulate or embassy, which are government buildings of one country posted within another country. Embassies are larger while consulates are smaller offices.

Within these offices, consular officers provide services to American citizens in the country and also protect U.S. borders by vetting and processing visa and passport applications.

Entry-level consular officers do things like make decisions about and process visas. They help American citizens who find themselves in emergency situations involving arrests, hospitalization, and major accidents.

They can also provide non-emergency services, such as reports of birth, passport applications, and notarial services.

Higher-level consular officers take on more managerial and supervisory roles and also make complex decisions on visas and other services.

Economic Officers

Economic officers build and maintain positive economic and trade relations between the U.S. and other countries by developing relationships with important economic figures.

While having a background in economics can be useful for this role, it's not a requirement. Most important is your ability to forge relationships.

Once hired as an economics officer, you'll receive training in economics, trade, commercial diplomacy, energy, and environmental issues.

These officers are also responsible for preparing economic analyses, advising on economic strategies, and at the highest levels, developing and implementing economic policies.

Management Officers

Management officers are responsible for all embassy operations from real estate to personnel to budgets.

They have a variety of high-pressure responsibilities, including developing on-target solutions in fast-paced and mission-critical situations.

Entry-level management officers may supervise embassy employees and problem-solve for ambassadors and staff members.

More advanced roles may have duties like:

• create and manage multi-million dollar budgets
• lease and maintain government-owned and short-term leased residences and office buildings
• negotiate with host government authorities over diplomatic privileges and immunities, applications of tax reciprocity laws, and family member employment
• supervising human resources within an embassy
• support of high-level visits

Political Officers

Political officers work as negotiators who interpret host country politics and advise on international issues.

They often work behind the scenes to keep a trained eye on the political climate in the host country and decipher events as they relate to U.S. interests, negotiations, and policies.

Those in entry-level roles report on a segment of society, a specific issue, or a geographic region. They also make contacts with leaders and officials in the major political parties.

More advanced roles monitor larger segments and supervise officers. They also meet with political and social leaders and head delegations for meetings abroad.

Public Diplomacy Officers

Public diplomacy officers use media to promote U.S. interests abroad, including explaining to foreign audiences how American history, values, and traditions shape U.S. foreign policy.

Entry-level public diplomacy officers do things like oversee websites, act as a contact for reporters, and coordinate exchange and grant programs.

More senior-level public diplomacy officers act as embassy spokespeople, are responsible for budget and staff resources, and advise their colleagues about the culture and media of the country.

Steps To Become a Diplomat

To become a foreign service officer, you'll need to go through tests, assessments, and reviews. We've outlined the steps below.

Step 1: Apply for and Take the Foreign Service Officer Test

Once you've chosen your career track, you can start the application for the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT).

The application requires you to answer prompts to explain what skills and benefits you would bring to the organization. These are called personal narratives and cover six skill areas:

• communication
• intellectual
• interpersonal
• leadership
• management
• substantive knowledge

If your application is approved, you can schedule your FSOT. This is a computer-based test made up of four sections:

• job knowledge
• biographic questionnaire
• English expression
• written essay

The first three sections are multiple choice, while the final is a written essay exam. Each section of the test is timed separately.

Step 2: Complete the Foreign Service Officer Assessment

If you pass the Foreign Service Officer Test, you'll be invited to take the Foreign Service Officer Assessment.

This assessment includes three parts:

• case management exercise, which evaluates your management and writing skills
• group exercise, which requires you to work as a group to complete a fictional project
• structured interview, in which you sit with two assessors to talk about your experience and motivation

This assessment is currently offered only in Washington, D.C. Candidates who receive a passing score on this are given a conditional offer of employment and move on to final reviews.

Step 3: Complete Final Reviews

The final reviews are the last step needed to qualify for a final offer of employment. There are three requirements for the final reviews:

• meet the minimum medical qualifications, as determined by a medical review
• complete a comprehensive background check to receive top secret clearance
• receive a positive evaluation after the Sustainability Review Panel overlooks your files

If you clear all three steps, you'll be placed on the Foreign Service Register.

Step 4: Wait on the Register and Accept a Final Offer

All candidates who have made it through final reviews are placed on the Foreign Services Register. This registry ranks candidates based on qualifications and test scores.

Candidates are divided into lists based on career tracks. Your name is removed after 18 months, but you can retake the FSOT to try to increase your score.

If you are selected from the register, you're given an offer of employment. If you accept, you'll receive training in Washington, D.C., before being given your location.

Become a Diplomat

To become a diplomat, you'll need to choose your career track and complete the Foreign Service Officer Test and Foreign Service Officer Assessment.

You'll also need to clear a final review and complete orientation before being sent to your new location as a diplomat. With the steps above, you can pursue a career as a diplomat today.