Looking for an opportunity to serve your country while living overseas? Are you curious about what life and work are like as part of a diplomatic mission? Interested in working for the State Department — consistently rated as one of the top workplaces in the federal government? Or, are you looking for a professional opportunity where you can use your foreign language skills and gain valuable professional experience in an international environment?
If you answered yes to any of these questions and you speak Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, or French, the State Department’s Consular Fellows Program might be right for you. The Consular Fellows Program offers candidates a unique opportunity to serve the United States working overseas at U.S. embassies and consulates.
Consular Fellows support the State Department’s mission by protecting U.S. citizens and U.S. national security, facilitating legitimate travel to the United States, and supporting U.S. economic growth. Consular Fellows serve their country by facilitating critical bilateral trade, commerce, tourism, and cultural exchanges, while at the same time strengthening U.S. border security. The opportunity to serve as America’s “face” to literally thousands of foreign nationals will yield incredible rewards.
The experience that you gain as a Consular Fellow while serving overseas can be invaluable should you decide to pursue a long-term career in the State Department or another foreign affairs agency.
Consular Fellows serve side by side with members of the Foreign Service in an embassy or consulate community. As a Consular Fellow, you are eligible for an expansive package of benefits, including government-provided housing and educational allowances for eligible family members while overseas. Consular Fellows will receive a recruitment bonus of 10 percent of their basic salary, and may be eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program.
Interested candidates should visit careers.state.gov for more information.
About the Author: David Donahue serves as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Consular Affairs.
For more information:
- Learn more about career opportunities or internships at the U.S. Department of State visit careers.state.gov.
- Follow @TravelGov and visit TravelGov Facebook page for specific updates from the Bureau of Consular Affairs.
- Read other DipNote blogs related to consular affairs and careers at the State Department.
