The Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program honors a distinguished American diplomat who held the rank of Career Ambassador, the highest rank in the U.S. Foreign Service. The Pickering Graduate Fellowships are funded by the U.S State Department and administered by the Woodrow Wilson Foundation. The Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship program provides funding to participants as they are preparing academically and professionally to enter the United States Department of State Foreign Service. Women, members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service, and students with financial need are encouraged to apply.
The goal of the fellowship program is to attract outstanding students who enroll in two-year master's degree programs in public policy, international affairs, public administration, or academic fields such as business, economics, political science, sociology, or foreign languages, who represent all ethnic, racial and social backgrounds, and who have an interest in pursuing a Foreign Service career in the U.S. Department of State. The program develops a source of trained men and women who will represent the skill needs of the Department and who are dedicated to representing America's interests abroad.
The fellowships are open to students who are in their senior year of undergraduate studies at the time of application and are seeking admission to a two-year, full-time masters degree program relevant to international affairs after receiving their bachelor's degree.
The fellowship award includes tuition, room, board, and mandatory fees during the first year of graduate study, with reimbursement for books and a travel stipend. The Fellow must commit to pursuing a graduate degree in international studies at one of the graduate schools identified by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation. Participating graduate schools provide financial support in the second year of graduate study, based on need. Pickering Fellows meet annually in Washington, DC for a program orientation.
To be eligible for the Pickering Fellowships, applicants must be U.S. citizens. Women, members of minority groups historically under-represented in the Foreign Service, and students with financial need are encouraged to apply. Applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale at the time of application, and they must maintain that average throughout participation in the program.
A completed application for the Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship includes both an online application form, which requires secure registration at the Woodrow Wilson Foundation Web site, and a series of hard-copy supporting documents, as follows:
- Certification of U.S. citizenship: copy of U.S. passport, birth certificate, or U.S. citizen naturalization papers
- Copy of GRE scores
- Two letters of recommendation
- Official academic transcripts from every undergraduate school attended
- In addition, all applicants who receive(d) financial aid must also provide a copy of their most recent financial aid letter that lists grants or loans. They must also provide a copy of the Student Aid Report (SAR), which indicates the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) number. The SAR is generated from the submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.
Registration for the online application becomes available in the Fall semester, and the application deadline is February 1.
To be competitive, interested students should contact the Boston College Campus Coordinator for the Pickering Fellowship in September, to begin preparing their applications.
If you would like additional information about the scholarship and the application process before talking with the Campus Coordinator, consult the Thomas Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship web site.