Get up to $43,500 a year toward an IT degree, on a path to become a Foreign Service Diplomatic Technology Officer (FAIT Fellowship)

Your path

May include

• Up to $43,500 a year in academic funding for tuition, room and board, books, mandatory fees, and some travel
• Stipends, housing and travel allowances for two 10-week summer internships: one at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., and one at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate overseas
• Personalized mentoring and professional development throughout the fellowship

Path steps

1. Check eligibility: you must be a U.S. citizen, in (or planning) a full-time IT-related degree at a U.S.-based accredited school, with a 3.2 GPA or higher.
2. Apply on the official FAIT Fellowship page by December 7, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET (the official page lists 11:59 p.m. EST).
3. If you become a finalist (notified in January 2027): complete remote interviews and the selection process, then June 2027 orientation.
4. Complete the two 10-week internships (domestic, June–August 2027; overseas, May–August 2028) and your funded academic year(s) beginning fall 2027.
5. Finish your degree, keep a 3.2 GPA, obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance, pass suitability and medical reviews, and pass the Foreign Service Specialist Assessment (FSSA) and Diplomatic Technology Officer Test (DTOT) by graduation.
6. After you complete the fellowship and the State Department’s entry requirements, you receive an appointment as a Foreign Service Diplomatic Technology Officer, with a 3-year service commitment (one-year fellows) or a 5-year service commitment (two-year fellows).

Goal

An appointment as a Foreign Service Diplomatic Technology Officer (DTO) after you complete the fellowship and the State Department’s entry requirements. Overseas, DTOs have access to paid housing or a housing allowance, and paid education for dependent children in K–12.

Who pays

U.S. Department of State (FAIT Fellowship). The program is administered by The Washington Center (TWC).

Who qualifies

U.S. citizens enrolled in, or planning to enroll in, a full-time IT-related bachelor’s or master’s program at a U.S.-based accredited institution, with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Undergraduate fellowships last one year (spring 2028 graduates) or two years (spring 2029 graduates); graduate fellowships last two years (master’s starting fall 2027, graduating spring 2029). Not limited to veterans. Not a remote program: required internships are in Washington, D.C., and overseas. Selected fellows must receive and maintain a Top Secret security clearance, pass a suitability review, meet the minimum medical qualification standard, and pass the FSSA and DTOT by graduation.

Credential

Funded academic fellowship leading to appointment as a Foreign Service Diplomatic Technology Officer. Not a free certification, course or badge.