FSWE Test Breakdown

Here are the 4 key sections on the Foreign Service Written Exam:

Job Knowledge: The sample questions cover major content areas in the general section of the exam, such as U.S. Government and Political System, U.S. and World History, Geography, Economics, and Math and Statistics.

English Expression: The sample questions encompass English expression and language usage skills required for preparing or editing written reports, including correct grammar and good writing at the sentence and paragraph levels.

Biographic Information Questionnaire: These questions look  at past job performance and activities to predict future success.

Written Essay

Note: the Job Knowledge section has two parts.  The general knowledge section covers all of these topics:
English expression
United States Government
United States Society and Culture
World History and Geography
Economics
Mathematics and Statistics
Management
Communication
Computers

Then you must take one of five career track sections.

Eligibility

Before you register to take the test, determine whether you are eligible for employment with the Foreign Service.  The eligibility requirements are strict:  

-     Minimum Age:  You must be 20 years old to apply for a post and 21 years old to be appointed.

-     Maximum Age:  You must be no older than 59 as of the exam date and no older than 60 to be appointed.

-     Citizenship:  You must be a citizen of the United States .

-     Availability:  You must be available for assignment to any post, worldwide.  It is possible to apply for an exception, but exceptions are rare and granted only under extraordinary circumstances.

-     Previous Separation from Foreign Service:  You must not have been previously separated from employment with the Foreign Service for cause or for failure to receive a career appointment.  Similarly, you must not have resigned or retired in lieu of separation for cause or for failure to receive a career appointment.

If you do not meet these requirements, you are not eligible to take the FSWE.

Online and Alternative Registration

Registration for the FSWE is open for about two months, with a registration deadline one month before the test.  For example, the 2007 test will be held on Saturday, April 21, and registration for the test will begin in mid-January and end in early March.  Early registration increases your chances of being assigned to your preferred test center.  You should plan on registering early if you will be seeking a religious or disability accommodation (see below).

Registration for the exam is online, even if you are requesting an accommodation.  You can access the registration link at www.careers.state.gov.  If you have difficulty registering, you should call ACT, which develops and administers the test.  In the U.S. , ACT’s number is (800) 205-6358.  If you are calling from overseas, ACT’s number is (319) 341-2500.  You may also contact ACT by e-mail at fswe@ACT.org or by fax at (319) 337-1122.

America Online (AOL) users and those using Macintosh computers may encounter compatibility problems with Microsoft Internet Explorer.  The ACT website provides instructions for working around these problems if you are an AOL user.  If you are unable to register online, there is an alternative registration process.  The ACT website provides links to a hardcopy registration form and directions for completing the form.  Even if you are registering online, you may find it helpful to download the alternative registration form and instructions beforehand, to use as a reference.

Before You Register

Before you register, gather the following information:

-     Your current and permanent addresses and phones numbers.  For both addresses, you will need the U.S. postal code for the state;

-     Your social security number and e-mail address;

-     The number of years, if any, you have lived or worked overseas;

-     The names of any colleges you have attended, undergraduate and graduate, as well as your GPA(s) and the code for your major(s).  You will also need the college code(s).  You can find the major and college codes in advance in the instructions for alternative registration;

-     Your student program code, if you participated in a Department of State student program.  These codes are listed in the alternative registration instructions;

-     The total years you have spent in full time paid or volunteer work.

-     The code for your preferred test center.  The codes are listed in the alternative registration instructions;

-     The career track section of the test you intend to take – consular, economic, management, political, and public diplomacy.  You can change your selection on the day of the test;

Requesting an Accommodation

Two types of accommodations are recognized for the FSWE: accommodation of religious conflicts with the test date and accommodation of disabilities in the testing process.

If your religious beliefs preclude you from taking the FSWE on the test date – a Saturday – you may ask to take the test on the designated alternate test date.  Typically, this will be the day after the test date – a Sunday.  You must provide documentation to support your request, namely a letter from your cleric confirming the conflict.

The State Department and the ACT will accommodate disabilities.  Requests for a disability accommodation must be documented, in accordance with the requirements set forth on the State Department’s website.  If you intend to request a disability accommodation, you should start the process early as the documentation requirements are involved.

If you are requesting accommodation of a religious belief or disability, you will need to send documentation to ACT after you complete your online registration.  Consider sending this material by an express delivery service, with delivery confirmation, so you can verify that ACT timely received the material.

Completing the Registration Process

During the registration process, you will create a personal login ID and password.  Make a note of this information.  You will need it to access your score.  

After you have registered, you will be issued an admission letter.  If you provided an e-mail address when you registered, you will receive instructions for downloading your admission letter.  If you did not provide an e-mail address, ACT will mail your admission letter.  The admission letter is your ticket to take the test.  If you lose your letter or if you have not received it by one week before the test date, contact ACT and they will fax a copy to you.

Your admission letter will specify your test center and report time.  You are guaranteed admission to the center specified in your letter.  You may be admitted to another test center only if there is space available.  Note the report time on your admission letter.  Different test centers may have different report times.

Preparing for the FSWE

The FSWE consists of a biographical questionnaire, job-related, multiple-choice questions (job knowledge and career track), a test of English expression, and an essay.  You can best prepare for the test by organizing and planning your study.

During your preparation time, regularly read newspapers and magazines that cover national and international news, such as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, and the Economist.  If you have a long commute to work or school, consider listening to audio discs that will reinforce your preparation.  Many public libraries have CDs of books and lectures on history, economics, management, computers, and other areas that will help you prepare.

Develop a plan for your studies.  Outline the areas you will study and allocate time to each subject.  Plan your study time for each day and week, including what you will cover and what hours you will dedicate to studying.  Include regular breaks to stretch, eat, exercise, and relax.

Test Day

As the test day approaches, you will need to make final arrangements.  First and foremost, take care of your physical needs.  Get plenty of sleep in the days before the test, eat regular meals, and follow your usual exercise routine.  On the morning of the test, eat a healthy breakfast with plenty of protein.

You will need to take the following with you to the test:

-         Your admission letter

-         A photo identification card, such as a government-issued ID, driver’s license, or passport

-         A watch (the test center may not have a clock in the testing room)

-         Four No. 2 pencils and an eraser

-         Two black-ink pens

You may also want to bring a sweater or jacket.  You will be allowed to bring little else into the testingroom.  ACT rules prohibit highlighters, backpacks, purses, briefcases, food or drink, beeping alarms, calculator watches, pagers, cell phones, books, notes, scratch paper, data organizers and computers, rulers, calculators, cameras of any kind, radios, tape recorders, or lapboards.  In addition, you may not wear a hat, earplugs, or earphones.

Before the day of the test, plan your travel route and, if you are driving, find out where you should park.  Make sure you have sufficient fuel, change for tolls and parking, and that you allow adequate travel time.  If you are late, you will be denied admission and will have to wait until the next time the test is offered.

Taking the Test

Adequate planning and preparation is important, but equally important is your approach to the test.  First, pace yourself.  Pacing is particularly important for the multiple-choice job knowledge and career track questions.  These sections are given together – they are not separated into different timed units.  Take a few minutes before you start this part of the exam to determine the total number of questions and allocate your time accordingly.

Second, if you do not know the answer, make your best guess.  Your score will be based only on the number of questions you answer correctly, without deductions for incorrect answers.  For this reason, ACT advises candidates to guess when they are unsure of an answer.

Third, make sure you take the proper section of the career track.  At the beginning of the test, you will again be asked to designate a career track.  You may take this opportunity to change the selection you made when you registered.  Whether you change your selection or stick with your original choice, you must answer the career track questions for the section you designate at the beginning of the test or you will not receive credit for the career track questions.

Score Reporting

Scores for the FSWE are reported about three to four months after the test is administered.  If you provided an e-mail address when you registered, you will receive instructions for accessing your results letter online.  If you did not provide an e-mail address, your results letter will be mailed to you.

If you think there were errors in scoring your test, you may request that the multiple-choice portion of your test be re-scored by hand or that the essay be re-evaluated.  You may also request a breakdown of your score.  These requests must be made within five months of the exam date.  Consult the ACT website for instructions on these requests.

What if You Don’t Pass the FSWE?

Failure to pass the FSWE need not mean an end to your dreams of a diplomatic career.  You can retake the exam as many times as you like, as long as you remain eligible.  Many candidates take the written exam several times before they pass.

Also, remember there are other avenues for serving the U.S. abroad.  You may qualify for a position as a Foreign Service Specialist.  These positions are available for specialized professionals in seven major areas: Administration, Construction Engineering, Information Technology, International Information and English Language Programs, Medical and Health, Office Management, and Security.  Foreign Service Specialists undergo most of the same selection procedures as Foreign Service Officers, except that they do not take the FSWE.

You may want to apply for a position with the Department of State’s Civil Service.  With sufficient tenure, you may be eligible for an overseas position, albeit at a lower rank than a Foreign Service Officer.  Civil Service employees are not required to take the FSWE.

Consider also the other three foreign affairs bureaus of the federal government: the Foreign Commercial Service (a division of the Department of Commerce), the Foreign Agricultural Service (a division of the Department of Agriculture), and the USAID Foreign Service (United States Agency for International Development).  Each of these agencies recruits U.S. citizens to work abroad and each has its own selection process.

FSWE Reference Links:

FSWE Practice Questions

FSWE Communication Practice

FSWE Computer Practice

FSWE Economics Practice

FSWE Management Practice

FSWE Mathematics Practice

FSWE U.S. Culture Practice

FSWE U.S. Government Practice

FSWE World History & Geography Practice

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