2021 Rangel Graduate Fellowship: Expanded Program Features

The Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program is accepting applications for the 2021 cohort! The fellowship has expanded opportunities this year, including a new array of possible graduate program options and expanded funding.

The Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program is a premier U.S, Department of State program created to attract diverse talent to its Foreign Service. It encourages the application of members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service, women, and those with financial need. The program prepares a new generation of leaders to promote positive change around the world as State Department Foreign Service Officers (FSOs). FSOs manage U.S. embassies around the world, promote U.S. trade and investment, handle multimillion-dollar international real estate holdings, and negotiate a wide range of agreements with host countries. They lead diverse teams of U.S. and international staff and make concrete contributions to the security and prosperity of the United States of America. They rise into positions of leadership, including becoming U.S. ambassadors.

The Rangel Graduate Fellowship provides a unique pathway to a career in the Foreign Service. It is a premier U.S. Department of State program created to attract diverse talent to its Foreign Service. The program provides support for graduate school, internships, and professional development, leading to the Foreign Service. Graduate program options can include two-year master’s in disciplines like business administration, talent management, organizational development, and business ethics and compliance, along with degrees in international relations, economics, and other disciplines relevant for FSOs. Applicants must be college seniors or graduates, can come from any academic discipline, and must be seeking entry into graduate school in fall 2021.

Program Benefits

• An orientation to the program and the Foreign Service at Howard University in Washington, D.C. in late spring 2021.
• Two summer internships, one on Capitol Hill in summer 2021 and one overseas at a U.S. embassy or consulate in summer 2022.
• Up to $84,000 over two years toward tuition, fees, and living expenses for a two-year master’s degree in fields related to the Foreign Service such as Business Administration, Economics, Public Policy, and International Relations at a U.S.-based institution. Expanded graduate school program eligibility includes a range of management and migration-related programs.
• Mentoring from a Foreign Service Officer throughout the duration of the fellowship.
• Employment in the State Department Foreign Service for those who successfully complete the program and meet Foreign Service entry requirements, in accordance with applicable law and State Department policy, with each Rangel Fellow committing to a minimum of five years of service.

Eligibility Requirements

• U.S. citizenship.
• Seeking admission to graduate school in fall 2021 for a two-year program in an area of relevance to the Foreign Service at a U.S.-based institution.
• Cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale at the time of application.

About the U.S. Foreign Service
Foreign Service Officers in the U.S. Department of State are responsible for formulating, implementing and supporting U.S. foreign policy. Their work includes analyzing political and economic events around the world; negotiating with foreign governments; assisting U.S. citizens abroad; educating foreign audiences about American culture and values; and managing an embassy’s operations. They are engaged in foreign policy issues such as conflict resolution, human rights, environmental and health issues, nuclear nonproliferation, and educational exchange. A Foreign Service career is much more than just a job; it is a uniquely demanding and rewarding way of life. Foreign Service Officers work in Washington and in more than 250 diplomatic posts worldwide. As representatives of the United States, Foreign Service Officers have a direct impact on people’s lives, witness history in the making, and help create and implement U.S. policy.