Reduce Your Application Stress with this Handy Checklist

Proof of Citizenship

• Proof of Citizenship includes either a scan of your U.S. passport, birth certificate, or certificate of naturalization.
• All applicants must be U.S. citizens at the time they submit their application.

College and university transcripts

• Request or download your unofficial school transcripts from all colleges and universites from which you obtained credits for two semesters or more.
• Don’t forget to include study abroad or college exchange programs.
• Save your document(s) as LastName.FirstName.Transcript.pdf.

A professional resume

• Read the article on Highlighting Leadership Skills in Your Resume When You Lack Work Experience.
• Ask your mentor or your college’s Career Services Office to proofread your resume and provide feedback.

Your Personal Statement

• Your Personal Statement should be 750 words or less.
• Review the Foreign Service Officer and Specialist Competencies, which reflect the skills, abilities, and personal qualities deemed essential to the work of the Foreign Service.
• Read the article on Tips for Writing an Impactful Personal Statement to help you in developing the first draft.
• Your personal statement should explain why you want to pursue a career in the Foreign Service. Highlight your motivations, as well as your background, experiences and skills that will help you succeed.
• The statement should be academic-level writing about you—your experiences, your interests, your passions, and your long-term goals.
• Find a friend, professor, or mentor to provide your with feedback.

Letter of Recommendation

• Before you enter a recommender’s email address into the application, speak with your recommender about it and let them know that they will receive an email from the Clarke DS Fellowship (ClarkeDSFellowship@twc.edu) asking for a Letter of Recommendation. Otherwise, they might delete the email if they are not expecting it.
• When you enter a recommender’s email address into the application, the request for a Letter of Recommendation is sent to them instantly.
• Your recommender will receive an email from the Clarke DS Fellowship with instructions on how to submit the recommendation. They will submit the Letter of Recommendation in our secure portal, and it will automatically sync with your application in the Clarke DS Fellowship.
• If you’ve been in a degree-granting program within the last two years, a letter from a professor is preferred.  But we know that many schools have transitioned online, limiting your ability to get to know your professors. In that case, please select someone who is familiar with your academics, professional work, and volunteer/community activities.
• If your program is an online program, you may select an individual who is familiar with your academics, professional work, or volunteer/community activities.
• If you are returning to graduate school after a couple of years, choose someone who is familiar with your academics, professional work, or volunteer/community activities.
• TIP: A personal letter from someone who knows you well will be much stronger than a letter from a well-known person, who doesn’t know you very well! Specific examples can take a letter from good to great and can make you stand out as an applicant.
• TIP: Start this process early so that your recommender has time to craft a great letter. Don’t wait until the last minute before the application submission deadline.

 FAFSA Submission Summary 

• You can access all Federal financial aid information by logging into your account at studentaid.gov.
• If you received financial aid during the 2026-27 academic year, you will submit the FAFSA Submission Summary generated from the 2026-27 FAFSA Form.
• If you did not receive financial aid during the most recent academic year, you must complete the 2027-28 FAFSA Form to generate a FAFSA Submission Summary. It may take a few days to receive the FAFSA Submission Summary if you complete it online and provide a valid email address. Once you receive it, you will upload the PDF in your Clarke DS Fellowship application.
• If you’ve been out of college, you should complete the 2027-28 FAFSA Form, whether or not you are seeking financial aid for the current academic year. This is because you need the FAFSA Submission Summary to complete the financial section of the Clarke DS Fellowship application.

If you are receiving financial aid for the 2026-27 academic year, you are also required to submit your Financial Aid Award letter

• You may be able to access your financial aid package via your school’s online portal, under financial aid or student payments.
• If you’re having trouble locating your financial aid award, reach out to your Financial Aid Office on campus and they will be able to print and/or send you a new one.
• You will upload the Financial Aid Award letter in .pdf format.

If you are planning to enter a master’s degree program in fall 2027, you will also need:

• A list of where you’re applying to graduate school, your program of study, type of degree, and the date you applied OR the application deadline.

If you’re a Veteran and you are over 32 years old: Documentation for Veteran’s Preference

• If claiming a 5 pt. Veteran’s Preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 service 2 or member 4 copy.
• If claiming a 10 pt. Veteran’s Preference, you must submit your VA letter and SF-15, in addition to your DD-214.
• Disabled veterans should never send the document that lists their disability – only provide the one-page document that contains the rating.
• You will submit the documentation by uploading it to the online application as a single PDF document. Multiple documents would need to be combined into one PDF to upload it.