One of the top reasons an otherwise eligible application for the William D. Clarke, Sr. Diplomatic Security Fellowship gets rejected is missing documents. This could be a missing Letter of Recommendation, missing transcripts or missing financial forms. Use this guide to help prepare for the William D. Clarke, Sr. Diplomatic Security Fellowship application. This will ensure that you have everything in place before the application deadline date. Some required items may take longer to get than others. For example, we suggest that you ask the person who will write your Letter of Recommendation in advance, rather than when you are ready to submit the application. Let’s get started!

  1. Review the Physical Readiness Test Guide and Standards, and watch the Video. If you’re selected as a Clarke DS fellow or alternate, you’ll take a baseline PRT proctored by the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). It’s the same test active DSS special agents take in the field. You’ll be required to pass the PRT before you graduate. Here are some tips for training and practicing.
  2. Read the Eligibility Requirements, Fellow Obligations, and the Overview of Clearances in the application closely. Make sure you’re clear on what the program entails and what’s required of you.
  3. Request a Letter of Recommendation from someone who knows you well. It’s best to ask someone for this letter now instead of when you are ready to submit the application, to ensure that they have plenty of time to craft the letter. If you’ve been in school in the past two years, the letter will preferably come from a professor or faculty member. Your recommender will submit the letter through the application portal, not directly to you. Once you submit their name and email address in your application, you cannot change it. They will immediately be sent an email from Clarke DS Fellowship@twc.edu.
  4.  Request your unofficial school transcripts for all institutions you’ve attended for two semesters or more. Don’t forget to include study abroad or college exchange programs.
  5. Write your Personal Statement (750 words or less). Read the article on Tips for Writing an Impactful Personal Statement to help you develop a first draft. Ask a friend, professor, or mentor for feedback, and continue honing your statement until you are ready to submit the application.
    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!
  6. As you wait for feedback on your Personal Statement, write your resume. Read the article on How to Highlight Leadership Skills on Your Resume. Ask your mentor or your college’s Career Services Office to proof your resume and provide feedback.
  7. Provide financial information to help the selection panel understand your financial situation.
    • FAFSA Submission Summary generated from the 2027-28 FAFSA Form.
      • You can access all of your Federal financial aid information by logging into your account at studentaid.ed.gov.
      • If you’ve been out college and are returning for graduate school, you should complete the 2024-25 FAFSA Form so that you can generate a FAFSA Submission Summary for the Clarke DS Fellowship application.
    • Financial Aid Award Letter.
      • If you are in college when you are applying for the Clarke DS Fellowship, you will also need a copy of your financial aid award letter for the current academic year.
      • You may be able to access this 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.
    • The selection panel factors economic status into the selection process and are interested in understanding your need to secure non-family economic assistance to college. There are many different manifestations of financial need, including reliance on grants and loans as an undergraduate student, accumulation of significant student debt, the need to work while in school, lack of family resources, choice of less expensive schools, and/or discontinuation of family support for tuition. You can help the selection panel by:
      • Answering financial questions in the application, based on the information in the FAFSA. Applicants should use financial data in the most recent FAFSA per FAFSA requirements.
      • Submitting the FAFSA Submission Summary generated from the FAFSA Form. You must use the current academic year FAFSA Form.
      • Submitting documentation from your university that shows financial assistance you received during your undergraduate years (if applicable).
      • Writing a statement that explains your situation – focusing specifically on financial need. The most useful statement clearly and concisely explains your need for financial assistance for undergraduate or graduate school and any plans for covering these costs. Use quantitative data whenever possible, including specific data on financial assistance received during undergraduate school and outstanding education-related debt. You can highlight overall family economic status, as well as your personal situation, e.g., work during school, low-paid service positions, or financial obligations. This is your chance to make your case. Your statement must be no more than 400 words.