Assessment Forum

Applications will be screened to determine if the basic qualifications specified in the announcement have been met.  Applications that pass through this first screening are rated relative to the qualifications specified in the announcement.  The highest-ranking applicants are invited to participate in the Foreign Agricultural Service Assessment Forum .  The Assessment will be held virtually. Applicants will be notified by email with further instructions if they have passed this first stage.  
 
The Assessment may include a written exercise, a group exercise, several combined written and oral exercises, and a structured interview.  Those candidates who pass all of the exercises of the Assessment will be placed on a list called the Certificate of Eligibility.  The Certificate is valid for a maximum of twenty-four months from the date certified by the Director General of the Office of Foreign Service Operations of FAS.  Candidates who do not receive a conditional offer before the Certificate of Eligibility expires may reapply.  Candidates who decline an offer are removed from the Certificate.  The number of candidates who are selected for a conditional offer depends on funding availability and the needs of the service.