Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) Updates

On September 5, 2025, the Department of State announced an updated Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) used for recruitment into the Foreign Service. The revamped test features a new logic and reasoning section, eliminates the situational judgment section and requirement for personal narrative essays, and modifies job knowledge and English expression questions to "more closely align[] with job requirements." According to the State Department, these "updates better align the FSOT with the skills and expertise needed to successfully represent the interests of the American people." According to media reports, candidates who had already passed the previous version of the FSOT would have to retake the new version in order to remain eligible for selection. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly told media that the new test was not "riddled" with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles. The American Foreign Service Association objected to the requirement that candidates who had passed the FSOT must retake it to remain eligible for service and said the changes "abandon[ed] merit principles."