Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program

Name

Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program

Legal name

Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program

Website

https://pickeringfellowship.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship is a U.S. Department of State program administered by Howard University that funds two-year master's degrees for future Foreign Service Officers. It awards 45 fellowships annually, providing up to $42,000 per year plus domestic and overseas internships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Service Fellowship Programs

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

International Affairs (9721), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Government-Sponsored Scholarships & Exchange Funding (EDAIAOAF)

Keywords

• Foreign service fellowship
• Graduate fellowship program
• Diplomatic education funding
• Public service scholarship
• International affairs training

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Fellowship Funding: The program is a U.S. Department of State-funded fellowship that provides financial support to selected fellows. It is not a revenue-generating entity. The program funds graduate education for future Foreign Service Officers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program is a U.S. Department of State-funded fellowship that finances two-year master's degree programs (up to $42,000 per year in tuition, fees, and stipend) for U.S. citizens committed to careers in the U.S. Foreign Service. The fellowship also includes two paid summer internships — one domestic at the State Department in Washington, DC and one overseas at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate — plus mentoring from active Foreign Service Officers and a weeklong orientation at Howard University.

Product overview

The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program is a single, unified fellowship program administered jointly by Howard University and the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Global Talent Management. The core offering—the Pickering Fellowship—provides comprehensive support comprising a financial award (up to $42,000 annually for tuition and living expenses), a domestic summer internship at the State Department in Washington DC, an overseas internship at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, and ongoing mentoring from Foreign Service Officers. These components are accessed through an online application portal, with the fellowship itself being a single product rather than a platform with separate modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship A merit and need-based graduate fellowship administered by Howard University and the U.S. Department of State that prepares outstanding U.S. citizens for careers as Foreign Service Officers. Provides up to $42,000 annually for two years to cover tuition, mandatory fees, room, board, and books at U.S.-based two-year master's degree programs in fields relevant to the Foreign Service.
• Domestic Summer Internship A paid internship at the U.S. Department of State headquarters in Washington, DC, occurring during the summer between the first and second year of graduate study. The program provides additional support for travel, housing, and related expenses.
• Overseas Summer Internship An overseas placement at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate during the summer following graduation. The program provides additional support for travel, housing, and other related expenses.
• Foreign Service Officer Mentoring Mentoring from active Foreign Service Officers provided throughout the duration of the fellowship to guide fellows in their career preparation and professional development.
• Fellowship Orientation A weeklong orientation held at Howard University during June before the first year of graduate study, designed to familiarize fellows with all aspects of the fellowship and enhance their understanding of Foreign Service careers.
• Online Application Portal A web-based application system accessible at apply.pickeringfellowship.org that allows prospective applicants to register, create, save, and submit their fellowship applications online, with features to track application status and recommendation submissions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 600 fellows have joined the Foreign Service
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• U.S. Department of State (Bureau of Global Talent Management)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992The program is a U.S. Department of State initiative funded by the department and collaboratively administered by the Bureau of Global Talent Management via a cooperative agreement. The State Department provides program guidance, internship placements, and employment pathway for successful fellows.
• Howard UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992Howard University serves as the cooperative agreement partner to the Department of State for administering the Pickering Fellowship Program. The program is administered from the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University. Howard University provides administrative support, staff, and infrastructure for the program.
• Graduate Partner SchoolsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner schools include Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University, Yale University, University of Denver, Syracuse University, Columbia University, University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, George Washington University, American University, University of Texas at Austin, University of California campuses, Penn State, Georgia Tech University, and University of Washington. These universities provide supplemental financial assistance to Pickering Fellows admitted to their programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Boren Scholarships and Fellowships: National Security Education Program-funded awards for U.S. undergraduates and graduates to study languages and regions critical to U.S. national security. Competes directly with Pickering for international-affairs-minded candidates and includes a federal service repayment requirement.
• Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Program: Graduate school preparation fellowship targeting diverse students interested in public policy and international affairs. Operates upstream of Pickering by preparing undergraduates for graduate school in international affairs, creating shared candidate funnel.
• Critical Language Scholarship Program: U.S. Department of State-funded intensive summer language program for U.S. students in critical-need foreign languages. Operates in the same international-affairs talent pipeline and is administered through similar government-academic partnerships.
• AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships: Elite fellowship placing scientists and engineers in federal agencies to bridge technical expertise and policymaking. Comparable to Pickering in structure (funding + federal placement + service commitment) but focused on STEM policy rather than diplomatic affairs.
• Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation: Premier U.S. federal graduate scholarship for college juniors pursuing public service careers, including in government and diplomacy. Competes for the same high-achieving public-service-oriented candidates and offers similar graduate funding with a public service commitment.
• Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship: Competitive fellowship placing recent graduates in Washington, DC-based international peace and security organizations. Competes with Pickering for the same early-career international-policy talent pool but focuses on think tank and NGO placements rather than Foreign Service.
• Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship: U.S. Department of State-funded scholarship for undergraduate study abroad, with a strong diversity mission similar to Pickering's. Operates in the same international exchange and foreign-policy-pipeline space but targets undergraduates rather than graduate fellows.
• Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship: U.S. Department of State-funded graduate fellowship administered by Howard University that prepares diverse cohorts for Foreign Service careers. The closest sibling program to Pickering, with overlapping funding, administration, and employment pathway.
• Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship: USAID-funded fellowship for graduate students pursuing careers in international development and the Foreign Service. Like Pickering, it provides tuition, stipends, internships, and a U.S. government career pathway, but focuses on USAID rather than State Department.

Broad incumbents

• Fulbright U.S. Student Program: The flagship U.S. Department of State international exchange program for graduate study, research, and English teaching abroad. Overlaps with Pickering on international affairs graduate funding but is far broader in scope and serves a much larger applicant pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PickeringProg
• Facebookfacebook.com/pickeringfellowship
• Instagraminstagram.com/pickeringfellowship_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thomas-r-pickering-international-affairs-graduate-fellowship

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program