The Foreign Agricultural Service International Agricultural Fellowship Program (IAFP) is a new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that identifies and prepares individuals interested in careers in USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). This is the second year of the program, with the inaugural class – originally FAS Diversity Fellows – already moving through the program elements.

The FAS International Agricultural Fellowship Program provides graduate fellowships to qualified individuals who will attend two-year graduate programs in Agribusiness or Agricultural Economics at U.S. universities, provide two summer internships – one domestic and one overseas, offers mentoring from Foreign Service Officers, and provides professional development activities.  Fellows enter the Foreign Agricultural Service upon successful completion of the IAFP and USDA entry requirements. There is a five-year service obligation.

The program encourages the application of members of minority groups historically underrepresented in USDA and those with financial need. It is open to students and alumni of all universities and with any major.  Based on the fundamental principle that diversity is a strength in U.S. engagement with the world, the program values candidates representing a wide range of backgrounds, including ethnic, racial, social, and geographic diversity.

The program ensures that the Foreign Agricultural Service benefits from the diverse perspectives of American from different backgrounds and provides a source of trained women and men who are dedicated to pursuing Foreign Service careers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service.

Howard University administers the FAS International Agricultural Fellowship Program on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service. The initial name of this program was the FAS Diversity Fellowship Program.

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