FSOT passing score
The FSOT has had no passing score since its October 2025 revision: the State Department moves forward the highest scorers, by hiring need.
Practice FSOT
70.4% right
No passing score: the highest scorers move on.
Your result
70.4% right. No passing score: the highest scorers move on. Since October 2025 the State Department moves candidates forward from the top scores, in the numbers the Foreign Service needs. Your weakest section is Job Knowledge, at 70%.
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Job Knowledge | 50 | 35 minutes |
| English Usage and Comprehension | 45 | 35 minutes |
| Logical Reasoning | 30 | 45 minutes |
| October 2026 | October 10, 2026 to October 31, 2026 |
|---|---|
| February 2027 | January 30, 2027 to February 6, 2027 |
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Questions people ask
What is the passing score on the FSOT?
There is none. Since the October 2025 revision, the State Department moves forward the candidates with the highest scores, in line with the needs of the Foreign Service.
How many questions are on the FSOT and how long is it?
125 multiple-choice questions in three sections: Job Knowledge, 50 questions in 35 minutes; English Usage and Comprehension, 45 in 35 minutes; Logical Reasoning, 30 in 45 minutes. There is no penalty for guessing.
Is there still an essay on the FSOT?
No. The written essay, the Situational Judgment section and the personal narratives were all removed in October 2025.
What is the FSOT pass rate?
The State Department does not publish one.
What happens after the FSOT?
Candidates who move on take the Foreign Service Officer Assessment of interviews and exercises, then a background check, medical and suitability clearance, and join a rank-order register by career track, from which offers are made.
When is the next FSOT?
Pearson VUE lists 10 to 31 October 2026, then 30 January to 6 February 2027, with registration for February opening on 31 December 2026. You can take it once in any 12 months.
How old do you have to be to take the FSOT?
At least 20 on the test date, and a U.S. citizen.
How we work this out
What it does
Enter how many you got right in each section of the State Department's practice FSOT to see your percentages and which section to work on.
The Foreign Service Officer Test as revised in October 2025, and the State Department's free practice FSOT, which matches its length and questions.
Method
- The test has three timed sections: Job Knowledge (50 questions, 35 minutes), English Usage and Comprehension (45 questions, 35 minutes) and Logical Reasoning (30 questions, 45 minutes).
- There is no passing score. The State Department selects candidates for the next stage from the highest scores, by the needs of the Foreign Service.
- This page turns your practice answers into a percentage for each section and overall, and points to the section where you lost the most.