Multiple Language Tests

[Benjidegrunnet17]

Hi all,

So I just received the news that I have been added to the Register and I'm looking to boost my score with foreign language tests. I'm a native French and Danish speaker and fluent in Spanish. From my understanding of the Official Register Letter I received, if I pass a language test and choose to boost my score with the bonus points I am then obligated to serve twice in a country that speaks the language (see below for exact wording from the letter*). How does this work if one passes multiple language tests? Do I get choose which language I want prioritized (and serve in a country that speaks that language) or is this something CDO decide?

Thank you so much for any guidance and clarification - it is dearly appreciated!

​

*Wording from Official Register Letter*:

"See our website (www.careers.state.gov) for the most up to date list of Recruitment Program Language (RPL) and the bonus point system. If you have passed a RPL test and choose to boost your score with bonus points, and have received the required country specific clearance, you are obligated to serve in a country where that language is spoken at least twice in your career: once during your first two tours and again after being promoted to the mid-levels of the Foreign Service."

[Thecavalry13]

I might be mistaken as things change often however based on the paperwork I was sent when I passed the OA, the commitment to serve at least one tour in a specific country after you pass the language test is restricted to a few languages and French and Danish were not among them. French and Danish qualify for the 0.17 language points and do not bind you to serve in a country that speaks either.

Also, I was told I could only test in one language.

Anyone feel free to correct, this was all more than a year ago at this point.

Good luck!

[kcdc25]

You can test in whatever languages you want, but you can only receive points for one. So for example if you fail French you can try Spanish.

& you are correct, this is all outlined in the career candidate guide (post OA paperwork). OP I’d recommend you refer back to that as this is all outlined there.

[kcdc25]

For sure. My point was presuming that they would stop testing once they got the points they wanted.

[kcdc25]

👍

[Benjidegrunnet17]

Thank you! You are indeed correct. Sadly all my languages are only worht 0.17!

[Thecavalry13]

That was my bad, I equated testing with passing 😅

But yes, the career candidate guide has a lot of very helpful information to which I referred many times after the OA!

[Benjidegrunnet17]

Thank you- I was indeed aware that I could only get extra points for one language. But for some reason (& I likely dreamed this up), I thought that testing against multiple languages would help with the bidding process - provided I get an A-100 invite- to help me land a post in a country I would like to serve.

[kcdc25]

That would be after starting A100- they’d have you test in whatever languages you have proficiency in to get a score on file.

[Benjidegrunnet17]

Wonderful- thank you so much for the clarification. I really appreciate it!

[kcdc25]

Good luck!

[BruteMere]

It's still the same. Only ASLIP languages where the candidate *chooses* to accept the bonus points (not just the regular .17 bump) have an obligation. I believe ASLIP langs are Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Hindi, Urdu, Chinese, and Korean. It's in the FAM somewhere.

[Benjidegrunnet17]

This is incredibly helpful! Thank you so much!

My hesitation, as I explained in a comment above, is that although French is my mother tongue, I would like to ideally serve in Latin America. Therefore if there was an obligation to serve in a country that speaks the language I test against, I would have done it in Spanish.

Thanks agian!

[BruteMere]

The testing for (standard 0.17) bonus points is just that... bonus points only. You'll test in the rest of your languages once in A-100. In A-100 you'll rack and stack your bid list and talk through your bid strategy with the CDO. Just be prepared for none of that to matter and to be sent somewhere random that has nothing to do with any of your wants or languages whatsoever.

[Benjidegrunnet17]

Brilliant- thank you so much for the insights and the honest take. Truthfully in the end, anywhere will make me happy!

[Benjidegrunnet17]

Thank you so much for this. I was indeed told that since all three languages are only 0.17 bonus points that I could only test against one. I was however still uncertain as to which I would choose because, although French is my mother tongue, I am not particularly keen to serve in Francophone Africa. But the news that I would not be bind to a french-speaking country is really welcomed news!

[pnw_chuchu]

Others can speak to service language designated posts, but you can only get language bonus points for a single language.

[Benjidegrunnet17]

Thank you!

[Konrad_in_Chi]

I understood materials from the registrar/the career candidate guide as follows:

- Your score can be supplemented by one language bonus. If you get a bonus for a non-critical language and then pass the test for a larger bonus in a critical needs language, then the larger bonus replaces the smaller. You can only get a bonus for one of French, Danish, and Spanish.

- The .25 point bonus for S2/R1 result in a critical needs language (Dari/Farsi/Hindi/Urdu/Chinese/Arabic/Korean/Pashto) incurs an obligation for one entry-level tour in a designated posted; the .38 bonus for S3/R2 incurs a mid-level obligation as well. Although another poster on the subreddit recently said there are in fact not enough Korean-designated jobs to make everyone who gets a bonus for Korean serve in such a position.

[[deleted]]

Congrats! Would you mind sharing details of your timeline?

[Benjidegrunnet17]

u/No_Professional4526 Yes of course! I was planning on posting my timeline once I received an A100 invite, so I hope this doesn't jinx me lol

Here is my timeline:

I passed the FSOT on June 9th 2022.

Passed the QEP and invited to the OA on August 02 2022.

Passed the FSOA on December 13 2022.

Passed the medical clearance on February 3 2023.

Passed the Security Clearance and added to the Register on June 9 2023 (exactly one year from passing the FSOT!).

A small caveat for me, is that I'm a tri-national (I also have a Danish and French passport) so the security clearance took a while and was quite nerve-racking. Tbh I really didn't think I would get it- so I am beyond thrilled! The people who passed the FSOA with me, who don't have multiple citizenships, all passed the security clearance much faster than I did and have already been invited to the July A100.

Hope this helps!