Every year between 6 to 12 LSE graduates join The Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program. The PMF is the USA’s flagship leadership development programme to develop federal public service careers, matching graduate students with federal agencies across the country working on solving domestic and international issues in areas such as public administration, criminal justice, international development, health and financial management.
Over the last five years (2017-2021), there have been an average of 429 PMF finalist positions attained annually. Degrees in Accounting/Finance/Budgeting, Public Health, Administration/Management Process, Policy Analysis, and International Development/Studies remain in high demand. However, there are no GPA (grade point average) requirements or age restrictions to apply. LSE finalists go on to work in a range of agencies, so you have a strong cohort of LSE PMF alumni behind you.
To get on the PMF, you must successfully complete various online screening processes including testing, resume evaluation and written submissions. There’s detailed information about the PMF assessment process here. The new PMF Applicant Handbook details the annual application process, explains eligibility requirements and required documentation. You can find the handbook on the Become a PMF – Resources page on the PMF website. Further information about application documents, including an example academic alternative letter, are available on the Become a PMF – Resources page. There’s also a very detailed list of FAQs.
If you’re interested in applying and would like some further application tips, do join us on Tuesday October 6 for an Applying for the PMF webinar run jointly with Harvard Kennedy School. On Wednesday 29 September we are also hosting a PMF meet our alum event where you’ll be able to chat informally and find out more about working in the US Government.
Here’s a reminder of the dates and deadlines. The 2021 PMF application opens from 12.00 (Noon) Eastern Time on Tuesday 28 September until 12.00 (Noon) ET on Tuesday 12 October for the Class of 2022. The programme is also open to recent graduates up to two years after graduation, but check the official website for precise details. The PMF, along with other Federal jobs, is advertised on USAJOBS. Please note, opportunities for non-US nationals are extremely rare.
Do keep an eye on LSE CareerHub for further details about events coming up on our ‘Careers in the US programme’ and to register.
