Checked on October 23, 2026, against the section instructions of the State Department's online practice test, its media note on FSOT updates (September 5, 2025), the Pearson VUE FSOT page (last updated September 25, 2026) and the State Department's practice-test instructions page as captured on October 7, 2026, which has since been removed.
This guide explains what is on the new FSOT, the Foreign Service Officer Test in the format the U.S. Department of State introduced in October 2025. It covers the three multiple-choice sections, the number of questions and minutes in the State Department's practice test, what changed from the old test, the test-day rules that shape how you study and a study plan. Where the State Department does not publish a fact, such as the scoring scale, we say so.
What changed in October 2025
The State Department announced the changes in a media note on September 5, 2025, and the first test in the new format was given October 18-25, 2025. Compared with the old test:
- A logical reasoning section was added, and Situational Judgment was removed.
- The English section now includes reading comprehension. Its old name was English Expression.
- Job Knowledge was narrowed. The State Department's practice-test instructions page, as captured on October 7, 2026 (the page has since been removed), said it covers only U.S. government, history and society; world history and geography; economics; and math and statistics.
- No personal narratives. The media note says the personal narrative questions were removed. The removed instructions page also said: "There is no longer a written essay."
- The passing score. The removed instructions page said the FSOT "no longer has a passing score." The FSOT score guide explains what that means and what the score report shows.
Any book, course or video made before September 2025 describes the old test. Check the date before you study from it.
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How many questions are on the FSOT, and how long is it?
The State Department gives the numbers only through its online practice test. The practice test itself says it "simulates the length and the questions of the new test" (checked October 23, 2026). The practice test's section instructions give:
| Section | Questions | Time | Time per question (our math) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job Knowledge | 50 | 35 minutes | about 42 seconds |
| English Usage and Comprehension | 45 | 35 minutes | about 47 seconds |
| Logical Reasoning | 30 | 45 minutes | 90 seconds |
| Total | 125 | 115 minutes |
The State Department does not publish separate counts or times for the live test, and Pearson VUE tells candidates to confirm the appointment length in their email confirmation. Every question in the practice test has four answer choices, and the practice instructions say there is no penalty for guessing, so answer every question. The pace is uneven: Job Knowledge and English give you well under a minute per question, while Logical Reasoning gives you a minute and a half.
Job Knowledge
The State Department's practice-test instructions page, as captured on October 7, 2026 (the page has since been removed), said this section was "revised to only have questions on U.S. government, history, and society; world history and geography; economics; and math and statistics." No current State Department page gives a more detailed topic list. Good places to study each area, all free public sources:
- U.S. government, history and society: the U.S. Constitution at the National Archives (the three branches, the amendments, how a bill becomes law) and Congress.gov for how Congress works.
- World history and geography: the Milestones in the History of U.S. Foreign Relations from the State Department's Office of the Historian, plus a current world map.
- Economics: the Federal Reserve website (interest rates, inflation, the money supply) and the Bureau of Economic Analysis for GDP and trade terms.
- Math and statistics: our suggestion is percentages, ratios, averages (mean and median), rates and reading a small data table, all by hand, because no calculator is allowed.
The State Department does not say what kind of math is on the FSOT beyond "math and statistics." Because you work without a calculator, practice with numbers you can work by hand, and build speed with mental math: 50 questions in 35 minutes leaves little time for long calculations.
English Usage and Comprehension (formerly English Expression)
The practice test says this section measures English usage, "including grammar, spelling, and punctuation," and reading comprehension, with text taken "from documents similar to those you will be required to review and proofread on the job." The practice test labels the section "English Understanding and Comprehension." We use the name English Usage and Comprehension, from the State Department's earlier instructions page. It is the same section.
The practice test uses four kinds of questions:
- Choose the one sentence of four that best meets the stated requirement.
- Find the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed, or choose "no error."
- Choose the best order or revision for the sentences of a short paragraph.
- Read a passage and answer questions about it. Each passage in the practice test has five questions.
Study comma rules, subject-verb agreement, pronoun reference, commonly confused words, parallel structure and the order of ideas in a paragraph. Practice reading short government-style documents quickly and picking out the main point.
Logical Reasoning
The State Department's practice-test instructions page, as captured on October 7, 2026 (the page has since been removed), said Logical Reasoning "assesses making inferences, justifying conclusions, finding logical flaws, and identifying assumptions." The practice test describes the scenarios as hypothetical and says, "No knowledge of the Foreign Service is needed to answer the questions." You pick the best response of four.
In practice that means reading a short argument or work situation and asking four questions of it: what follows from it, what supports its conclusion, where its reasoning goes wrong and what it takes for granted without saying so. Use only the information given, not what you know about diplomacy. With 90 seconds per question, this section rewards careful reading over speed.
Test-day rules that change how you study
- No calculator. Calculators are on Pearson VUE's list of items not allowed, along with notes, reference material, watches and writing instruments.
- A digital whiteboard only. At home on OnVUE you get a digital whiteboard; physical paper and whiteboards are not allowed. Practice working problems on a screen or in your head.
- No breaks. Pearson VUE says all Department of State tests are conducted without breaks. Practice sitting the whole test in one go.
- At home or at a test center. Where you can test, check-in and ID rules are in the FSOT test dates and registration guide.
Old-format myths that still circulate
Some study pages and videos still describe the test as it was before October 2025. Checked against the State Department's current pages:
- "The FSOT has an essay and a situational judgment section." The September 2025 media note says situational judgment was removed, and the State Department's instructions page said, as of October 7, 2026, that there is no longer a written essay.
- "You need a 154 to pass." No current State Department page gives a cut score. Its instructions page said, as of October 7, 2026, that the FSOT "no longer has a passing score."
- "The test is about 2 hours, 35 minutes per section." The State Department's practice test gives 35, 35 and 45 minutes, 115 minutes in all.
- "The English section is English Expression." That is the old name. The section now includes reading comprehension.
A study plan for the new FSOT
- Take the State Department's practice test first, timed. It is a public Microsoft Form. Use your result to rank the three sections from weakest to strongest.
- Build Job Knowledge steadily. It is the widest section. Spend a short session most days on one area: government, world history and geography, economics or math.
- Drill math without a calculator. Percentages, averages and rates, done by hand and against the clock.
- Practice English in short timed sets. At about 47 seconds per question, grammar rules need to be automatic.
- Work Logical Reasoning slowly at first, then at 90 seconds a question. For each wrong answer, name the flaw or the hidden assumption you missed.
- Finish with a timed run of all 125 questions with no break, as on test day.
Never study from "real questions" posted online. Candidates sign a nondisclosure agreement that forbids sharing test content or recreating it from memory, so such material is both against the rules and unreliable.
How hard is the FSOT?
The State Department does not publish a pass rate, an average score or a score distribution. Its instructions page said, before it was removed, that candidates are selected by the highest scores and the needs of the Foreign Service, so there is no target score to aim for: your goal is your best score in every section. The how to become a Foreign Service Officer guide covers the later steps that also decide who gets an offer.
Frequently asked questions
What is on the new FSOT?
Three multiple-choice sections: Job Knowledge (U.S. government, history and society; world history and geography; economics; math and statistics), English Usage and Comprehension (grammar, spelling, punctuation and reading comprehension) and Logical Reasoning (inferences, conclusions, flaws and assumptions), as the State Department's practice-test page described them in October 2026. Situational judgment was removed in 2025.
How many questions are on the FSOT?
The State Department's online practice test has 125 questions: 50 Job Knowledge, 45 English and 30 Logical Reasoning. Separate counts for the live test are not published.
How long is the FSOT?
The practice test gives 35, 35 and 45 minutes, or 115 minutes in all, with no breaks. Pearson VUE says to confirm your appointment length in your email confirmation.
Is there still an essay on the FSOT?
Not as far as the State Department has said. Its practice-test instructions page said, as of October 7, 2026, that there is no longer a written essay; that page has since been removed. A writing step, the Written Exercise, comes later for candidates invited to the Foreign Service Officer Assessment.
Can I use a calculator on the FSOT?
No. Calculators are not allowed. At home, you get a digital whiteboard for working out problems.
What kind of math is on the FSOT?
The State Department lists only "math and statistics." Practice percentages, ratios, averages, rates and simple tables by hand, because no calculator is allowed.
Is there a penalty for guessing?
The practice test instructions say there is no penalty for guessing, so answer every question.
Is an old FSOT study guide still useful?
Only in part. Guides from before September 2025 describe situational judgment, the personal narratives and the old English section, which are gone. Check the date and the section names before you use one.
Official sources
- U.S. Department of State: Online FSOT Practice Test (public Microsoft Form)
- U.S. Department of State media note: Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) Updates (September 5, 2025)
- Pearson VUE: The Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) (last updated September 25, 2026)
- Pearson VUE: Online testing for the FSOT (OnVUE)
- Pearson VUE: Non-Disclosure Agreement and Conduct Policy Statement for State Department tests (PDF)
PrepRaven is an independent exam-prep site. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of State or Pearson VUE. Always confirm dates and rules on the Pearson VUE FSOT page and the State Department's careers site.
Last updated October 2026