Become a PMF
Frequently Asked Questions
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- I have already
completed my advance degree and heard about the PMF Program. Can I
still apply?
- Is there a minimum grade point average required
to be selected as a Finalist?
- Are only certain advanced degrees considered for
the PMF Program (e.g., MPA, MSW)?
- Does the program accept individuals with
disabilities?
- I am a non-U.S. citizen who wishes to apply to
the PMF Program, but I do not have a Social Security Number to use
for the application. How can I apply?
- Should applicants submit a letter of
recommendation when applying?
- I do not know what my graduate school's FAFSA
School Code is. How do I find it?
- How can I check the status of my
application?
- I have certified and submitted my application but
my PMF Program Status indicates I have not completed the
application. Have I done something wrong?
- Is my school required to nominate me for the PMF
Program?
- I realized after I submitted my application
there was a mistake. How can I make the correction?
- How many applicants apply each year and out of
that number, how many are selected as Finalists?
- How do Finalists learn about possible Federal
Agency PMF hiring opportunities? Where are the positions
located?
- How do Finalists update their on-line resume for
agency hiring officials to obtain?
- Are applicants who are selected as Finalists
guaranteed a Federal job?
- Do Federal Agencies reimburse PMFs for their
relocation costs upon appointment?
- Do Federal agencies provide Student Loan
Repayment or Loan Forgiveness for Fellows?
- In regards to the in-person assessment, what
should Semi-Finalists do for inclement weather and/or emergencies
impacting the assessment center location?
- I am a veteran student interested in applying to
the PMF Program. How do I claim veterans' preference and provide
supporting documentation?
- Does Indian Preference apply in the PMF
Program?
- Can I stop in the middle of the on-line
assessment, which is untimed and un-proctored, and come back to it
at a later time?
- Can I stop after reading the essay questions,
save my application, and complete it at a later time?
- When preparing my application, can I get
assistance from others, like a career counselor?
1. I have
already completed my advance degree and heard about the PMF
Program. Can I still apply?
Students who will meet all advanced degree requirements,
including the completion or successful defense of any required
thesis or dissertation, between September 1 of the current year
through August 31 of the following year, as well as those who
obtained an advanced degree no more than 2 years prior to the
opening date of the PMF Program's announcement, are eligible to
apply in the fall of the current year for the class of the next
year. For eligibility criteria, please go to the Become A
PMF\Eligibility section for additional information.
2. Is
there a minimum grade point average required to be selected as a
Finalist?
No. There is no minimum grade point average required to be
selected as a Finalist.
3. Are
only certain advanced degrees considered for the PMF Program (e.g.,
MPA, MSW)?
No. Graduate students from all academic disciplines who meet
eligibility requirements may apply to the PMF Program.
4. Does
the program accept individuals with disabilities?
Yes. The United States Government does not discriminate in
employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national
origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity,
marital status, disability and genetic information, age, membership
in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor.
5. I am a
non-U.S. citizen who wishes to apply to the PMF Program, but I do
not have a Social Security Number to use for the application. How
can I apply?
You must be eligible for legal employment in the United States.
You will need to contact the PMF Program Office via email (pmfapplication@opm.gov) to
request a temporary 9-digit number to use for the Social Security
Number field during the application process.
Please refer to the Become A PMF\Eligibility\Citizenship
section of the website for additional details for non-U.S.
citizens.
6. Should
applicants submit a letter of recommendation when
applying?
No. Do not submit any letters of
recommendation. The PMF Program does not consider letters of
recommendation or endorsements as part of its application and
assessment processes.
7. I do
not know what my graduate school's FAFSA School Code is. How do I
find it?
During the application process, applicants will be asked to
identify the location of their college/university, presented a list
of colleges/universities associated to that location (from our
database system), and upon selection the system will pre-populate
the school's name and FAFSA School Code. If the applicant cannot
locate his/her school, select "Other" and manually enter the school
name in the field provided. The default FAFSA School Code will
pre-populate with "999999". Do not alter the code that
pre-populates. If you know the code is incorrect, please send an
email to pmfapplication@opm.gov.
Not all schools within a college/university will be listed in
our database. If the parent college/university is listed, select
that name and proceed with your application. Most foreign
institutions are NOT listed in our database. It is common for those
applicants to choose "Other". All such applicants will be validated
by the PMF Program Office.
8. How can
I check the status of my application?
You may log into the account you created when applying for the
PMF Program and select "PMF Program Status."
9. I have
certified and submitted my application but my PMF Program Status
indicates I have not completed the application. Have I done
something wrong?
First, review your application summary page to ensure you have
fulfilled all requirements. A warning message will appear if an
applicant has not successfully completed the on-line assessment. If
you still feel there is an error with your status, follow the
instructions found under the Application Help webpage.
10. Is
my school required to nominate me for the PMF Program?
No. With the new Pathways Programs regulations, school
nomination for the PMF Program is no longer required.
11. I
realized after I submitted my application there was a mistake. How
can I make the correction?
Before the application period closes, you may make changes to
your application by logging into the account you created and select
"Edit Application." You may make changes to the application
questions, upload new documents, delete documents, etc. However,
you may not make changes to the on-line assessment
responses.
Once the application period closes, you will not be able to make
changes to your application. However, you can make changes to your
personal profile (e.g. phone number, email address, mailing
address, etc.) by logging into your account and selecting "Personal
Info".
12. How
many applicants apply each year and out of that number, how many
are selected as Finalists?
Over the years, the PMF Program has seen an increase in the
number of applicants. Over the past few years, the number of
applicants has been approximately 9,000 annually, and the number of
Finalists has been approximately 750. Historical data shows
applicants have averaged a 1 in 10 chance of becoming a PMF;
approximately 60% of Finalists obtain appointments as Fellows. Now
with expanded eligibility from the Pathways Programs regulations,
we project the number of applications to increase. Please note this
is a highly competitive program.
13. How
do Finalists learn about possible Federal Agency PMF hiring
opportunities? Where are the positions located?
PMF positions are posted to an on-line job bank. In addition, a
Job Fair is conducted exclusively for Finalists in the Washington,
DC metro area shortly after Finalists are notified. Federal Agency
representatives attend the Job Fair and discuss their hiring
opportunities with Finalists who attend. Finalists do not have to
attend the Job Fair to secure a PMF appointment; however, it is an
excellent source of Federal Agency contacts. Several Federal
Agencies participate in the Job Fair; others may elect other means
to fill positions.
Most PMF appointments are located in the Washington, DC metro
area. Agencies will post available positions in the geographic
locations they have a need to fill.
14. How
do Finalists update their on-line resume for agency hiring
officials to obtain?
Once the application period closes, you will not be able to make
changes to your resume. After Finalists are announced, they will be
provided with instructions on how to apply to PMF appointment
opportunities and how to submit updated resumes.
15. Are
applicants who are selected as Finalists guaranteed a Federal
job?
No. If you are selected as a Finalist, you are eligible for a
PMF appointment by a participating Federal Agency; however,
Finalists are not guaranteed a Federal job. Finalists have one year
after announcement of Finalists to obtain a fellowship
appointment.
16. Do
Federal Agencies reimburse PMFs for their relocation costs upon
appointment?
Each Federal Agency determines whether it will pay relocation
costs or offer recruitment incentives. Finalists should inquire
with participating agencies before accepting an appointment
offer.
17. Do
Federal Agencies provide Student Loan Repayment or Loan Forgiveness
for Fellows?
Federal Agencies are authorized to repay student loans under the
Federal Student Loan Repayment Program and some Federal employees
are eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Program. Finalists should ask the hiring agency if it
participates when interviewing for appointments. Additional
information about these programs can be found at the Student Loans
webpage.
18. In
regards to the in-person assessment, what should Semi-Finalists do
for inclement weather and/or emergencies impacting the assessment
center location?
If the Federal Government "closes" (with no option for
unscheduled leave/telework) in the city where the in-person
assessment is being held, the assessment center will be cancelled
and Semi-Finalists will need to reschedule for another date.
If the Federal Government announces "unscheduled
leave/unscheduled telework" for a specific city, the scheduled
assessments for that city will continue.
If the Federal Government announces a "delayed arrival" in the
city where the assessment is being held, Semi-Finalists should do
their best (as is reasonable/safe) to report to the assessment site
on time. And if the Federal Government announces an "early
departure" in any of the cities, the assessment center's Site
Coordinator will make appropriate announcements.
Assessment Center Site Coordinators will make the call for
Semi-Finalists who arrive late, as to whether the Semi-Finalist can
be assessed that day or will need to be rescheduled for a later
date if available. Every effort will be made to accommodate
Semi-Finalists. The PMF Program Office will post any changes to an
assessment center's location based on inclement weather and/or
emergencies to the News & Events section on this
site as soon as practical.
19. I am
a veteran student interested in applying to the PMF Program. How do
I claim veterans' preference and provide supporting
documentation?
During the application process, applicants are asked if they are
claiming veterans' preference. For applicants who claim veterans'
preference, check the appropriate box in the application and upload
the supporting documentation in the "Documents" section of the
application. The most common document is the veteran's DD-214,
Report of Separation. A blank version of the SF-15, Application for
10-Point Veterans Preference, can be found under the Become A
PMF\Application Process section.
If possible, the veteran should submit all documentation they
have to support their claim when completing the application. Once
the application period closes, veterans should contact pmfapplication@opm.gov for
instructions to upload supporting documentation into their
application. Applicants claiming veterans' preference will have up
to 30-days beyond the application's closing date to submit any
outstanding supporting documentation.
20. Does
Indian Preference apply in the PMF Program?
Indian Preference is only applicable for the U.S. Department of
the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services' Indian Health Service
(IHS). If either of these agencies have PMF opportunities and
require Indian Preference, they will be posted on the PMF Program's Projected
Positions System for appointment opportunities for current
Finalists.
Applicants who can claim Indian Preference
should submit the BIA Form 4432 by
following the steps outlined on the Indian Preference webpage. If
an applicant has already submitted their application and the
announcement is still open, the applicant can still access their
application and upload the form or follow the fax instructions for
faxing a copy of the form.
For additional information on Indian Preference, please go to
the Become A
PMF\Eligibility\Indian Preference section.
21. Can I stop in the middle of the on-line
assessment, which is untimed and un-proctored, and come back to it
at a later time?
Yes, for the 2013 application and assessment proess. You may
stop and come back at any point during the on-line assessment.
Every completed and saved answer will be saved and you will be able
to continue where you left off. However, once you submit your
responses, you cannot go back and change your answers. For
continuity of thought, we recommend applicants complete the on-line
assessment in one sitting.
22. Can
I stop after reading the essay questions, save my application, and
complete it at a later time?
Yes, for the 2013 application process, you may review the essay
questions, log off of the application, prepare a response, log back
in, and cut-and-paste your responses. Once you enter all three
essays and hit "Next," they will save and you can continue with
your application. We recommend completing essays in one session.
Please keep in mind that all components (application, on-line
assessment, and essays) must be completed before the closing date
of the announcement. For more information, please consult the "PMF
Assessment Preparation Guide," found under the Become A
PMF\Assessment Process section.
23. When preparing my application, can I get
assistance from others, like a career counselor?
Before submitting an application for the 2013 application
process, applicants will read and electronically sign a
"Certification of Information Accuracy." It states the
following:
"I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, all of the information I have provided is true, correct,
and provided in good faith. I certify that I have worked
independently and did not get any form of assistance while
completing the assessments. I understand that if I make an
intentional false statement, or commit deception or fraud in this
application and its supporting materials, or in any document or
interview associated with the assessment and application process, I
may be fined or imprisoned (18 U.S.C. 1001), my eligibilities may
be canceled, I may be denied an appointment, or I may be removed
and debarred from the Federal service (5 C.F.R part 731). I
understand that any information I give may be investigated. I
understand that I will be rated "ineligible" if I do not respond to
this certification item."
Therefore, each applicant is expected to complete independent
work.
UPDATED: 01-25-2013