Checked September 30, 2026. High. The October 2026 window was extended from Oct 10-17 to Oct 10-31 between Sep 17 and Sep 25, 2026, and no window after February 2027 was published on Sep 30, 2026. Check the Pearson VUE FSOT page before registering.
The next FSOT window runs Oct 10-31, 2026, with registration open from Sep 10 until Oct 30, 2026. The one after it runs Jan 30 to Feb 6, 2027, with registration from Dec 31, 2026 to Jan 28, 2027. Both are from the Pearson VUE FSOT page, updated Sep 25, 2026 and unchanged when we re-read it on Sep 30. The rule that matters most for timing is on the same page: "candidates may test only once in a 12-month period." ProSyllabus is an independent study site. It is not affiliated with the US Department of State, its Board of Examiners or Pearson VUE, and nothing here is official. Every rule is quoted or summarised from State Department, Pearson VUE and Federal Register pages, and the Department decides every candidacy.
Pearson VUE FSOT page (updated Sep 25, 2026); careers.state.gov selection-process page.
Where other pages get this wrong
The October 2026 window now runs to Oct 31, and registration stays open until Oct 30, 2026.
Commonly published instead: Oct 10-17, 2026, with registration closing Oct 8. That was the Pearson VUE listing until at least Sep 17, 2026, and it is still on the US Mission Korea page (Jul 30, 2026) and on ProSyllabus's own notice board, which is being corrected. Some pages also call the FSOT "quarterly".
The Pearson VUE page updated Sep 25, 2026 lists Oct 10 - Oct 31, 2026 and a registration close of Oct 30, 2026. No careers.state.gov page we found says "quarterly"; the older State page says three windows a year, and the actual count was one window in 2025 and four in 2026.
Published upcoming windows
| Window | Testing | Registration opens | Registration closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | Oct 10 to Oct 31, 2026 | Sep 10, 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 |
| February 2027 | Jan 30 to Feb 6, 2027 | Dec 31, 2026 | Jan 28, 2027 (the page prints "January 28, 2026", which is before registration opens; we read it as 2027) |
Pearson VUE marks the dates "subject to change". No window after February 2027 was listed on September 30, 2026.
Every window since the 2025 suspension
| Window | Testing | Registration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2025 (first revamped test) | Oct 18-25, 2025 | Sep 5 to Oct 16, 2025 | Pearson VUE capture 6 Sep 2025; State Media Note 5 Sep 2025 |
| February 2026 | Feb 28 to Mar 7, 2026 | Feb 16-26, 2026 | Pearson VUE capture 15 Feb 2026; US Embassy Riyadh |
| May 2026 | May 16-23, 2026 | Mar 30 to May 14, 2026 | Pearson VUE capture 2 Apr 2026; US Embassy Rabat |
| July 2026 | Jul 11-18, 2026 | May 25 to Jul 9, 2026 | Pearson VUE capture 1 Jun 2026 |
| October 2026 (as listed until at least Sep 17, 2026) | Oct 10-17, 2026 | Sep 10 to Oct 8, 2026 | Pearson VUE captures 15 Jul and 17 Sep 2026; US Mission Korea |
| October 2026 (live page, updated Sep 25, 2026) | Oct 10-31, 2026 | Sep 10 to Oct 30, 2026 | Pearson VUE page, re-read Sep 30, 2026 |
| February 2027 | Jan 30 to Feb 6, 2027 | Dec 31, 2026 to Jan 28, 2027 (the page prints "January 28, 2026") | Pearson VUE page, re-read Sep 30, 2026 |
Every window since October 2025 has run eight days except October 2026, which the Pearson VUE page extended to 22 days. Days counted inclusively from the listed dates.
The suspension. From May to August 2025 the Pearson VUE page carried this banner: "In support of the Presidential Memorandum entitled Hiring Freeze, the Department of State has suspended administration of the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) ... while hiring requirements are reassessed." The windows it had listed for Oct 4-11, 2025, Jan 31 to Feb 7, 2026 and May 30 to Jun 6, 2026 were all replaced by the dates above. So 2025 had one window and 2026 has four (our count from the captures). The older State page says three windows a year, "generally in February, June, and October", each eight days; that is no longer a reliable description, and no official page states a new fixed cadence.
How registration works
| Rule | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| One period, two steps | Candidates "complete both registration steps - submitting an application and selecting a seat - during the same five-week period immediately prior to a specific testing window" | Pearson VUE FSOT page |
| One window only | "Applications are valid only for that test and will expire when that testing window closes" | Pearson VUE FSOT page |
| Closing date | "The registration period closes three days prior to the opening of the testing window" | Pearson VUE FSOT page |
| No changes | "Once an application for a test window is submitted it cannot be changed"; the career track cannot be changed after submitting | Pearson VUE FSOT page; selection-process page |
| Account | New candidates must create a web account before submitting an application; use a personal email you will keep, not a .edu or US government address | Pearson VUE FSOT page |
| Accommodations | Must be requested and approved before scheduling; the older State page says at least 30 days before the window | Pearson VUE FSOT page; selection-process page |
Two conflicts in the registration rules. First, length: Pearson VUE says about five weeks, while the Federal Register notice for the registration form (November 2024) describes about four weeks; we print five, per Pearson VUE. Second, the October 2026 dates break Pearson VUE's own "three days prior" rule: registration now closes on Oct 30, twenty days after testing starts. In every other window listed since October 2025, registration closed two calendar days before testing began (our count). Register early rather than test the edge of either rule; seats at on-base and overseas centres are limited.
The 12-month retake rule
| Source | Wording | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pearson VUE FSOT page (Sep 25, 2026) | "candidates may test only once in a 12-month period" | Current; print this |
| careers.state.gov FAQ (Apr 5, 2023) | Candidates "must wait approximately 12 months between FSOT applications" | Agrees, less precisely |
| Selection-process page (body "Updated: March 2024") | To improve a place on the Register, re-take the FSOT "after 11 months" and repeat every later stage | Conflicts; older |
| 22 CFR 11.20 (2015 text) | A candidacy ended at the QEP needed a new FSOT "at minimum of a year later" | Old QEP rule; the QEP was replaced in 2026 |
| FSOT Information Guide (2016-17 content) | No limit on the total number of attempts | Old guide; no newer statement on a lifetime limit found |
When can I test again? The next-eligible-window calculator
Enter the day you last sat the FSOT. Pearson VUE says candidates "may test only once in a 12-month period". The Department does not say whether the anniversary date itself counts, so the tool treats the day after the anniversary as the first safe test day (our reading) and checks it against the two published windows. It also checks whether registration for each window is open today.
Windows as published on the Pearson VUE page (updated Sep 25, 2026; re-read Sep 30, 2026). Its Feb 2027 closing date is printed as "January 28, 2026"; we read it as 2027. For your own date, write to FSOTQuestions@state.gov before registering.
The same rule applied to each past window, our arithmetic (earliest published window for someone who sat in that window; seats counted from the day after the 12-month anniversary):
| If you last sat the FSOT in | October 2026 window (Oct 10-31) | February 2027 window (Jan 30 - Feb 6) |
|---|---|---|
| October 2025 (Oct 18-25) | Only the part of the window after your anniversary, for example from Oct 19, 2026 if you sat on Oct 18, 2025 | Yes, the whole window |
| February 2026 (Feb 28 - Mar 7) | No | No: the window ends before your anniversary |
| May 2026 (May 16-23) | No | No |
| July 2026 (Jul 11-18) | No | No |
| October 2026 (Oct 10-31) | Not applicable | No |
The practical point, our reading: a candidate who sat in February, May or July 2026 has no published window yet, because the only window listed after October 2026 falls before their anniversary. And because an application is valid for one window only, sitting a window "to see the format" uses up a full year. Use the free official practice test for that instead.
The fee, and a no-show conflict
| Question | Older State page (body "Updated: March 2024") | Pearson VUE page (Sep 25, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| What does the FSOT cost? | "It is free to take the FSOT" | No fee amount stated |
| What if I do not turn up? | Cancel at least two business days (48 hours) before, or "you will be charged a $72 'no show' fee" | "Failure to appear for an exam forfeits the entire exam fee", unless extenuating circumstances are documented within 10 days to FSOTQuestions@state.gov |
| Can I reschedule or cancel? | Cancel at least 48 hours before | An OnVUE appointment can be rescheduled or cancelled "right up to the scheduled appointment time at no cost" |
We cannot resolve this conflict, so both sides are printed. The newer Pearson VUE page is the current one, but it speaks of forfeiting "your entire exam fee" on a test the State Department describes as free, and names no amount. The older page names $72. What a no-show costs today is therefore not stated clearly by any official source we found. The safe course, whichever applies: reschedule or cancel before your appointment time, and if something goes wrong on the day, write to FSOTQuestions@state.gov with documentation within 10 days. Examples Pearson VUE gives of extenuating circumstances are a death in the family, serious illness or military duty.
If you miss your window
Another conflict. The US Mission Korea page (Jul 30, 2026) says: "Candidates who are unable to test in this window but have active applications will automatically be invited to the next testing window." The Pearson VUE page and the older State page both say an application is valid for one window only and expires when it closes. We do not promise carry-over; ask FSOTQuestions@state.gov before you count on it.
A registration checklist for October 2026 and February 2027
- Confirm eligibility first: US citizen on the day you submit, aged 20 to 59 that day; see the eligibility guide in this series.
- Create your Pearson VUE web account with a personal email you will keep through the whole process.
- Choose your career track carefully; it cannot be changed after you submit.
- Submit the application and pick a seat in the same registration period: by Oct 30, 2026 for October, or Dec 31, 2026 to Jan 28, 2027 for February.
- For OnVUE, run the system test on the same computer, in the same place and at the same time of day as your appointment, as Pearson VUE advises.
- If you tested in the past 12 months, check your date with the calculator above before you register.
Rules from the Pearson VUE FSOT page (updated Sep 25, 2026); the checklist order is ours.
ProSyllabus has no FSOT practice quizzes yet, so this guide does not point you to any. The State Department's own practice test is free and linked in the sources below. Nothing on this page is legal, immigration or career advice. Questions about your own case go to the State Department at FSOTQuestions@state.gov.
When is the next FSOT?
October 10 to October 31, 2026, with registration open until October 30, 2026. The next window after that is January 30 to February 6, 2027, with registration from December 31, 2026 to January 28, 2027.
Was the October 2026 FSOT window extended?
Yes. The Pearson VUE page listed October 10-17, 2026 with registration closing October 8 until at least September 17, 2026. The page updated September 25, 2026 lists October 10-31 with registration closing October 30.
How often can I take the FSOT?
Once in a 12-month period, according to the Pearson VUE page. An older State Department page says you can retake after 11 months to improve your Register position; the current 12-month rule is the one to plan around.
How much does the FSOT cost?
The State Department says it is free to take the FSOT. The no-show penalty is stated in two ways: an older State page names a $72 no-show fee, and the current Pearson VUE page says a no-show forfeits the entire exam fee without naming an amount.
How many times a year is the FSOT offered?
No official page states a fixed number now. The older State page says three windows a year. In practice there was one window in 2025, after the hiring-freeze suspension, and four in 2026.
Can I change my FSOT application after submitting?
No. Pearson VUE says an application cannot be changed once submitted, and the career track cannot be changed either.
I took the FSOT in February 2026. When can I take it again?
Not in October 2026 or in the February 2027 window, which ends before February 28, 2027. On September 30, 2026 no later window had been published.
What if I miss my FSOT appointment?
It counts as a no-show unless you document extenuating circumstances, such as a death in the family, serious illness or military duty, to FSOTQuestions@state.gov within 10 days. Pearson VUE says OnVUE appointments can be rescheduled or cancelled at no cost up to the appointment time.
Why was the FSOT suspended in 2025?
Pearson VUE's page said the State Department suspended the FSOT in support of the Presidential Memorandum on the hiring freeze while hiring requirements were reassessed. Testing resumed with the revamped test on October 18-25, 2025.
Sources
- official — Pearson VUE — Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) page, "Last updated 2026-09-25" (re-read 30 Sep 2026, unchanged): eligibility, registration, the 12-month rule, testing windows for October 2026 and February 2027, OnVUE, no-show and ID rules, overseas and on-base testing
- official — Pearson VUE FSOT page as captured by the Wayback Machine, 16 May 2025 to 17 Sep 2026: the hiring-freeze suspension banner, the replaced 2025-26 windows, and every window listed since
- official — US Department of State, Media Note "Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT) Updates" (5 Sep 2025): the revamped FSOT first given Oct 18-25, 2025; logic and reasoning added, situational judgement discontinued, Personal Narratives removed
- official — careers.state.gov — "FSO Selection Process – Text Version" (modified 24 Feb 2026; its body says "Updated: March 2024", so its test format, Personal Narratives and QEP are out of date): Register, bump-up points, clearance, offers, training, the $72 no-show fee
- official — careers.state.gov FAQ — limit on the number of assessments (5 Apr 2023): one FSOA per FSOT candidacy; approximately 12 months between FSOT applications
- official — eCFR — 22 CFR Part 11, section 11.20 (source 80 FR 64320, 23 Oct 2015; no later amendment found): citizenship and age, scoring, separate career-track registers, 18-month Register limit, candidates' travel costs
- official — Federal Register 2024-27735 — 30-day notice for the same collection (27 Nov 2024): about 7,000 respondents a year; registration methodology
- official — Federal Register 2024-20840 — 60-day notice, "Registration for the Foreign Service Officer Test", OMB 1405-0008 (13 Sep 2024)
- official — careers.state.gov — FSOT Information Guide PDF (file dated 9 Sep 2026 on the server, but its content is the 2016-17 guide describing the old four-part test)
- official — US Mission Korea — Foreign Service Officer Test (30 Jul 2026): October 2026 window as then listed (Oct 10-17, closing Oct 8); still mentions personal narrative questions; missed-window carry-over sentence
- official — US Embassy Rabat — FSOT (20 Apr 2026): a sitting at the Embassy on May 23, 2026, registration deadline May 14, 2026
- official — US Embassy Riyadh — FSOT: sittings on March 1 and March 3, 2026, registration Feb 16-26, 2026
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
