13 FAM 200
LANGUAGE TRAINING
13 FAM 201
Language Training Information
13 FAM 201.1
Language Training GENERAL INFORMATION
(CT:TPD-1; 09-18-2019)
(Office of Origin: FSI)
13 FAM 201.1-1 Policy
13 FAM 201.1-1(A) Language
Training for Foreign Service Personnel
13 FAM 201.1-1(A)(1) Foreign
Service Officers (Generalists)
(CT:TPD-1; 09-18-2019)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service and Civil Service Employees)
a. The Departments objective is that each officer fulfills
the language requirements of each position to which he or she is assigned and,
before reaching the senior level, be able to use two foreign languages at a
general professional proficiency level of S-3/R-3.
b. A normal sequence of assignments, including
occasional assignments to language-designated positions (LDPs), will usually
provide each officer with opportunities through job-related language training
to meet the two-language objective of the Department prior to reaching the
senior level. Language training will be provided, as necessary, to help
employees meet the requirements of LDPs. Language training not associated with
assignments to LDPs will be afforded, as practicable.
c. Training programs may be provided to assist
personnel in non-language designated positions to reach the S-3/R-3 level (or
higher), when practicable.
d. Section 191(a)(2) of the Department of State
Authorization Act of 1994 stipulates that an employee may not receive long-term
training in more than three languages. Moreover, an employee must have
achieved advanced professional proficiency (S-4/R-4) in a language to be
eligible for a third such training episode. Exceptions may be approved by the
Director General, M/DGHR in accordance with priority needs of the Service.
e. On the basis of section 191(a)(3) of the Department
of State Authorization Act of 1994, an employee who receives or has received
long-term training in a language or who was hired with a hiring preference
based on competency in a language should anticipate serving two tours of duty
in:
(1) Countries where that language is commonly spoken;
or
(2) Language-designated positions (LDPs) in that
language, regardless of location (e.g., a Russian LDP in the Nuclear
Risk Reduction Center).
f. To achieve the objective of maximizing the U.S.
Governments investment in language-qualified personnel and to provide adequate
staffing for its various missions, foreign affairs agencies may require an
officer who meets the criteria of this section to take a second or third tour
of duty in a position in which the relevant language is required.
13 FAM 201.1-1(A)(2) Foreign
Service Specialists
(CT:TPD-1; 09-18-2019)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service and Civil Service Employees)
When assigned to LDPs, specialists will receive
preparatory language and area studies training appropriate for the individual
employee to attain the proficiency specified for the position (see 13 FAH-1 H-212).
13 FAM 201.1-1(B) Language
Training for Civil Service Personnel
(CT:TPD-1; 09-18-2019)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service and Civil Service Employees)
a. Except for Early Morning language programs and
self-study/distance learning language courses, the Foreign Service Institute
(FSI) is not funded to provide language training for Civil Service employees.
b. Except for language training noted in 13 FAM
201.1-1(B), paragraph a , or when a Civil Service employee has been
selected and paneled to a limited noncareer assignment in the Foreign Service,
Civil Service employees attend FSI language training on a reimbursable basis
only. Funding for such training may derive from the employees home bureau or
an approved endowment (e.g., the Pat Roberts Intelligence Scholars Program).
c. In all cases, language training for Civil Service
employees must be job/career related. Language training, including
self-study/distance learning, will not be authorized for purely personal
reasons such as personal enrichment.
13 FAM 201.1-1(C) Language
Proficiency Testing
(CT:TPD-1; 09-18-2019)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service and Civil Service Employees)
a. The Departments policy is that only language
proficiency tests conducted and certified by FSI shall be recorded in the
Language Skills Inventory, and that only test results recorded in the inventory
will serve as the basis for determining if an employee possesses a required
proficiency level connected to a language designated position (LDP),
eligibility for language related incentives, or crossing the senior threshold.
b. Procedural information and policy regarding language
testing can be found in 13 FAH-1 H-230.
13 FAM 201.1-2 Authorities
(CT:TPD-1; 09-18-2019)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service and Civil Service Employees)
The statutory authorities are:
(1) Section 702 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22
U.S.C. 4022); and
(2) Subpart 2, section 191-93 of the Foreign Relations
Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (22 U.S.C. 3926 note, 22 U.S.C.
4021 note, 22 U.S.C. 2695a).
13 FAM 201.1-3 responsibilities
13 FAM 201.1-3(A) Foreign
Service Employees
(CT:TPD-1; 09-18-2019)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service and Civil Service Employees)
a. It is a responsibility of the Department to provide
suitable opportunities for Foreign Service (FS) personnel to acquire foreign
language proficiency in preparation for new assignments throughout their
careers.
b. It is a FS employees responsibility to acquire and
maintain foreign language competence. All FS employees are expected to use the
appropriate language with whatever degree of proficiency their jobs require.
Where the position does not require use of the language, the employee is
expected to acquire a minimum courtesy level proficiency.
c. The Office of Career Development and Assignments
(HR/CDA) is responsible for ensuring that language training is part of an
employees onward assignment when required for performance of duty.
13 FAM 201.1-3(B) Civil Service
Employees
(CT:TPD-1; 09-18-2019)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service and Civil Service Employees)
a. It is a Civil Service applicant/employees
responsibility to possess and maintain foreign language competence when it is a
qualification requirement of the position to which they are assigned.
b. The Office of Civil Service Human Resources
Management (HR/CSHRM) is responsible for ensuring that applicants for hire into
and employees encumbering positions with a foreign language qualification
requirement (speaking and/or reading) possess a requisite proficiency.
13 FAM 201.1-4 Assignment to
Language Training
(CT:TPD-1; 09-18-2019)
(State only)
(Applies to Foreign Service and Civil Service Employees)
See 13
FAH-1 H-200 for procedural information and policy relating to assignment to
language training.