The Student Room Group
Discovering Higher and Degree Apprenticeships with UWE Bristol, get free advice >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Discovering Higher and Degree Apprenticeships with UWE Bristol, get free advice >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>

Applying to FCO: JET versus CRCC Asia internship versus MA??!

Hey everyone! I'm graduating this year with a high 2:1 in French and Modern History from Queen's University, Belfast. In the near future, I want to apply to be a diplomat with the FCO but I'd like to do some other things before I apply to boost my chances of getting in. The problem is that I'm extremely indecisive and have no idea what the best option is... :confused:

I won a scholarship to do an internship in China this summer with CRCC Asia. The plan was to do the internship from Aug-Sept and then do a MA at Queens straight afterwards. Both of these would obviously be very beneficial for my FCO application. However, I recently found out that I've been placed high up the reserve list for the JET programme. This has thrown a spanner in the works because now I don't know what to do! CRCC wanted me to send them my flight confirmation this week at the latest, but I couldn't because I won't find out whether or not I've been offered a place on JET until late May! To buy myself more time, I told CRCC that I wanted to push my start date back from Aug to Sept giving me an extra month to hear back from JET and decide. But it also means that if I don't get a place on JET (and therefore go to China in September), I'll be returning in late October which is too late to start the MA!

In terms of my future career prospects and chances of being hired as a diplomat, what would you advise me to do?
​​A. Forget about JET altogether, do the internship from Aug-Sept and then the MA afterwards while applying to the Fast Stream at the same time.
​B. Keep holding out until I hear back from JET with the risk that I won't get a place, meaning that I'll have to do the internship from Sept-Oct and instead of doing the Masters, just find a job somewhere and work while applying to the FCO.
​C. Hold out for JET and do the programme if I get a place, then reapply for CRCC next summer followed by the Masters and application to the FCO. This would mean I wouldn't be hired until at least 2016 if I'm successful first time round...

Sorry if this is really confusing! I've asked all my family and friends and everyone gives me different advice. I'm leaning slightly towards A (forgetting about JET altogether and just going for the internship/MA combo this year) but am I crazy to pass up the opportunity to live in Japan for a year?? So many people are very desperate for a place on the programme and I think once I'm in a full-time, high pressured job I might regret it?

Thanks!
Hello alanabanana!

It sounds to me that you think the CCRC + Masters combo is the most sensible - I kinda agree! Can you accept the CCRC, and then, if you get the place with JET, cancel your CCRC internship?

No matter what, I think you should be excited - both combinations are perfect in setting you up for a career in the FCO. Good luck!


Sloppy J!
Reply 2
Avatar for KRolfes
KRolfes
Hello!

As someone who did JET for 2 years and is now an employee of CRCC Asia, I can say that both are great and credible programs. Which country interests you most and which would be most relevant for strategic interests of the UK?

I must say I do agree with the comment above. CRCC Asia scholarships are also quite competitive so I would take that into consideration. Either way, whatever you decide it will be substantial experience to gain.
Reply 3
Avatar for LexyLexy
LexyLexy
7
Although it sounds like these would be great things for a future diplomat to be doing, as well as very worthwhile for their own sakes, in the interest of full disclosure you should bear in mind that due to the nature of the application process their bearing on your chances of being offered a faststream place (assuming you are intending to go down the faststream route) at the FCO would be relatively limited. The biggest thing which'll determine whether you get an FCO faststream place is whether or not you get a high enough FS assessment centre score to get through to the FCO final selection board, and having completed these programmes will have no direct bearing on that. (These programmes may help if you do do well enough to get through to final selection board, however).
I agree with Lexy, that in the end you have to get through the online tests and Fast track process. However, I think you do need to work abroad, or show that you can do so to give yourself a stronger chance when it comes to interview. It's a super competitive area, so I think it's worthwhile!

It would be really good to ask successful FCO applicants on TSR - have you tried scouring this forum to find them, and quote them in?

SJ:smile:
Original post by KRolfes
Hello!

As someone who did JET for 2 years and is now an employee of CRCC Asia, I can say that both are great and credible programs. Which country interests you most and which would be most relevant for strategic interests of the UK?

I must say I do agree with the comment above. CRCC Asia scholarships are also quite competitive so I would take that into consideration. Either way, whatever you decide it will be substantial experience to gain.


Also KRolfes, how have you found both? And what are your career plans for the future? Sounds really exciting and interesting!

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you