For those currently involved in the application process to the Peace Corps or who are even just beginning to think about applying, I've provided a timeline below. The process as a whole takes a pretty good amount of time, so I'd say you should apply about a year before you plan to leave. Hope this helps. Good luck!
**Sidenote: my whole application process took much longer than expected because of the government shutdown and an injury I had right before I began applying. It made the medical clearance part take even longer than expected, so don't think your experience will necessarily be the same. That said, it is still a lengthy process. Be patient!**
June 2013:
17th: Registered on the PC applicant portal and emailed a former professor/volunteer supervisor, work supervisor, and family friend to ask them if they'd be willing to submit recommendation forms for me.
July 2013:
Created a résumé/curriculum vitae (CV) specifically geared toward PC, including descriptions of activities and a career objective. I'd really recommend doing this and being extremely thorough before you even start applying. It makes the whole application go much faster. You've already got it all typed out.
Had a professor and some family members proofread what I'd written to make sure there were no mistakes or typos, and to see if anything needed to be revised otherwise.
Sept. 2013:
10th: Began online application, which covers your employment history, volunteer work, language skills and includes two essays about your reasons for wanting to serve as a PCV and your cross-cultural experience.
16th: Submitted online application with essays, copies of my transcripts and certifications, and the contact information for three references.
17th: Received confirmation email along with candidate reference number from the applicant portal. The Office of Medical Services -- separate from the application portal -- emailed me a Health History Form to fill out and submit that same day. Took me about 45 minutes to an hour to complete.
22nd: Received email from PC Midwest office notifying me that because of the amount of apps they'd received, they'd need an estimated two more weeks to process my application. That would make it two weeks longer than expected.
Oct. 2013:
1st: PC offices sent out an email to all applicants to notify us that the recruitment offices were closed because of the government shutdown. This meant that our applications were basically in limbo, but that we would still be under consideration when the government shutdown ended and the offices reopened.
**Even though recruitment offices were closed, the government shutdown did not impact the operations of the PC in providing services and support to volunteers abroad and those departing soon, so that was good to know. They didn't just leave everybody hanging.
21st: Federal shutdown ended and PC offices reopened. Applications went back to getting reviewed.
25th: Due to confusion about my permanent and local address, my application had been sent to the Midwest Regional Recruitment office (because I'm from Ohio), then transferred back to the Southeast Regional Recruitment Office (because I live and go to school in Miami) where it had been fully processed. I received an email on the 25th confirming that it had been processed, and that after review it had been determined that I met the minimal qualifications to move on to the next step: recommendations!
The recruitment office sent the recommendation forms to the three references I listed on my application. They told me that after all recommendations had been received, I'd be contacted by a recruiter to set up an interview!
I emailed each of my references to confirm that they'd received the forms and to let them know that they had 10 days to complete them. Being the impatient person I am I also asked them to get them in ASAP...please :)
Nov. 2013:
6th: The PC recruiter in Florida contacted me to let me know that he was reviewing my application and reference forms.
15th: Recruiter emailed me a list of available interview times for the months of Nov. and Dec.
19th: Interviewed with the recruiter at the University of Miami Toppel Career Center. Lasted a little more than two hours.
25th: The recruiter notified me that he'd nominated me for service as a PCV! The next stage of the process would be obtaining medical pre-clearance and submitting my legal kit, which would be sent to me in the mail.
The Office of Medical Services (OMS) posted tasks requesting documentation related to my health history that I needed to submit by Dec. 25th.
Dec. 2013:
5th: The OMS confirmed receipt of all my medical pre-clearance forms.
It took about a week for the legal kit to come in the mail. When it came I went to the Coral Gables Police Dept. the next day for fingerprinting. Sent out the two fingerprint charts and NSA Background check via express mail to the PC Placement Office that same day. Required, and not all that cheap to be honest.
14th: Placement Office confirmed receipt of my legal kit in the mail.
Jan. 2014:
6th: The OMS posted two new tasks for me to complete by March 1.
31st: Submitted final medical forms to the OMS and immediately received medical pre-clearance for service!
Feb. 2014:
5th: Received notification of legal pre-clearance for service from the Peace Corps Suitability and Security Office.
10th: Called my recruiter to discuss my program nomination: English Primary Education Literacy Project for students in the Kingdom of Tonga, leaving early Sept. 2014! He said the chance of being placed in this nomination is about 60-70%. I will find out for sure in late March/early April.
March 2014:
24th: Filled out and submitted a file of Placement Questions from the Placement Officer responsible for filling the program I was nominated for. The form covered my expectations, and asked me to update or share any new information since my interview with the recruiter.
The conflict going on in Ukraine caused the displacement of PCVs stationed there and in Azerbaijan, and those intended to go there. Displaced PCVs get priority in terms of relocation. This means that there's a chance that I won't be placed in the country/program that I was nominated for.
April 2014:
29th: Received my Peace Corps Invitation to serve in the Kingdom of Tonga from Sept. 2014 through November 2016!! Invitation accepted almost immediately.
May/June 2014:
Completed all tasks to receive my final medical clearance without which I couldn't leave for service. Dental exams, blood work, immunizations, a physical, everything.
Sept. 2014:
1st-3rd: Peace Corps Staging in L.A., which is just an orientation to meet all the new Tonga and Fiji PCTs, preview the expectations for PST and get together as a group to fly overseas to our country of service.
3rd-6th: Traditional Kava welcoming ceremony, brief orientation and opening training sessions in Fiji. Left on the 6th to continue on to Tonga.
6th: Arrived in Tonga and immediately moved in with our host families for the duration of PST! I'lll be living with the Vaiagnina family in Nukunuku, a bigger (relatively speaking) village outside the capital city of Nuku'alofa with each of the 14 other PCTs in my group.
**Sidenote: my whole application process took much longer than expected because of the government shutdown and an injury I had right before I began applying. It made the medical clearance part take even longer than expected, so don't think your experience will necessarily be the same. That said, it is still a lengthy process. Be patient!**
June 2013:
17th: Registered on the PC applicant portal and emailed a former professor/volunteer supervisor, work supervisor, and family friend to ask them if they'd be willing to submit recommendation forms for me.
July 2013:
Created a résumé/curriculum vitae (CV) specifically geared toward PC, including descriptions of activities and a career objective. I'd really recommend doing this and being extremely thorough before you even start applying. It makes the whole application go much faster. You've already got it all typed out.
Had a professor and some family members proofread what I'd written to make sure there were no mistakes or typos, and to see if anything needed to be revised otherwise.
Sept. 2013:
10th: Began online application, which covers your employment history, volunteer work, language skills and includes two essays about your reasons for wanting to serve as a PCV and your cross-cultural experience.
16th: Submitted online application with essays, copies of my transcripts and certifications, and the contact information for three references.
17th: Received confirmation email along with candidate reference number from the applicant portal. The Office of Medical Services -- separate from the application portal -- emailed me a Health History Form to fill out and submit that same day. Took me about 45 minutes to an hour to complete.
22nd: Received email from PC Midwest office notifying me that because of the amount of apps they'd received, they'd need an estimated two more weeks to process my application. That would make it two weeks longer than expected.
Oct. 2013:
1st: PC offices sent out an email to all applicants to notify us that the recruitment offices were closed because of the government shutdown. This meant that our applications were basically in limbo, but that we would still be under consideration when the government shutdown ended and the offices reopened.
**Even though recruitment offices were closed, the government shutdown did not impact the operations of the PC in providing services and support to volunteers abroad and those departing soon, so that was good to know. They didn't just leave everybody hanging.
21st: Federal shutdown ended and PC offices reopened. Applications went back to getting reviewed.
25th: Due to confusion about my permanent and local address, my application had been sent to the Midwest Regional Recruitment office (because I'm from Ohio), then transferred back to the Southeast Regional Recruitment Office (because I live and go to school in Miami) where it had been fully processed. I received an email on the 25th confirming that it had been processed, and that after review it had been determined that I met the minimal qualifications to move on to the next step: recommendations!
The recruitment office sent the recommendation forms to the three references I listed on my application. They told me that after all recommendations had been received, I'd be contacted by a recruiter to set up an interview!
I emailed each of my references to confirm that they'd received the forms and to let them know that they had 10 days to complete them. Being the impatient person I am I also asked them to get them in ASAP...please :)
Nov. 2013:
6th: The PC recruiter in Florida contacted me to let me know that he was reviewing my application and reference forms.
15th: Recruiter emailed me a list of available interview times for the months of Nov. and Dec.
19th: Interviewed with the recruiter at the University of Miami Toppel Career Center. Lasted a little more than two hours.
25th: The recruiter notified me that he'd nominated me for service as a PCV! The next stage of the process would be obtaining medical pre-clearance and submitting my legal kit, which would be sent to me in the mail.
The Office of Medical Services (OMS) posted tasks requesting documentation related to my health history that I needed to submit by Dec. 25th.
Dec. 2013:
5th: The OMS confirmed receipt of all my medical pre-clearance forms.
It took about a week for the legal kit to come in the mail. When it came I went to the Coral Gables Police Dept. the next day for fingerprinting. Sent out the two fingerprint charts and NSA Background check via express mail to the PC Placement Office that same day. Required, and not all that cheap to be honest.
14th: Placement Office confirmed receipt of my legal kit in the mail.
Jan. 2014:
6th: The OMS posted two new tasks for me to complete by March 1.
31st: Submitted final medical forms to the OMS and immediately received medical pre-clearance for service!
Feb. 2014:
5th: Received notification of legal pre-clearance for service from the Peace Corps Suitability and Security Office.
10th: Called my recruiter to discuss my program nomination: English Primary Education Literacy Project for students in the Kingdom of Tonga, leaving early Sept. 2014! He said the chance of being placed in this nomination is about 60-70%. I will find out for sure in late March/early April.
March 2014:
24th: Filled out and submitted a file of Placement Questions from the Placement Officer responsible for filling the program I was nominated for. The form covered my expectations, and asked me to update or share any new information since my interview with the recruiter.
The conflict going on in Ukraine caused the displacement of PCVs stationed there and in Azerbaijan, and those intended to go there. Displaced PCVs get priority in terms of relocation. This means that there's a chance that I won't be placed in the country/program that I was nominated for.
 |
| My electronic formal invitation to join the Peace Corps for a two-year service in the Kingdom of Tonga. |
April 2014:
29th: Received my Peace Corps Invitation to serve in the Kingdom of Tonga from Sept. 2014 through November 2016!! Invitation accepted almost immediately.
May/June 2014:
Completed all tasks to receive my final medical clearance without which I couldn't leave for service. Dental exams, blood work, immunizations, a physical, everything.
Sept. 2014:
1st-3rd: Peace Corps Staging in L.A., which is just an orientation to meet all the new Tonga and Fiji PCTs, preview the expectations for PST and get together as a group to fly overseas to our country of service.
3rd-6th: Traditional Kava welcoming ceremony, brief orientation and opening training sessions in Fiji. Left on the 6th to continue on to Tonga.
6th: Arrived in Tonga and immediately moved in with our host families for the duration of PST! I'lll be living with the Vaiagnina family in Nukunuku, a bigger (relatively speaking) village outside the capital city of Nuku'alofa with each of the 14 other PCTs in my group.
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