John S. McCain Strategic Defense Fellowship Program

Open Continuous Application Period Clarification

The McCain Fellowship Cohort 6 Applications are accepted through open continuous job announcements from December 1st, 2025, through September 30th, 2026. Applications are accepted at any time during this open period and will be evaluated at each scheduled cut-off date.

Initial Cut-Off Date

The initial cut-off date for consideration was Monday, January 5, 2026, at 11:59pm ET. Applications received before 11:59pm on January 5, 2026, will receive primary consideration and qualified applications will be referred for current available positions.

Applicants who applied before the initial cut off date and were not selected for a position will continue to receive consideration through the full application period should they remain eligible.

Subsequent Cut-Off Dates:

Applications received after the initial cut-off date will be considered and referred only if initial vacancies are not filled and if future vacancies are available. Applications received before 11:59pm on a cut-off date will be considered for that period and will have continued consideration throughout the remainder of the application period. Applications received after a cut-off date will not receive consideration until the next cut-off date.

The subsequent cut-off dates are set for 11:59pm ET on the following dates:

• March 5th, 2026
• May 5th, 2026
• July 6th, 2026
• September 30th, 2026

For more information, please visit the Continuous Job Announcements FAQ 

Eligibility

Participation in this Program is open to citizens of the United States or lawful permanent residents of the United States. To be eligible to apply, applicants must be:

1. A recent graduate who has earned a graduate degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States not more than 2 years before the date of acceptance into the Fellows Program;

   OR

2. A current graduate student who will be awarded a graduate degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States not more than 6 months after the date of acceptance into the Fellows Program.

The date of acceptance into the Fellows Program is defined as the Fellow’s Entry on Duty (EOD) date. The Fellow’s EOD date is contingent upon their successful completion of all pre-employment and onboarding requirements. The EOD date for Cohort 6 McCain Fellows is projected to be in June 2026.

Career Series

The job series identified below are the positions the Department is seeking to fill in the 2025-2026 application cycle. Prospective applicants may find a general description of each job series in the Occupational Handbook.

• Foreign Affairs (0130)
• Human Resources (0201)
• Miscellaneous Admin & Program Analysis (0301)
• Management & Program Analysis (0343)
• Financial Administration & Program (0501)
• Operations Research (1515)
• Information Technology (2210)

DoD Components

The DoD Components participating in the program are identified below.

Completed Application Package:

Your application package must be complete with the following required documents:

1. Completed Résumé (2 pages or less)
   • Per OPM, applicants’ résumé must be limited to 2 pages or less. Résumés that exceed the two-page limit will result in immediate ineligibility and no further consideration will be given.
2. Two letters of recommendation
   • From previous employers, professors, coaches, internship supervisors volunteer activity leads, or work colleagues, addressing work ethic, academic ability, and accomplishments.
3. An endorsement letter
   • From applicant’s graduate institution (i.e., academic advisor, registrar office, student conduct office, or dean) addressing the applicant’s academic history and overall character (i.e., no record or honor investigations, plagiarism, accusations, suspensions, misconduct, etc.).
4. Unofficial transcripts of educational achievement at the undergraduate and graduate level.
5. An academic writing sample
   • i.e., published articles, dissertation, thesis, etc.
6. Provide a response to one or more of the following compelling narratives:
   1. Career goals. Describe your career goals, areas of interest, and how the McCain Fellows Program will help you achieve those goals.
   2. Accomplishments. Describe and provide examples/evidence of any learning, professional, leadership, and work accomplishments.
   3. Benefits for the Department of Defense. Describe how your selection benefits the DoD and your motivation for service in the Department.
   4. Essay. Describe what you want to accomplish and achieve during the fellowship.

Incomplete application packages will not receive further considerations, and late submissions cannot be accepted.

General Application Timeline:

The timeline below applies only to the initial cut-off date of January 5, 2026. Dates are tentative and are subject to change.

Timelines for subsequent cut-off dates will be posted as they become available. Please check back regularly for updates.

McCain Application Resources:

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 
• Application Checklist & Supporting Document Samples 
• Tutorial to Support Upload of Required Documents 

USAJOBS Application Resources:

• How to Write a Resume for a Federal Job
• Uploading Documents to Your Application
• USAJOBS Application Help Center