OUTSTANDING SCHOLAR PROGRAM
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• Outstanding Scholar Program

• Eligibility

• Other Considerations

• Student Employment (Home Page)

• Internet Resources (Helpful Links)

OUTSTANDING SCHOLAR PROGRAM

Outstanding Scholars can apply for 112 professional and administrative job series by using one of two options:

• A written examination (no longer mandatory) or
• An application based on scholastic achievement, reflected by your grade point average (GPA), and work experience.

Although the Outstanding Scholar and Bilingual / Bicultural programs are aimed at addressing under representation of African Americans and Hispanics, the programs have never been restricted to those designated minorities.

The merit principle, that "Recruitment should be from qualified individual from appropriate sources in an endeavor to achieve a work force from all segments of society, and selection and advancement should be determined solely on the basis of relative ability, knowledge, and skills..." applies.¹

Entry level grades, generally starting at the GS-5 and GS-7 or equivalent pay grades, are filled through a review of standardized optional applications or federal style résumés, occupational questionnaires, self certification of required skills such as typing speed, and interviews. College graduates with top grades can be hired on the spot at OPM college fairs or by agencies under the Outstanding Scholar Program. Applicants who meet the requirements of the Outstanding Scholar Program are generally not required to take a written test.

If your GPA is 3.45 or higher or you graduated in the upper ten (10) percent of your class or major subdivision you can apply for entry-level positions in 112 career fields. Applicants who meet these provisions can locate jobs online through OPM’s USAJOBS website. This special hiring authority is restricted to grade levels GS-5 and GS-7 and positions in Accounting and Auditing, Engineering, Physical Sciences, Biological Science, and Mathematics are not covered by this program. Agencies are authorized to make immediate offers of employment to candidates who meet the requirements of this program.

ELIGIBILITY

Outstanding Scholar entry-level professional and administrative job applicants now earn eligibility by either:

• Earning a college grade point average of 3.5 or above on a 4.0 scale or having graduated in the upper 10 percent of a baccalaureate graduating class or major university subdivision such as a college of arts and sciences, and impressing agency recruiters with experience and abilities during an interview. This method is referred to as the Outstanding Scholar Program.
• Passing an examination of your education and/or experience for a specific job vacancy. Agencies may use the original ACWA written tests to assess an applicant’s abilities prior to appointment. Practice exams are included in The Book of U.S. Government Jobs. 

These appointments may be made without going through an examination procedure for jobs at grades GS-5 and GS-7 in covered occupations. Covered occupations are listed in Table 5-2 in The Book of U.S. Government Jobs. A major university subdivision is a college or school and is not merely a department or program of study. For class standing to be used, it must be determined formally by the college, school, or university.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Outstanding Scholars cannot be appointed until they have actually become college graduates. They may, however, be given conditional offers pending graduation. Although Outstanding Scholar candidates do not have to appear on a certificate, their consideration must be concurrent with the priority consideration of displaced employees eligible for ICTAP selection.

Applicants under this program are prevented from using graduate grades in calculating grade point averages (GPAs). It also requires using grades received in all undergraduate courses leading to the degree. This would include courses from all undergraduate schools attended, not just courses taken at the school providing the degree. That requirement also means that the candidate MUST HAVE the 3.5 GPA at the time of graduation; any conditional offers made prior to graduation must be rescinded if the GPA is not maintained. Since the grade point average must be calculated on a 4.0 scale, agencies also need to adjust GPAs that were based on a scale that allows a 4.5 (A+) grade.

To be selected through this program, a candidate must meet both the eligibility requirements for the Outstanding Scholar program and the qualification standards for the position. Basic qualifications are described in OPM's Operating Manual, Qualifications Standards for General Schedule Positions. You can also locate qualification standards on this site by going to the Apply For Jobs page and selecting Qualification Standards.

Complete information on student employment opportunities is included in The Book of U.S. Government Jobs.

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