22 USC § 3947 - Entry levels for Foreign Service officer candidates

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t22/s3947"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "22 USC § 3947 - Entry levels for Foreign Service officer candidates"
title_number: 22
title_name: "FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE"
section_number: "3947"
section_name: "Entry levels for Foreign Service officer candidates"
chapter_number: 52
chapter_name: "FOREIGN SERVICE"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "APPOINTMENTS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 307, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2086.)"
---


# § 3947. Entry levels for Foreign Service officer candidates

A career candidate for appointment as a Foreign Service officer may not be initially assigned under section 3964 of this title to a salary class higher than class 4 in the Foreign Service Schedule unless—

**(1)** the Secretary determines in an individual case that assignment to a higher salary class is warranted because of the qualifications (including foreign language competence) and experience of the candidate and the needs of the Service; or

**(2)** at the time such initial assignment is made, the candidate is serving under a career appointment in the Service and is receiving a salary at a rate equal to or higher than the minimum rate payable for class 4 in the Foreign Service Schedule.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 307, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2086.)