You must be at least 23 years old at the time of your appointment. You must also be younger than 37, unless you qualify for an age waiver available to veterans.
Be at least 23 years old. Apply before your 36th birthday unless you have veteran's preference or federal law enforcement experience.
Richard Wershe Jr. is the youngest FBI agent to date.
Nicknamed “White Boy Rick” by the Media, Wershe served as an FBI informant until the age of 16. In a shocking twist, at aged 17, Wershe was caught in possession of 8 kg of cocaine. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, serving 27 years for the crime.
While the FBI does not have specific height or weight requirements, applicants must take and pass a physical fitness test to get through the hiring process.
The 21-week training program is mentally and physically tough. The academic requirements are stringent, and failure to pass tests and proficiencies will render a person out of a job.
For starters, new special agents are paid on the GL schedule for federal law enforcement officers, which means they enter at pay level GL-10 — or $52,440 per year as of 2021 — during their academy training at Quantico.
For many applicants, the FBI special agent physical fitness test (PFT) is, without a doubt, the most challenging part of the process. Our PFT doesn't just test physical fitness. It tests qualities like self-discipline, self-motivation, and the ability to plan and adjust to challenges.
Minimum pass for women is 14+ pushups, for men: 30+ pushups. 1.5-mile run — This test is to assess endurance. Staff are required to run 1.5-miles, or six laps around a standard track.
it's very difficult." The results of each exercise are scored on a tier system and then given a numerical score. As of the July 12 test date, applicants need to score a "9" to pass on to the FBI Academy in Quantico, where they'd then need to score a "12" for the same test.
On January 12, 1976, Robert Philip Hanssen swore an oath to enforce the law and protect the nation as a newly minted FBI special agent. Instead, he ultimately became the most damaging spy in Bureau history.
Today, there are more than 2,600 female special agents serving on and leading counterterrorism squads, cyber squads, counterintelligence squads, and criminal squads. They lead field offices, divisions, and overseas offices.
Joseph Pistone, aka Donnie Brasco
In the mid-1970s, FBI agent Joseph Pistone undertook a dangerous assignment, infiltrating the notorious Bonanno crime family of New York.
All special agents begin their career at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, for 20 weeks of intensive training at one of the world's finest law enforcement training facilities. During their time there, trainees live on campus and participate in a variety of training activities.
FBI Eligibility
Be a U.S. citizen. Public record must be in good standing with no felony convictions. Adherence with FBI drug policy. Pass urinalysis and background investigation.
In the FBI, agents hold law enforcement positions and investigate domestic crimes. In the CIA, agents focus on information and intelligence overseas that is vital to policy in the United States.
New agent trainees are expected to maintain the FBI's conservative look and wear business apparel. Men wear suits and ties, and women wear dresses or suits.
Applicants will be screened for color vision. Distant visual acuity, corrected or uncorrected, must meet FBI standards, which are 20/20 in one eye and no worse than 20/40 in the other eye.
A negative score in any of the four events is considered a failure. Training doesn't stop there. You will be required to take the PFT again and achieve a minimum score within 120 days before you report to the BFTC.
The top personality traits of special agents are conscientiousness and extraversion. Special agents score highly on conscientiousness, which means that they are methodical, reliable, and generally plan out things in advance.
You have three chances to pass while you're at the academy. Fifty percent of applicants fail the first time, but we've developed an app to help you train!