Learn How To Become An FBI Agent

The world is a safer place because of FBI agents. These specialists undergo immense training and work to fight against crime in a variety of ways. If you’re interested in learning how to become an FBI agent, there are a few necessary eligibility requirements you must meet first. 

We’ll cover what you can expect to do as an FBI agent, eligibility requirements, educational requirements, and the useful skills you’ll hone in training and on the job. 

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What Do FBI Agents Do?

Also called special agents, FBI agents are investigative officers who work on crimes committed at the federal level. This means that they work on an array of crimes, from terrorism to computer hacking. There are levels of crime that occur on the state level for state police officers to investigate, and then, there are federal crimes that special agents have jurisdiction to manage. 

One of the main missions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is to protect the domestic security of the nation. With field officers working in each state and even in foreign countries, the FBI may investigate crimes that deal with:

• Bank robberies
• Computer crimes 
• Political crimes
• Illegal gambling
• Human trafficking
• Organized crime
• Accounting and white collar crimes
• Drug crimes
• Kidnapping 

FBI Agent Duties

The job of an FBI agent is to be taken extremely seriously because of the consequences and nature of the crimes they handle. As such, an FBI agent is responsible for the full-scale investigation of the aforementioned types of crimes. This means that their duties may include:

• Writing reports
• Performing investigations 
• Providing testimony in court 
• Preparing search and arrest warrants
• Interviewing suspects, victims, and witnesses 

Eligibility Requirements

Since the Federal Bureau of Investigation is a federal organization, there are strict eligibility requirements to qualify for a position. Before fulfilling the education and training, you must certify that you are a U.S. citizen, can obtain a Top Secret Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance, and adhere to the FBI’s Drug Policy. 

Furthermore, to become a special agent, applicants must fulfill more eligibility requirements, like:

• Being between 23 and 36 years old (FBI agents have a mandatory retirement age of 57) 
• Obtain a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution 
• Have at least six months of driving experience and a license 
• Pass the physical fitness standards test 
• Be within one year of completing any active military duty before you submit your FBI special Agent application 

Educational Requirements

As one of the eligibility requirements states, you need at least a bachelor’s degree to become an FBI agent. There is no exact major you must complete, but many FBI agents choose degrees in these fields: 

• Computer technology or computer science
• Law enforcement
• Finance
• Science 
• Political science or criminal justice 

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How to Become an FBI Agent

To become an FBI agent, you can follow these five straightforward steps:

• Meet Eligibility

  Of course, you must meet all the eligibility requirements outlined above. 

• Complete Education

  Once you certify that you check all the boxes, you can obtain your bachelor’s degree. A lot of FBI agents do possess a master’s or terminal degree, as well. But, at the very least, a bachelor’s degree is needed to apply. 

• Professional Experience

  Along with a bachelor’s degree, applicants must have two years of full-time professional experience. If you have a master’s degree or doctoral degree, then it’s just required to have at least one year of professional experience. 

• Agent Selection Process

  To become an agent, prospects go through rigorous rounds of interviews and tests. The first stage of testing includes psychometric tests that will measure your situational judgment, personality traits, and logic-based reasoning. The next phase is structured interviews. Combined with both phases, candidates need to complete a polygraph test, background investigation, pass a physical exam, and a drug test. 

• Finish Basic Training

  The final step before working on the job requires a 20-week basic field training course that takes place at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. 

You may now want to ask, “How long does it take to become an FBI agent?” With all these steps, it generally takes between 5-6 years to do so. The first four years is to get a bachelor’s degree and then you spend 6-12 months applying for the position and completing training. 

FBI Training and Useful Skills

More than 800 hours of instruction and field training takes place at Quantico during the intensive FBI training program. Agents learn how to use firearms, operational skills, and case exercises. Additionally, they take academic courses that include behavioral science, forensic science, ethics, and law. 

FBI agents hone various skills during their time at Quantico, as well as on the job in action. Specialized skills that can aid in an agent’s success include:

• Being bilingual or multilingual 
• Having strong IT skills 
• Having experience in the military or law enforcement 
• Strong interpersonal skills 
• Being adaptable 
• Maintaining good collaboration skills
• Being a leader 

The Bottom Line

The duties of an FBI agent can change on a day-to-day basis, but in essence, they support keeping the public safe from criminals. They deal with heavy caseloads and serious crimes that break laws at the federal level. 

Now that you know how to become an FBI agent, you must ask yourself if you want to spend your life fighting crime. There’s upfront eligibility requirements to apply, as well as having a deep commitment to get through the rigorous training. But, once you do, you can play a huge role in saving lives and stopping crime — so basically, you are like a real-life superhero!