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What Documents Does USAJOBS Actually Require?

Federal application guide · Last updated:

Start with the announcement

Missing required documents can prevent an agency from verifying your eligibility, qualifications, or preference. Do not count on a request to fix your application after the deadline. Read the Required Documents and How to Apply sections before you submit.

Not every applicant needs the same documents. Your checklist depends on the job and the hiring path or preference you claim. This guide covers common requirements; a complete checklist does not guarantee referral. See USAJOBS guidance on application documents.

Everyone

  • Resume: prepare a resume within the applicable two-page limit. See the two-page federal resume guide for required fields and exceptions.
  • Job-specific documents: add any licenses, certifications, writing samples, or forms the announcement requires for your application.

Veterans claiming preference

  • DD-214: use a copy showing service dates and character of discharge. The Member 4 copy is preferable when available. Eligible applicants still on active duty may use a qualifying service certification for an expected honorable release within 120 days; a DD-214 is required before appointment.
  • SF-15: for a 10-point claim, complete the Application for 10-Point Veterans’ Preference and include the evidence specified for your claim.
  • Supporting evidence: a VA disability letter supports disability-based claims, but it is not the universal document for every 10-point category. Purple Heart and eligible family-member claims have different evidence requirements.

Five-point preference does not require a disability rating, but qualifying service still needs documentation. Use OPM’s veterans’ preference guidance and the SF-15 instructions to match the evidence to your claim. Veterans’ preference and eligibility under a veteran hiring authority are separate questions.

Current or former federal employees

  • SF-50: when claiming federal status, provide the personnel action records the announcement requests to establish your service, tenure, and grade.
  • Time-in-grade evidence: a recent SF-50 may show your current grade without showing how long you held it. Additional SF-50s may be necessary. A VA announcement’s time-in-grade instructions illustrate this requirement.
  • Reinstatement: provide records establishing the prior appointment and separation relevant to your eligibility. Do not assume your latest personnel action proves every requirement.

Also check for a requested performance appraisal or other agency-specific records. See USAJOBS document guidance.

CTAP / ICTAP: displaced federal employees

  • A RIF notice, separation notice, or other documentation supporting the qualifying displacement.
  • SF-50 records establishing the relevant position and employment status.
  • Your most recent performance rating and any additional evidence required for your claim.

CTAP and ICTAP involve eligibility and qualification conditions as well as paperwork. Match your documents to the specific announcement. See Treasury’s CTAP/ICTAP documentation checklist.

Military spouses

First identify the authority or preference you are claiming. PCS-related military spouse preference and the government-wide noncompetitive appointment authority are not interchangeable.

  • Spouse of an active-duty member: marriage documentation and orders or other required proof of active-duty status. PCS relocation is not a universal condition for this appointment authority in 2026.
  • Spouse of a qualifying 100%-disabled veteran: marriage documentation and the required service and disability records.
  • Unremarried surviving spouse of a member killed on active duty: documentation of marriage, the qualifying death, and unremarried status.
  • PCS-based preference: submit PCS orders and any accompanying forms or evidence the announcement specifically requires.

See OPM’s military-spouse appointment questions and answers.

Individuals with disabilities: Schedule A

Obtain a Schedule A eligibility letter from an authorized source, such as a licensed medical professional, vocational rehabilitation specialist, or disability benefits agency. It should establish eligibility under the hiring authority; it does not need to describe your medical history. See EEOC’s Schedule A guidance and its guidance on proof-of-disability letters.

Students and recent graduates

Prepare transcripts and any requested proof of current enrollment or degree completion. Transcripts may also be needed outside student hiring paths when education is required or used to qualify. Some announcements accept unofficial transcripts at application and require official copies later; follow the stated requirements. See USAJOBS education guidance.

Peace Corps / AmeriCorps VISTA

  • Returned Peace Corps volunteers: provide the service certification or Description of Service documentation requested to establish your noncompetitive eligibility.
  • VISTA alumni: obtain your VISTA service or noncompetitive eligibility letter through My AmeriCorps. Do not assume a generic AmeriCorps participation record proves VISTA eligibility.
  • Eligibility window: check your completion date and any applicable extension. Qualifying past service alone does not establish that your eligibility is still current.

See the USAJOBS Peace Corps and VISTA hiring path and AmeriCorps instructions for obtaining an eligibility letter.

Transcript rules that deserve a second look

  • Check whether unofficial copies are accepted. If the instructions are unclear, contact the agency before the deadline.
  • Check the contents. Make sure the record identifies you and the school and shows the coursework, credits, grades, and degree information needed to support your claim. A cropped student-portal screenshot may omit critical information.
  • Check foreign-education instructions. When relying on education earned outside the United States, provide the evaluation and supporting records the announcement requires. Having an evaluation elsewhere “on file” may not satisfy the application instructions. See this CBP announcement’s transcript and foreign-education requirements for an example.

Build your personal list

For help reading the posting itself, use the USAJOBS announcement decoder.

Start with the announcement, identify the paths you are claiming, and confirm each required file is legible and attached to the actual application. Saving documents in your USAJOBS profile is only preparation; review the final submission.

Build my Pre-Submit checklist

Use the announcement and your answers to build a checklist, then review supported files locally. Supporting documents selected in Pre-Submit Check are processed in your browser, not uploaded. Announcement lookup and the separate Resume Check have different processing flows; see our privacy policy. The hiring agency makes the final eligibility decision.