Programme

The Preparation to Join the Diplomatic Corps is structured around the Preparation Pack, from which all the students of the Course benefit, both in the first year (which consists of two itineraries) and in the follow-up.

What does the Preparation Pack include?

The Preparation Pack is focused on the preparation of the Competitive Examintaion exercises:

Exercise 1: Test-type exam 

The first exercise, which tests candidates’ general knowledge of the different topics, consists of 105 multiple-choice questions about the topics of the call and general culture. To prepare, candidates must deepen their knowledge of the different topics through extensive study and take as many practice tests as possible.

CEI International Affairs provides students with up-to-the-minute written resources on each topic, as well as constant online test practice as they make their way through the syllabus.

Exercise 2: Essay and interview

The second exercise is divided in two parts. The first consists of an essay on a text on a current political, economic, social and/or cultural issue chosen by the jury. The second takes place in a separate session and consists of a reading of the essay followed by an interview on it and other topics intended to allow the jury members to get to know the candidate better.

CEI International Affairs prepares the students with the regular realization of essays, which are corrected by the tutors of the course, and according to the sessions, read in public and followed by an interview.

We also publish a monthly magazine Culturalia, which highlights a selection of cultural activities available in Barcelona each month (music, art, literature, opera, theatre, etc.).

Exercise 3: Language examination

The third exercise seeks to certify a strong command of both spoken and written English, as well as French. There is also the possibility of examining in other optional languages.

The test has two parts, one written and one oral:

• The written part consists on making, for each of the two mandatory languages and also the optional ones, a summary of a text chosen by the court (on a political, economic, social and / or cultural topic of general interest) and then an essay or essay based on the text presented.
   
• The oral part consists of a dissertation in English and French of 5 minutes duration (per language) on two subjects, one for each language, which will be proposed by the Court.

CEI International Affairs offers students three simulations of the language exercise. The students are strictly evaluated by specialist teachers in preparing English and French for the opposition to the Diplomatic Corps.

Exercise 4: Oral presentation of topics

The preparation for the oral presentation of topics from the syllabus is the most time-consuming. The syllabus consists of 201 topics from different disciplines. 

• The preparation followed at CEI reproduces the format of the exam. Every week the students of the course will have to take a determined number of studied subjects to be able to expose one of them orally during 15 minutes (as it approaches the date of the examination will defend two, three and even the four subjects appraised) before the preparator-tutor.
   
• In addition, once a year, on dates close to this 4th exercise of the opposition, CEI organizes a simulation of the examination, with a tribunal composed of diplomats, other officials and academics experts in international relations.

With the collaboration of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.