A career in the Spanish diplomatic corps begins when you achieve the status of diplomat by passing a competitive examination and successfully completing the subsequent compulsory course at the Diplomatic School. The call for the examination is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE), along with all of the requirements and details of the tests.

CEI International Affairs students cover the entire syllabus for the competitive examination with materials drawn up by university lecturers specialised in the different subjects. Additionally, throughout the course, students prepare for the various exercises that make up the competitive examination under the supervision of practising diplomats.

To sit the examination you must:

• Have Spanish nationality

• Be of legal age and not be disqualified

• Hold a university degree or diploma, architecture degree, engineering degree or equivalent qualification.

From 2019, it is expected that the competitive examination is made up of the next qualifying exercises: a test consisting of questions on the general syllabus for the call; a language test, to certify a strong command of spoken and written English and of a second required language, expected: French; an essay on a current general political, economic, social and/or cultural topic, in addition to an interview; an oral presentation of 4 topics from the general syllabus; and a fifth professional practice exercise will be reintroduced, aimed at valuing the knowledge and personal competences of the applicants.

Objectives 

CEI International Affairs was founded in 1987 by initiative of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation with a view to remedying the under-representation of Catalans in the Spanish diplomatic corps. To this end, CEI International Affairs developed and launched the Preparation Course to Join the Diplomatic Corps.

More than 30 years later, CEI International Affairs has achieved its founding goal, having trained a large number of diplomats, and not just Catalans. Indeed, it has gradually expanded its initial aim of promoting the presence of Catalans in the Spanish diplomatic corps to include the successful preparation of anyone seeking to join it.

Who is it for? 

University graduates interested in joining the Spanish diplomatic corps.

Career opportunities 

• Spanish diplomat.

• Careers in government, mainly in the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, both at the headquarters in Madrid and overseas at embassies, permanent missions, conference delegations and consulates.

• Careers at other institutions and, generally, in other government bodies with sectoral interests abroad.