CEI International Affairs is the reference centre in Spain for the preparation of diplomatic entrance exams.

Since it was founded more than 30 years ago, promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, which collaborates closely with the CEI’s activities, we have trained a large number of active diplomats. Our diplomatic trainers, together with a syllabus constantly updated by specialists in the different subjects, provide a solid preparation and a personalised accompaniment in the preparation of the competitive examinations.

The diplomatic career is the professional career that begins after passing the competitive examination and subsequent compulsory course at the Diplomatic School. The notice of the competitive examinations is published in the Official State Gazette, where all the requirements and the development of the tests are detailed.

Student profile

To be able to participate in this selective process of access to the diplomatic career, you must be a Spanish national, have a good command of English and French, be of legal age and hold a university degree in engineering, architecture or a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

CEI International Affairs students have at their disposal the complete syllabus for the competitive examination prepared by university professors specialised in the different subjects and developed by diplomats with the aim of fulfilling all the requirements set out in the corresponding Official State Gazette.

The development and constant updating of the sections of the syllabus is one of the main assets of the Preparation for the Diplomatic Career Examination.

The 2024 BOE announcement divides the 201 topics into the following four groups:

Group I

Public International Law and International Organisations (29 subjects)
Civil Law, Consular Law and Commercial Law (15 subjects)
Private International Law (5 subjects)

Group II

Political Systems (6 subjects)
Constitutional Law (11 subjects)
Administrative Law (11 subjects)
European Union (27 subjects)

Group III

General Economics and Public Sector Economics (7 subjects)
International Economics (12 subjects)
Spanish Economy (17 subjects)
Development Cooperation (8 subjects)

Group IV

History (36 subjects)
International Relations and Foreign Policy (15 topics)

Students of the Preparation for the Diplomatic Career Examination have online access through the Virtual Classroom to the developed topics of the official syllabus of the competition. In addition, they have the possibility to consult the syllabus at any time during their preparation.

The preparation for the Diplomatic Career Examination is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.

The Preparation for the Diplomatic Career Examination, organised by the CEI International Affairs, is structured as follows:

An initial first year with two different itineraries: The Standard pathway and the Academic pathway (to be chosen by the student according to his/her case and/or profile).
Subsequent follow-up years (as many as are necessary to pass the competition) in which students from the two pathways converge.

The Academic pathway is exclusively for the face-to-face mode of preparation.

1st year

Academic Itinerary
This is the recommended itinerary for people who are starting to take the competitive examination and/or for those students who come from backgrounds other than those covered in the competitive examination and who, therefore, may need extra reinforcement. The Academic itinerary includes:

Preparation Pack: Includes the content for the preparation of all the exercises of the Diplomatic Career Examination.
Classroom access to subjects of the Master’s Degree in Diplomacy and International Organisations (as a listener and without the right to evaluation).

This pathway can only be taken in the classroom mode of the course.

Standard Itinerary
It is designed for students who come from training courses related to the competitive examination and/or who have already started their competitive examination. The Standard Itinerary can be taken both on-site and online. It includes:

Preparation Pack: Includes the content for the preparation of all the exercises of the Diplomatic Career Examination.
Years of follow-up

Students from both routes converge in the same course. The follow-up courses can be taken either online or in person. The follow-up course includes:

Preparation Pack: Includes the content for the preparation of all the exercises of the Diplomatic Career Examination.

The preparation for the Diplomatic Career Examination has the collaboration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.

The prestige of the CEI has led to an increase in demand from students living outside the city of Barcelona. This is why we offer the online mode, ideally aimed at those candidates who live outside the Catalan territory, or who for some reason cannot travel to Barcelona.

It is open to: Standard Itinerary (1st Year) and for the Follow-up Years.

The online preparation is organised in exactly the same way as in the face-to-face mode, students have the same rights and obligations, and can carry out all the activities without exception.

In addition, in line with our personalised approach, if the online candidate wishes, they can also attend any of the face-to-face training activities in Barcelona and Madrid.

The Preparation for the Diplomatic Career Examination has the collaboration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.