This first exercise, which is designed to demonstrate general knowledge of the competition syllabus and a standard level of general knowledge, consists of a 105-question multiple-choice test.

The CEI International Affairs provides students with access to online self-correction tests categorised by subject (including general knowledge tests), which they can take as they progress through the syllabus.

Mock tests can also be taken in the weeks prior to the exam.

The second part is designed to certify a high level of oral and written proficiency in the compulsory language (English and, from 2019, French again).

There is also the possibility of taking other optional languages. The test has two phases, one written and one oral:

• The written phase consists of a summary of a text chosen by the selection board for each of the two compulsory languages and the optional languages (on a political, economic, social and/or cultural topic of general current affairs), followed by an essay based on the text presented.
• The oral phase consists of a 5-minute dissertation in English and French (per language) on a topic, one for each language, which will be proposed to you by the selection board.

CEI offers to carry out three simulations of the language exercise. The students are strictly evaluated by teachers specialised in preparing English and French for the Diplomatic Career examination.

The third exercise has two parts. The first consists of a written commentary on a current political, economic, social and/or cultural text chosen by the selection board. The second part, in a separate session, consists of a reading of the commentary and an interview with the selection board.

CEI International Affairs prepares students by regularly carrying out text commentaries, which are corrected by the course tutors and, depending on the sessions, read in public and followed by an interview.

CEI also publishes a monthly magazine, Culturalia, which offers an overview of cultural activities in Barcelona for the current month (music, painting, literature, theatre, opera, etc.).

This exercise consists of a one-hour oral presentation (in blocks of 15 minutes) of four topics selected at random from the 201 topics in the official syllabus of the competition (given in full to students in the preparation for the competition).

The preparation followed at the CEI reproduces the format of the exam. Every week, the students of the course will have to bring a certain number of topics studied in order to be able to present one of them orally for 15 minutes (depending on the date of the exam, two, three or even all four topics will be defended) before the trainer-tutor. The tutor will make an evaluation at the end of each presentation, indicating the aspects that the student must correct.

In addition, once a year, around the time of the 4th exam, the CEI organises a mock exam, with a panel made up of diplomats, other civil servants such as state lawyers, and academics with expertise in international relations.