"In degree program diplomacy, it's not about being brilliant, it's about being tenacious."

María Granados Machimbarrena, a native of San Sebastián, is a graduate of the I promotion of International Relations of the University of Navarra and also graduated in Law from the same academic center. Since December 2024 she has been part of the diplomatic corps after overcoming a tough civil service examination , which has required daily effort and study for years, but with which she assures she has fulfilled the dream of representing her country and providing a public service. "In the diplomatic degree program , it's not about being brilliant, but about being tenacious. And not to have bad luck, because luck alone is not enough to pass, but misfortunes and injustices exist and can sink even the most prepared candidate ," he says.

María Granados now completes her training phase at the diplomatic school and will join the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in April. 

Who or what prompted you to become a degree program diplomat? 

When I finished high school my father brought me the program for the civil service examination. I had no idea what I wanted to study, because everything (or almost everything) seemed interesting to me. The civil service examination seemed to fit my interests: a test that included general culture, an essay (I love writing), languages (which I have always liked) and the subjects, which were of great variety and aroused my interest. I thought that those who chose this path became scholars little by little. The passion for knowledge was instilled in me by my father. When it came to choosing the Degree in International Relations, my mother discovered it, and it seemed to me too complete to exist. Already in my second year, I enrolled in law courses to fill in my training. In 2019 I decided to apply for the diplomatic degree program , although I started in September 2020.

Why be a diplomat?

I was excited to be a representative of my country and above all to be able to provide a public service. I wanted to be able to help Spaniards abroad. I love the international world, the idea of being able to be in the European Union, in NATO or in any country and be useful. The person who has pushed me and supported me the most in this journey has undoubtedly been my family.

What would you highlight about the whole study process, the preparation? What were the main obstacles?  

It is much harder than I could have imagined. I was aware that it was not going to be an easy road, that there are many hours of daily study, that your life is put on hold in a certain way while that of others moves forward. But I could not think of what it was going to cost so many tests, so much tension, falling twice at the gates and wanting to get up, you do not know how, but why.

Many opponents are not used to failure, with me I studied brilliant people who are very competent and hardworking and always have been, but when it came to face the exercises of the civil service examination nothing of the above had prepared them for the Fail And we have to reckon with it. 

In the diplomatic degree program there are very few vacancies (in 2023, 2024 and 2025 there have been 28), it is not a matter of being brilliant, but of being tenacious. And not to have bad luck, because luck alone is not enough to pass, but misfortunes and injustices exist and can sink even the most prepared candidate . From the study I would highlight the order, the routine, although it can be variable and there is no recipe for success in issue of hours or programming. The trainers are a fundamental piece. And the main obstacle is undoubtedly the mind, which has to be worked on. If these years have helped me to know myself: what I need, what I need, what I should avoid, who to surround myself with, how to control my nerves or how to hide them, and to be quiet and listen a lot, even if sometimes I forget.

How do you remember the exam?

There are four exercises: a subject test of 100 questions with 5 more of reservation on the syllabus and other questions of general culture or related to the syllabus in some way; a language exercise (English and French), which includes a written part and an oral part; an essay to write on a current topic proposed at the time; and a "cante" of 4 topics (15 minutes each, in total 1 hour explaining the topics that come out in the lottery).

The syllabus consists of about 200 units, and it is written and structured by each one as he/she considers with the financial aid of the preparers and manuals. The most complicated exercise varies for each candidate, but in my case, although I failed the fourth on two occasions, my greatest fear was languages. It requires a mastery of both and it is a very long exam in which many hours pass and several months of tension are spent waiting for results. 

And how did you get to know the result?

I was traveling abroad. One of my best friends, who was almost more nervous than I was, refreshed the page and the results came up. I had been waiting so long for them that I decided not to get obsessed and keep visiting the city without looking at my cell phone. When he told me that there were C started to tremble and entered a cloud from which I still haven't come down. I had never received so many congratulatory messages and calls. It was without a doubt one of the most beautiful moments of my life. I immediately called my family and they helped me process it, we were excited for weeks remembering it. When after so much sacrifice a dream comes true, the emotion is difficult to explain and impossible to transmit.

What do you do now, where are you currently working?

I am finishing my training at the Diplomatic School in Madrid, and I will be joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in April. In May and June we will act as a link ("attendance", "vínculo") for the different representatives from all over the world who will be attending.

What committee would you give to a person who wants to go into diplomacy?

To take the competitive examination, perseverance, being clear about why and having time for yourself, resting at least one day a week completely. Work as if you have already result, to become what you aspire to be. To be part of the diplomatic degree program , you must deal with uncertainty, the psychological abuse of studying without knowing the results, long waits for grades, friends falling, sometimes unfairly, and you must have a lot of flexibility. One must work on patience, adaptability, be willing to meet people from all subject, to talk to anyone with Education and respect, to be quiet, to go beyond words, to avoid prejudices, to be willing to serve everyone and to be ready for any setback. And when it seems that you already know it all, think twice. There will still be skills to discover and events to experience.