Diplomat

What does a diplomat do?

• Represent their country's interests in meetings and negotiations with other governments.
• Report on political, economic and security developments in the host country.
• Promote trade, investment, culture and education links between countries.
• Help citizens abroad who are in difficulty, for example after an arrest, accident or disaster.
• Handle visa and passport matters in consular roles.
• Build contacts with officials, journalists, businesses and community groups.
• Prepare briefings and speeches for ministers and ambassadors.

Where do they work?

Diplomats work for their country's foreign ministry, dividing their careers between headquarters in the capital and postings to embassies, consulates and missions to international organisations. Postings usually last two to four years, and some are in places with security risks or difficult living conditions. Hours can be long and irregular, with evening events and crisis work. Frequent moves affect partners and children, which many diplomats find one of the hardest parts of the job.

What skills do you need?

• Foreign languages
• Negotiation and persuasion
• Political and economic analysis
• Clear writing for reports and briefings
• Cultural awareness and tact
• Building relationships and networks
• Adapting to life in new countries
• Discretion with confidential information

Official skills profile (ESCO)

Essential skills listed for this occupation in ESCO, the European Commission's multilingual classification of skills and occupations.

• establish collaborative relations
• represent national interests
• apply diplomatic crisis management
• assess risk factors
• speak different languages
• develop international cooperation strategies
• observe new developments in foreign countries
• apply diplomatic principles
• coordinate government activities in foreign institutions
• perform political negotiation
• build international relations
• maintain relationships with government agencies

Essential knowledge: diplomatic principles · foreign affairs · government representation

How do you become a diplomat?

Most countries recruit diplomats through a competitive foreign service exam or a general civil service exam, followed by interviews and assessments. You must be a citizen of the country and pass security checks. Most services expect a university degree, often in international relations, politics, law, economics, history or languages, although a few, such as the United States, do not require one. New diplomats usually complete training at a diplomatic academy or in the foreign ministry, including language study. Some people join later in their careers through specialist or mid-career entry.

1. Foreign service entrance exam. The main route in most countries is a national exam that tests general knowledge, writing, reasoning and sometimes languages, followed by interviews and group exercises. Competition is intense, and some candidates take the exam several times. In some countries, such as India, diplomats are selected through the same national exam as other senior civil servants.
2. Specialist and mid-career entry. Some foreign ministries recruit experienced professionals for specialist roles in areas such as economics, law, trade, security or communications. Others send staff from other government departments on postings abroad. These routes can suit career changers with strong expertise and language skills who did not join straight after university.
3. International organisations. If you want an international career that is not tied to one country's service, you can apply to international organisations such as the United Nations or the European Union. They recruit through their own competitive exams and programmes, and the work often involves negotiation, policy and field operations. Some programmes are open only to citizens of member or participating countries.

Degrees that lead to this career

• International relations

  An international relations degree studies how countries, international organisations, businesses and other groups interact across borders.

  5 linked careers

• Politics

  A politics degree, often called political science, studies how power works: how governments are chosen and run, how laws and policies are made, and why people and countries cooperate or come into conflict.

  6 linked careers

• Modern languages

  A modern languages degree teaches you to speak, write and understand one or more foreign languages to a high level, together with the culture, history and literature of the places where they are spoken.

  5 linked careers

• Law

  A law degree teaches how legal systems work and how to find, interpret and apply the law, from contracts and crime to human rights.

  6 linked careers

• History

  A history degree studies how societies, cultures, economies and ideas have changed over time, using evidence such as documents, objects and people's memories.

  6 linked careers

• Economics

  An economics degree studies how people, businesses and governments make choices with limited resources, and how markets, money and policy affect jobs, prices and growth.

  6 linked careers

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Do you need a licence to work as a diplomat?

Diplomacy is not a licensed profession, but each government tightly controls entry. You must hold the country's citizenship, and some services have extra rules about dual nationality. Candidates also go through security vetting, medical checks and background checks. In some countries, a number of ambassadors are political appointees rather than career diplomats. Rules differ widely, so check your foreign ministry's official recruitment information.

How much does a diplomat earn?

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish a separate pay estimate that matches this occupation, so we do not show one.

Earnings of Managers around the world

Most countries do not publish pay for single job titles. The International Labour Organization collects median monthly earnings for broad occupation groups instead. This career belongs to ISCO-08 major group 1, "Managers". The table covers the whole group, which includes diplomat and many other occupations.

Source: ILOSTAT, median monthly earnings of employees, latest year available. PPP$ adjusts for price differences between countries so figures can be compared. "vs all employees" compares the group's median with the median for all occupations in the same country.

Career progression

1. Attaché or third secretary
2. Second or first secretary
3. Counsellor
4. Minister-counsellor or deputy head of mission
5. Ambassador

Job outlook

The number of diplomatic posts is small and changes slowly, so competition for entry will stay intense. Governments continue to need diplomats for trade, security, climate negotiations, migration and crisis response, and economic and digital diplomacy are growing areas. Foreign ministry budgets can be cut, and more communication now happens directly between leaders and specialist ministries. Strong language skills, regional expertise and a willingness to work in difficult places improve your chances.

Questions about becoming a diplomat

What degree do you need to become a diplomat?

There is no required subject. International relations, politics, law, economics, history and modern languages are common, but diplomats come from many fields, including science and engineering. Most foreign services expect a university degree, although some, such as the United States, set no formal degree requirement. Strong general knowledge, writing and languages matter more than the subject itself.

Is it hard to become a diplomat?

Yes. Foreign services usually receive many more applicants than they have places, and the selection process can take a year or longer. Many successful candidates apply more than once. Preparing well for the exam, following current affairs, improving your languages and gaining relevant experience, such as internships or work abroad, all improve your chances.

Can you become a diplomat for another country?

Generally no. Diplomats represent their own government, so national diplomatic services recruit only their own citizens, and some have extra rules on dual nationality. If you want an international career without changing citizenship, look at international organisations, which recruit staff from their member countries, or at local jobs in embassies, which are often open to residents of the host country.

How many languages does a diplomat need to speak?

There is no fixed number. Good English is useful almost everywhere, and many services test a second foreign language at entry or reward language skills. Most foreign ministries also train diplomats in the language of their next posting, sometimes for a year or more for difficult languages. Being willing and able to learn languages matters more than speaking many at the start.

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Sources

1. ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — ISCO-08 major groups, latest year per country
2. European Commission — ESCO occupation profile — ESCO code 1112.3

How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). How to become a diplomat: degrees, skills and salary. https://coursetojob.com/careers/diplomat/ (accessed September 26, 2026)

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