Degree in International Relations and the European Union

About the course

A four-year degree (240 ECTS) at the Faculty of Law in Madrid. It covers international relations, EU institutions and policy, international law, economics and political systems. The university says the programme is taught in English. A few fourth-year electives (Security and Defence, Climate Change and Environmental Protection, Case Studies in International Relations) and the final dissertation are listed as Spanish/English. Students also take two more languages (from French, German and Spanish) over four levels, and spend one compulsory semester at a partner university abroad. CEU also offers double degrees that combine this course with Law, Journalism or Economics.

Entry requirements for Irish students

• You do not have to sit the Spanish entrance exam (PAU), because Ireland is an EU education system. CEU’s admission rules ask EU-system applicants for certified documents showing they meet the university entry rules of their own country. As a guide, UCD asks for six subjects, with at least H5 in two and O6/H7 in the other four, including English and Irish. CEU does not publish how it converts the Leaving Cert, or whether it needs a UNEDasiss accreditation, so confirm both with CEU admissions.
• Admission is based 80% on your school grades and 20% on a personal interview with the degree’s staff. The interview looks at your academic record, your motivation and your language skills. No specific Leaving Cert subjects or maths level are required.
• You need English at B2 level at least, because all core modules are taught in English. CEU does not say whether a Leaving Cert in English, or being a native speaker, meets this without a certificate, so check with admissions.

How to apply

1. Apply onlineFill in the application on the CEU Admissions Portal (admision.uspceu.es). Admissions are rolling, so apply early in 6th year.
2. InterviewDo an admissions interview with a professor from the faculty. It counts for 20% of the decision, and your school grades count for 80%.
3. Reserve your placeOnce you are admitted, pre-enrol and pay the €950 place reservation fee (2026/27 figure) to hold your place. It is non-refundable after the 14-day legal withdrawal period.
4. Enrol after resultsAfter the Leaving Cert results come out in late August 2027, upload your results and any accreditation CEU asks for. Then pay the enrolment fee and tuition before the course starts in September 2027.

Costs

• CEU San Pablo is a private university and sets its own fees. There is no lower state-funded rate for EU students. For 2026/27 the programme page lists €220 per credit, which is €13,200 for a full 60-ECTS year (or monthly payments of €1,466.67). There is also a €1,500 enrolment fee, so the total is about €14,700 a year. First-year students also pay a one-off place reservation fee of €950 once they are offered a place. CEU’s admission rules say this fee is non-refundable, except within the 14-day legal withdrawal period. The 2027/28 fees are not published yet.

At a glance