Last days to apply for one of the 50 scholarships to prepare for the judiciary, prosecutor's office, and legal counsel examinations.
The deadline is May 21, and the scholarships, with a maximum duration of four years, aim to foster legal vocations and promote the use of Catalan in the administration of justice.
The Department of Justice and Democratic Quality of the Generalitat (Catalan Government), through the Center for Legal Studies and Specialized Training (CEJFE), is maintaining open applications for 50 scholarships to prepare for the competitive examinations for the judiciary, prosecutorial, and judicial administration careers, with a total award of approximately €3-2 million. The deadline for submitting applications is May 21, and all applications must be submitted online through the website. Gencat Procedures.
With a maximum duration of four years, this line of grants aims to facilitate access to these competitive examinations for law graduates residing in Catalonia and with proven knowledge of Catalan who, for economic reasons, are unable to dedicate themselves to studying for the competitive examination full-time. Each grant is endowed with €56,832, or €14,204 annually, received in monthly installments of €1,184.
The objective is to promote legal vocations among law graduates from Catalonia, stabilize the workforce, and improve the efficiency and quality of the public justice service. It also seeks to encourage the use of Catalan civil law and the Catalan language in this field.
Requirements and preparation methods
To be eligible for these scholarships, it is necessary to prove, among other requirements, that you hold a bachelor's or law degree obtained less than ten years ago, be registered and have resided in Catalonia for at least five years within the last seven, and have a minimum Catalan level (equivalent to C1).
In addition, beneficiaries must prepare for the exams full-time, either through a specialized center, one or more private tutors, or through the Exam Preparation Program organized by the CEJFE (Spanish Civil Service Commission) itself.
5% of the scholarships are also reserved for people with a disability equal to or greater than 33%, provided they demonstrate the ability to perform the corresponding functions and tasks.
Access to the judicial, prosecutorial and legal professions
Preparation for the competitive examinations for the judiciary and public prosecutor's office typically takes an average of five years and consists of three qualifying theoretical exams. The study process must be full-time from the date the scholarship is awarded until it expires. The syllabus published for the 2024 call includes 329 topics. After passing the competitive examination, candidates become civil servant trainees and begin a period of theoretical and practical training. The Judicial School, under the General Council of the Judiciary, is responsible for training future judges and magistrates, while candidates for public prosecutor's positions are trained at the Ministry's Center for Legal Studies.
In the case of the corps of lawyers in the Administration of Justice, the selection process includes a test, an oral exam, and a practical exam. Once they have passed, candidates must complete a training course at the Center for Legal Studies. The syllabus for the latest call consists of 276 topics. Once they have passed the tests, candidates must complete a selective theoretical and practical course at the Ministry's Center for Legal Studies.
Promotion at universities
With the aim of bringing this call to law students, the CEJFE recently participated in university events such as the one held on April 3 at the Catalonia Campus of the Rovira i Virgili University and the one held on April 8 at the University of Barcelona. During these events, shared with other institutions and professionals in the legal sector, the characteristics of the call and the entry requirements were presented.