CIA Spy Training

CIA spy training is intense.

The life of a CIA spy sounds thrilling, but the training process is very intense and sometimes overwhelming. The CIA's "Clandestine Service Officers" (aka spies) require a strong academic and professional record, problem-solving skills and excellent interpersonal skills to qualify for training. According to the CIA, "trainees are groomed in an intensive year-long training program to prepare them for the foreign-intelligence-collection challenges facing the U.S. today." As a spy, expect to live and work overseas, making a true lifestyle commitment to the agency.

Requirements

To be considered for CIA spy training, you must be a U.S. citizen under 35 years of age. You must pass an intense background check. If you have a criminal record or have been arrested for anything serious, don't bother applying. Be drug-free for 12 months before applying. The CIA wants to know everything about you, so make sure you're a model citizen with good credit and work history. Don't consider lying to the CIA about your past, because you must take a polygraph test.

Education

Once you have a college degree, you're eligible to apply for a job with the CIA. Spies are usually well-educated. CIA trainees are required to have a bachelor's degree and a GPA of 3.0 or higher. A college degree in a specialty field like engineering, computer science or math works to your advantage in the application process. Formal military training is not necessary when applying, but any time spent in the military is definitely an asset.

Foreign Languages

Fluency in English is essential, but fluency in more than one language puts you ahead of the competition. High-demand languages for the CIA include Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Russian, Farsi and Turkish. You could end up anywhere in the world as a CIA spy, but your second or third language influences your placement.

Physical Training

Jump school is part of the CIA's physical training.

CIA trainees must pass the Army physical fitness test before training for the CIA. Trainees learn defensive driving, how to man Zodiac boats and speed boats. Paramilitary training teaches recruits how to engage in hand-to-hand combat or silently kill the enemy. According to "CIA Combat Training," hand-to-hand combat involves weapons such as knives, sticks and rifles with bayonets. All this training leads to jump school, learning how to jump from planes.

Mental Training

The CIA puts a great deal of mental pressure on their trainees during their time at the Farm, the CIA's training facility near Williamsburg, Virginia. Trainees are sleep-deprived, working 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The CIA wants to see what you're made of--what you can handle at home before you go overseas. You also learn to think analytically. The CIA says, "Thinking analytically is a skill like carpentry or driving a car. It can be taught, it can be learned, and it can improve with practice."

References

• Central Intelligence Agency
• CIA Combat Training
• CIA: Psychology of Intelligence Analysis