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Studies & Degrees in Foreign Trade

Foreign trade is the buying and selling of goods and services across borders. As a field of study it is the practical side of international business: how a company finds customers and suppliers abroad, agrees a contract, moves the goods, clears customs and gets paid. The subject is also taught under the names international trade and international business.

Students learn international marketing and negotiation, the paperwork of import and export operations, international transport and logistics, means of payment and trade finance, and the rules that frame trade. Two reference points appear in most programmes. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only international organisation dealing with the rules of trade between nations. The Incoterms rules of the International Chamber of Commerce are a set of eleven three-letter trade terms used in contracts for the sale and purchase of goods. Languages matter: programmes normally include business English and often a second foreign language.

Qualifications and levels

  • Vocational training. In Spain the most direct route is the Técnico Superior en Comercio Internacional, a higher vocational training (FP de grado superior) programme of 2,000 hours. Its subjects include international marketing, international negotiation, administrative management of international trade, international finance, international transport of goods, international means of payment and international digital trade, plus professional English and a training period in a company.
  • Bachelor's degrees. At university the subject is usually a bachelor's degree in international business or a specialisation within business administration or economics. Official bachelor's degrees (grados) in Spain have 240 ECTS credits. ESCI-UPF in Barcelona teaches a bachelor's degree in International Business and Marketing (Grado en Negocios y Marketing Internacionales) entirely in English. In England, the BA (Hons) International Business Management at the University of Northampton takes three years full time and includes a language learning component.
  • Master's degrees and short courses. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. Business and law schools also offer master's programmes: the Instituto Superior de Derecho y Economía (ISDE) lists a master's programme in international law, foreign trade and international relations, and INSA Business, Marketing & Communication School in Barcelona lists a Master in Foreign Trade and International Marketing. Ask each school what recognition its qualification has. In the United Kingdom, industry bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Export and International Trade run courses from introductory level onwards.

Admission

For the Spanish higher vocational programme, applicants need the Bachiller or an equivalent qualification, or one of the other access routes listed by the ministry, such as an entrance test. Universities set their own requirements: in the United Kingdom a degree usually requires two to three A levels or equivalent. An apprenticeship is another way in. The International Freight Forwarding Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in England can take up to two years and combines on-the-job training with study.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists nine active schools for foreign trade. Five are in Spain, and Brazil, the United Kingdom, Ecuador and Uruguay have one each. In Spain, three of the schools are in Barcelona, a port city: ESCI-UPF, ISDE and INSA Business, Marketing & Communication School. The others are CEOE Formación in Madrid and the Universidad de La Laguna on Tenerife. Outside Spain the list has FAAP in São Paulo, the University of Northampton, the Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo (UEES) in Guayaquil and the Universidad de la Empresa (UDE) in Montevideo.

Teaching is in Spanish at most Spanish and Latin American schools, in Portuguese in Brazil and in English in the United Kingdom. Some Spanish programmes are taught in English, as at ESCI-UPF.

Careers

Graduates work in the export and import departments of companies, in freight forwarding and logistics firms, in the foreign operations departments of banks and insurers, and in public bodies that support trade. Spain's ministry lists roles for the vocational qualification such as foreign trade technician, foreign operations technician in financial and insurance institutions, freight forwarder, ship's agent and logistics operator.

The UK National Careers Service describes import-export clerks as the people who co-ordinate the movement of goods in and out of the country and make sure that shipments meet legal and customs regulations. They prepare paperwork such as invoices, payment records and certificates of origin. With experience they can become import-export supervisors or managers, specialists in international trade law or overseas account managers. A second language is an advantage in companies that operate internationally.

In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment of logisticians, the occupation that manages supply chains, to grow 18 percent from 2025 to 2035. Logisticians typically need a bachelor's degree.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between foreign trade and international business?

Foreign trade focuses on the operations of importing and exporting: contracts, transport, customs and payment. International business is broader and also covers strategy, marketing and management of companies that work in several countries. Many programmes combine both.

Do I need a university degree to work in foreign trade?

Not always. Spain has a 2,000-hour higher vocational programme in international trade, and England has an apprenticeship in international freight forwarding. A degree is the usual route into management training schemes.

Which languages do I need?

English is part of nearly every programme, and the Spanish vocational curriculum includes professional English. A second foreign language is an advantage for work with overseas clients.