Potential agents are also required to have a bachelor’s degree. Bilingualism with either Spanish or French, or a desire to learn these languages is also strongly advised. One year of relevant experience is also encouraged, particularly in a college’s Reserve Officer Training Corps — ROTC — program. After the recruitment process ends and an agent is hired, he or she receives 20 weeks of paid training at the Border Patrol headquarters in Artesia, New Mexico, as well as additional on the job training with experienced agents. Border Patrol Study Guide