Updated: 16/06/2026
In December 2025, EPSO published one of the most ambitious competition calendars candidates had seen in years. It included the long-awaited AD5 Graduates competition, several specialist AD and AST competitions, lawyer-linguist profiles, translators, IT experts and more.
Since then, the picture has changed.
EPSO has now updated its upcoming opportunities page, and the 2026 list is much shorter than it was at the beginning of the year. Several competitions that were originally expected in 2026 are now listed as most likely to be published in 2027.
The most important point for candidates: 2026 is not quiet, but it is now more focused. The AD5 Graduates competition alone received 174,727 applications, and EPSO has confirmed that testing will start in autumn. With that many candidates in the system, it is realistic to expect EPSO to concentrate heavily on delivering AD5 smoothly before pushing ahead with every other planned competition.
This does not mean other EU career routes have disappeared. It means candidates need to follow the updated calendar closely, check each Notice of Competition when it appears, and prepare based on what is officially confirmed, not on the older 2026 planning list.
What EPSO exams are
The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) was set up in 2002 to recruit staff for EU institutions. It runs open competitions to create reserve lists of qualified candidates who can then be hired. Our complete guide to EPSO exams explains the history, the types of competitions, and how the recruitment process works.
EPSO exams are conducted online. Every open competition and CAST exam includes the reasoning skills tests (verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning). Open competitions also have at least two other tests and these can vary by profile, it can include field-related MCQs, an EU knowledge test, or a type of Written Test, like the EUFTE. Which tests will be used in the competition is only officially confirmed in the Notice of Competition, so always check that document first for the official information, and see our guide to EPSO exams for the full breakdown.
Full list of planned EPSO competitions for 2026
According to EPSO’s “Upcoming opportunities” page, the competitions planned for 2026 are:
- Graduates (AD5): Application closed 10 March. There's no exam date yet
- Auditors: AD - AD7 Auditors competition: Applications opened: 14 April
- IT experts: AD (IT infrastructure, project management, clouds and networks) applications closed
- IT experts: 2 fields, grade AD8, AI and Cybersecurity, planned for September
- Data management experts, grade AST, month and date to be confirmed
- Lawyer-Linguists for the Court of Justice of the European Union, grade AD, month and date to be confirmed
- Lawyer-Linguists for the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission, grade AD, month and date to be confirmed
EPSO’s 2026 planning has therefore narrowed significantly. Earlier in the year, the calendar included a much longer list of planned competitions. Many of those are now no longer expected in 2026.
EPSO competitions most likely moved to 2027
EPSO now says the following competitions will most likely be published in 2027, with the month and date still to be confirmed:
- Assistants for Parliamentary body, grade AST
- Lawyers: 4 fields, grade AD, Competition law, Financial law, Economic and monetary union law, Energy law
- Lawyers: 4 fields, grade AD, Artificial intelligence law, Criminal law, Procurement law, Litigation
- International affairs specialists, grade AD
- Translators, grade AD
- ICT experts: 3 fields, grade AST: IT infrastructure, cloud and networks; Software development; User support
- Nuclear inspectors, grade AST
This is a major change compared with the original 2026 planning.
The likely explanation is practical: EPSO’s early 2026 calendar was extremely ambitious, and the AD5 Graduates competition turned out to be much larger than expected. With 174,727 AD5 applications and autumn testing still ahead, EPSO will need serious operational capacity to manage that process properly. EPSO has not said that AD5 is the only reason for the calendar change, but it is clearly the dominant competition of the year.
For candidates, the message is simple: do not prepare based on the old calendar. If your target competition has moved to 2027, use the extra time wisely. If you are preparing for AD5, CAST, IT experts, Data management or Lawyer-Linguists, stay alert because these are still active 2026 tracks.
CAST: another way into EU jobs
Apart from open competitions, EPSO also runs the Contract Agents Selection Tool (CAST). CAST candidates submit an application through EPSO to join a pool from which institutions can recruit contract staff. Recruiters search through that database to find suitable candidates, and then invite potential hires to sit the CAST reasoning skills tests: verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning.
EPSO’s next listed CAST testing dates are:
- 17 June 2026
- 22 July 2026
Further testing dates are expected to be published later in the year.
CAST remains a useful route into EU work, especially for candidates who already have relevant professional experience or a profile that matches institutional needs.
Further dates will be announced later in the year. Our dedicated CAST article explains how this process works and why it’s a useful back‑door route into an EU career.
How to prepare
1. Start with the Notice of Competition
Treat the EPSO calendar as an early signal, not as the final plan. EPSO can and does change its indicative schedule.
The Notice of Competition is the document that matters. It confirms the exact test types, language rules, deadlines, eligibility conditions, scoring system and reserve list details. Once your competition is published, read the NoC carefully before you build your preparation plan.
2. Build your core first: reasoning skills
Every EPSO competition includes the reasoning skills test, and it is the only test you have to pass for CAST: verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning. Start by making sure you have a steady, weekly rhythm for reasoning skills:
- short, timed practice blocks (speed matters)
- mistake review (why you lost points, not just “right/wrong”)
Read our full guide about the reasoning skills and how to start practising.
3) Add the competition-specific parts (only after the NoC confirms them)
Once the NoC is out, you’ll know what sits on top of the reasoning skills. Depending on the profile, that can include things like:
- field-related MCQs for specialist profiles
- an EU knowledge test and/or a digital skills test for the AD5.
- a written test format (e.g., EUFTE or another written assignment type)
- some specialist competitions, like translators, proofreaders and lawyer-linguists, may have language comprehension and translation tests.
Already passed an EPSO exam? Turn your result into a job offer
If you’ve already passed an EPSO competition (or you’re on a reserve list), your focus shifts from “studying” to getting hired. That means tracking real vacancies, targeting the institutions and services that recruit your profile, and applying consistently.
Start with our EU job postings to spot opportunities and build a shortlist.
Then watch the Reserve List webinar, where EU careers expert András Baneth breaks down how recruitment actually works and what you can do to increase your chances of being contacted and hired.
FAQs
What EPSO competitions are coming up in 2026? EPSO’s updated 2026 list now includes IT experts in AI and Cybersecurity, Data management experts, Lawyer-Linguists for the Court of Justice, and Lawyer-Linguists for the European Parliament, Council and Commission.
Which EPSO competitions have likely moved to 2027? EPSO now lists several competitions as most likely to be published in 2027. These include Assistants for Parliamentary body, Lawyers, International affairs specialists, Translators, ICT experts at AST level, and Nuclear inspectors.
When will the AD5 Graduate competition open? Applications for the AD5 Graduates competition closed on 10 March 2026. EPSO has confirmed that testing will start in autumn 2026, but the exact test dates have not yet been published.
How many people applied for AD5 Graduates 2026? EPSO confirmed that 174,727 candidates applied for the AD5 Graduates competition. That makes AD5 the central EPSO competition of 2026 and helps explain why EPSO may need to focus significant capacity on delivering it properly.
How hard is it to get a job through EPSO? Competitions are competitive, many candidates apply, and only those who reach the top of the reserve list get hired. Preparation and understanding the process are essential.
Who can work for the EU institutions? Candidates need strong reasoning skills, basic knowledge of the EU, at least two EU languages, some type of diploma, and for specialist competitions candidates also need professional experience or qualifications relevant to the profile. People from all backgrounds and nationalities can apply - as long as they are an EU citizen.
How do EPSO exams differ from ordinary job tests? They are standardised and regulated, as well as EU-centric. All tests are computer‑based and remotely proctored, with strict rules on identity checks and time management.
Can CAST and traineeships still be used to get into the EU? Yes. CAST offers regular testing dates for contract staff, and traineeships provide useful experience but do not replace passing an EPSO competition.