May is already in overdrive and we're barely a week in.
It has been a whirlwind of announcements and new competitions with a major AD5 update, a new Auditors competition, the launch of a new IT Experts competition, and fresh developments in internal competitions too. If you have been struggling to follow it all, here is our usual rundown of EU Exams news.
AD5 Graduates testing will start in autumn 2026
This is the biggest news from EPSO recently.
EPSO has now confirmed that testing for the AD5 Graduates competition will start in autumn 2026. The exact dates have not yet been published, but EPSO says candidates will be informed in due time in the coming months. For now, that gives AD5 candidates something they have very much needed: a clearer time horizon.
For many candidates, this changes the mood completely. We are no longer in the vague “wait and see” phase. We now know that the testing window is expected in autumn, which means preparation should no longer be something you plan to start “soon”. It should already be underway.
If you applied for AD5, this is the moment to work steadily on the core test areas, especially the parts most likely to influence your ranking. Keep an eye on your EPSO account, but do not sit around waiting for the exact date to appear before getting serious.
EPSO Auditors competition is open until 19 May
The EPSO Auditors AD7 competition is now open, and the application deadline is 19 May 2026 at 12:00 midday, Brussels time. This selection process for specialists includes reasoning skills tests, a field-related test, and an EUFTE written test.
This competition is a significant opportunity for candidates with a strong audit background. According to the competition details, the EU is looking for professionals who can contribute to strategic and annual audit planning, carry out audits, assess internal control systems, and draft audit reports and recommendations.
From the EU Training side, the other big news is that our Audit preparation packages are now available. These cover the three main pillars candidates will need for this competition:
- reasoning skills
- field-related MCQ practice
- EUFTE written test practice
In other words, this is not just a competition announcement. It is already a live preparation phase.
If you are considering applying, do not leave the decision too late. And if you have already applied, now is the time to move from reading the Notice of Competition to actually practising the test formats.
IT Experts competition opened on 6 May
Another important development: the EPSO IT Experts competition opened on 6 May.
This latest EPSO competition gives IT professionals the chance to join a reserve list across four AD7 fields:
- ICT Infrastructure
- ICT Project Management
- Clouds and Networks
- Data Science
This is likely to be one of the key specialist competitions of the year, especially for candidates with established technical experience who are looking to move into an EU institution role.
EU Training will also host a free webcast on 12 May, presented by András Baneth, to walk candidates through the Notice of Competition and explain what to expect, what to watch out for, and how to prepare in a focused way.
One more useful point from EPSO’s planning page: it also lists a September 2026 IT Experts competition at AD8 level in AI and Cybersecurity, which may be relevant for more senior IT professionals planning ahead.
A useful reminder from EPSO for AD5 candidates
EPSO also published an important clarification for AD5 candidates regarding technical issues and late queries.
On its news page, EPSO confirms that it is replying to candidates who contacted them before the deadline about application submission issues. However, candidates who contacted EPSO after the deadline about problems submitting their application will not have those requests considered.
The practical lesson is simple: whenever EPSO sets a deadline, treat it as real. If something goes wrong technically, candidates need to act immediately and not assume there will be flexibility afterwards.
That update will not change anything for most candidates now, but it is still worth remembering for future competitions. In EPSO procedures, timing matters almost as much as accuracy.
Other EPSO updates worth noting
If you are following the wider EPSO landscape, there are a couple of additional items worth keeping on your radar.
First, EPSO has published the next Contract Staff testing dates. The currently listed sessions are:
- 7 May 2026
- 17 June 2026
- 22 July 2026
Second, the wider EPSO calendar remains active, which is another reason this month feels unusually dense. Candidates preparing for one competition should still keep an eye on what is opening next, especially if they may be eligible for more than one profile.
COM Internal AD7 Generalists: recording now available
Finally, one update for COM internal candidates.
The COM Internal AD7 Generalists competition is not the main story of the month, but it is still worth flagging. This competition is especially notable because of the new cognitive assessment element introduced at the first eligibility checks.
If you registered, you should be able to access the recording via your dashboard. If you missed the registration, the recording is also available via EU Training’s free webcasts page.
Final thoughts
If we had to sum up May in one sentence, it would be this: the EPSO calendar is moving again, and candidates need to move with it. And we like to move it, move it!
The biggest headline is clearly the confirmation that AD5 testing starts in autumn 2026. But it is far from the only thing happening. The Auditors competition is open now, the IT Experts competition is opening now, and EPSO is continuing to shape the rest of the year’s competition calendar too.
So if you are preparing for an EPSO competition this year, this is not the month to drift. It is the month to get organised.