Applications open: EPSO 2025 AST3 Communication

On 25 June, 2025, the European Personnel Selection Office EPSO launched a new competition to select assistants (AST3) for roles across the EU institutions. This open competition is based on qualifications and tests, and will lead to the creation of reserve lists from which EU institutions, bodies, and agencies can recruit new members of staff.

The reserve lists have a total of 435 places on them - triple the amount for the cancelled 2022 AST3 competition.

Below we explore the specifics of this really exciting competition and the selection process involved.

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• EPSO AST3 Communication Exams

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• View on-demand reasoning skills webinars here - some are even FREE!
• Or join a workshop here.
• EUFTE Simulations already available here.

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Competition Snapshot

• Open for Applications: 25 June 2025
• Application Deadline: 29 July 2025 (12-noon Brussels Time)
  • ​Applications can be submitted in any of the 24 official EU languages
• Grade: AST3
• This competition covers 3 profiles - you may apply for only one - and you cannot change profiles after you have validated your application

Under this competition, the following three reserve lists have been advertised, from which the various European institutions may recruit:

Find Annex II in the Notice of Competition to read all about what duties will be expected of you and about the main roles covered by each field.

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ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

General criteria:

• Have EU citizenship
• Fulfilled any military service requirements
• Meet the character requirements for the duties concerned

Language Requirements 

Candidates must know at least two official EU languages.

• Language 1: Minimum C1 level of one of the 24 official EU languages (regardless of your citizenship).
• Language 2: Any of the remaining 23 official languages of the EU at a minimum level of B2. 

Language 1 and Language 2 must be different!

Qualifications & Work Experience

• Find section 3.3 in the Notice of Competition titled  "Specific conditions — qualifications and work experience" for the specific requirements according to your chosen profile. 

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SELECTION PROCESS

1. APPLICATION

Candidates must submit their applications through the Single Candidate Portal no later than 29 July 2025 at noon, Brussels time. The application can be filled out in any of the EU's 24 official languages.

Scanned copies of documents that support the declarations made in your applications must be uploaded and linked to your application through your EPSO account no later than 14 November 2025 at noon, Brussels time.

2. TESTS

All candidates who have validated their applications on time will be invited to sit a series of tests:

a) REASONING TESTS | Language 1

• Pass/fail
• Only those who reach the pass mark will have their MCQ scored.

b) FIELD-RELATED MCQ | Language 2

• The EPSO field-related MCQ will be specific to your chosen field.
• Need to reach the pass mark, as well as be among the highest scoring.
• Candidates who reach the pass mark will be ranked per field in descending order according to their scores.
• The ranking will be used to determine whether or not candidates will have their EUFTE scored and eligibility checked, and to establish the reserve lists.

c) EUFTE | Language 2

This is a Free Text Essay on EU Matters which only assesses written communication skills and is not a language test. You will be given an assignment (maybe more than one) based on the document(s) provided by EPSO about two weeks before the exam date.​

• You will have 40 minutes to write your response to the given assignment(s).
• The assignment will only be given to you on the day of the exam.
• You will have access to the document(s) on the day as well.
• The pass mark is 5/10 

3. ELIGIBILITY CHECK + EUFTE SCORING

• The scoring of the EUFTE and eligibility checks will be done at the same time
• The Selection Board will only score the written tests and check the eligibility for those candidates who ranked the highest on the field-related MCQ scores
• These will be checked until not more than 1.5 times the number of successful candidates sought is reached.

Eligibility is checked according to the general requirements and comparing declarations made in candidates' application forms against the supporting documents uploaded.

4. RESERVE LIST

When the scoring and eligibility check is completed the EPSO Selection Board will create the 3 reserve lists from the pool of candidates who

• reached all the required pass marks
• are among the highest-scoring on the field-related MCQ
• were found to be eligible

Candidates will be added to the reserve lists until the number of successful candidates sought has been reached on each list.

• The reserve list is not ranked, and it is arranged alphabetically
• Successful candidates will be notified directly by EPSO
• The Reserve List will be made available to the recruiting services of the EU institutions.

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HOW CAN YOU APPLY?

ALWAYS read the official EPSO Notice of Competition thoroughly to be sure you are eligible before submitting your application. It's also a good idea to familiarise yourself with the General Rules Governing Open Competitions.

Tip: read this free article written by our in-house EPSO expert Luc Gillis: 7 tips for EPSO applications.

To start the application process make sure your EPSO account is created and ready to go then click on your chosen profile:

1. Graphic design and visual content production
2. Social media and digital communication
3. Webmaster

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR EPSO EXAMS!

Need more information about EPSO competitions or preparation materials? Our friendly customer support team is always ready to assist you, anytime you need! Contact EU Training customer support here.