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Profiles - Who are EU Officials and what they do

EU officials work for the EU Institutions and Agencies, located across Europe and the world. Approximately 50,000 EU officials are employed directly by the European Union’s institutions, either on a permanent or temporary contract. They are the people who ensure the operations of the European Union run efficiently and effectively.

The EU has a unique way of advertising job opportunities as well. To be considered for a particular position available within an EU Institution, every applicant will need to sit a series of exams administered by EPSO. Job types and their required selection exams are advertised in a Notice of Competition. Almost like a job ad, a competition outlines a “profile” rather than a specific job post. So what EPSO profiles can you apply for?

AD

Administrators

Anyone with a bachelor’s degree can apply for the Administrator (or AD) competition. AD-level officials are engaged in drafting policies, implementing EU law, analysing and advising. They could be a trade expert, a lawyer dealing with competition cases or an auditor checking on the EU budget. Read more on the Administrator profile

AST

Assistants

AST-level officials do similar work as administrators but have less responsibility. They are generally employed in executive and technical roles and play an important part in the internal management of the Institutions, such as recruitment, budgetary and financial affairs, IT and scientific laboratory work. Read more on the Assistant profile

SC

Secretaries

SC-level officials are generally employed in office management and administrative support roles. They take on a broad range of administrative tasks, which vary greatly according to their post. Secretaries maintain the smooth running of the EU institutions by coordinating meetings, organising conferences, preparing files, while others support teams, managers, or units within the EU Institutions. Read more on the Secretary profile

LI

Linguists

Linguist – otherwise known as translators or interpreters. Linguists are recruited as Administrators, while Lawyer-Linguists are considered Specialists given a diploma in Law is required. Read more on the Linguist profile.

EPSO Process

To become an EU official you'll have to register and qualify for the competitions organised by EPSO: the European Personnel Selection Office. EPSO is like the “HR department” of the European Union. They are tasked with selecting suitable candidates for all positions available within the EU Institutions.

Eligibility & Requirements

To be considered for a particular position available within an EU Institution, every applicant will need to sit a series of exams administered by EPSO. It is mandatory that participants:

Have EU citizenship
Speak two official EU languages - one of which needs to be English, French or German

EPSO PROFILES & REQUIRED EXAMS

45x

Can be taken in 45 test centres
in Europe & around the world

23x

Can be taken in 24
languages

1000x

Selects some 1000
officials per year

9x

Takes around 9 months
from start to finish

The EPSO Process

Administrators	Linguists	Assistants	Secretaries/Clerks	Specialists
1. Publication of exams - online registration
March	June/July	November/December	January/February	Based on need
2. Pre-selection tests
Apir/May Verbal Reasoning Numerical Reasoning Abstract Reasoning Situational Judgement	February/March Verbal Reasoning Numerical Reasoning Abstract Reasoning	March/April Verbal Reasoning Numerical Reasoning Abstract Reasoning Situational Judgement	September/October Verbal Reasoning Numerical Reasoning Abstract Reasoning Language Comprehension	Variable Verbal Reasoning Numerical Reasoning Abstract Reasoning Situational Judgement
3. Intermediate test
E-tray Exercise			Translation Tests
4. Assesment centre
Structured Interview Oral Presentation Group Exercise Written Case Study	Structured Interview E-tray Exercise Written Case Study Group Exercise (Based on Notice of Competition for parliamentary AST)	Practical Tests (to assess Spelling, Syntax and Grammar) Structured interview E-tray Exercise	Structured Interview Oral Presentation Group Exercise Written Case Study Translation Tests	Structured Interview Group Exercise Written Case Study
5. Reserve list publication - recruitment

Our Products

EU Training is Europe's #1 EPSO preparation site. We offer the widest range of materials for all stages and levels of the EU Institutions' selection exams from Pre-Selection to the Assessment Centre. We aim to simulate the EPSO exam as closely as possible and do so by offering practice tests, webinars, classroom training and coaching sessions. With 80.000+ users, 24 languages, 25,000+ EPSO-style practice tests, we are uniquely placed to help you pass the EPSO exams and get an EU job!

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Questions & Question Packages

Enter each stage of your EPSO competition feeling confident and fully prepared! By simulating the exams candidates undertake at the EPSO test centres, our question packages offer the tools candidates need to effectively practice for each stage of the EPSO selection process.

Webinars

Our selection of methodology webinar recordings and upcoming live events for Administrators is a great way to gain a strong edge on your existing knowledge of the EPSO tests and to enhance your exam preparation skills.

Classroom Training

Focused heavily on the practical side of the EPSO exams rather than the theory, our classroom training sessions are designed to help calm nerves and to enhance candidates’ confidence by simulating EPSO test conditions before the real thing. Offered in both a Pre-Selection stage and Assessment Centre format these training sessions present the opportunity to meet face-to-face with our highly experience instructors and to engage with other candidates.

Personal Coaching

We help EPSO candidates move past study obstacles through our personal coaching services. Offering Pre-Selection and Assessment Centre stage coaching services, candidates can receive focused attention from capable instructors at any level of the EPSO selection process.

What is the Secret to Success?

The EPSO selection process is not easy and requires you to train hard for each competition you register for. The most prepared candidates succeed and their success is attributed to hard work – plain and simple. For almost a decade, EU Training has helped thousands of participants prepare for the EPSO exams and we can guarantee there is no easy secret to success. However, those who became EU officials tend to follow the below preparation schedule.

If you are new to EU exams and the EPSO process you’re probably keen to see what these tests look like and try before you buy. Our EPSO simulated tests have been designed to replicate the actual EPSO tests as closely as possible so you can practice for your EPSO exams under realistic test conditions.

Start Demo Test

Start preparation 10-12 weeks before the exam
During this period solved at least 850 test questions
Practice min. 1 hour/day or 10 hours/week

Attend online webinar methodology trainingss
Answered 87% of the questions correctly in the pre-selection tests
Were able to answer an EPSO question in 1 minute