EPSO AD5 2026 Cheat Sheet: Complete Official Reference (EPSO/AD/427/26)

TL;DR. The EPSO AD5 2026 Administrator (Generalist) competition — reference EPSO/AD/427/26, published in Official Journal C/2026/711 on 5 February 2026 — offers 1,490 places on the reserve list. Selection is based on five remote, proctored tests taken on the TAO platform. There is no Assessment Centre, no case study, no group exercise, no oral presentation, and no standalone Situational Judgement Test. Application window: 5 February – 10 March 2026 (12:00 Brussels time). Supporting documents due 7 October 2026.

1. The competition at a glance

Attribute	Official value
Notice reference	EPSO/AD/427/26
Official Journal	C/2026/711 (5 February 2026)
Profile	AD5 — Administrator (Generalist)
Reserve list size	1,490 places
Format	Fully remote, proctored via TAO platform
Professional experience	None required
Supporting documents deadline	7 October 2026

2. Eligibility — three hard requirements

1. EU citizenship with full civic rights.
2. University degree of at least three years (any field), with the diploma obtained by 30 September 2026.
3. Military obligations fulfilled where applicable under national law.

Professional experience is not required for AD5. This is the defining feature that separates AD5 from higher grades (AD6, AD7, AD9).

3. Language regime (L1 / L2)

• Language 1 (L1): any of the 24 official EU languages, at C1 level. L1 is the language of the reasoning tests (verbal, numerical, abstract).
• Language 2 (L2): a different official EU language, at B2 level. L2 is the language of EU knowledge MCQ, digital skills MCQ, and the EUFTE essay.

4. The five tests — every number, every weight

Test	Duration	Items	Pass mark	Weight (preliminary)	Weight (final)
Verbal reasoning	35 min	20	10 / 20	40 %	35 %
Numerical + abstract reasoning	30 min	20	10 / 20	Pass / fail only	Pass / fail only
EU knowledge MCQ	40 min	30	15 / 30	30 %	25 %
Digital skills MCQ	30 min	40	20 / 40	30 %	25 %
EUFTE (free-text essay on EU matters)	40 min	1 essay	5 / 10	Not counted	15 %

All five minimums must be cleared to progress. Failure on any single minimum — including the numerical + abstract pass-only test — ends the candidature.

5. How ranking works

Ranking happens in two stages:

1. Preliminary ranking uses verbal reasoning (40 %), EU knowledge (30 %) and digital skills (30 %). The EUFTE essay is only marked for candidates who pass this preliminary ranking.
2. Final ranking re-weights verbal (35 %), EU knowledge (25 %), digital skills (25 %) and EUFTE (15 %). The top 1,490 final-ranked candidates form the reserve list.

6. What does not exist in EPSO AD5 2026

This is the most common source of outdated advice online. The AD5 2026 notice does not include any of the following:

• No Assessment Centre (AC). The in-person AC used in previous EPSO cycles has been removed from this competition.
• No case study, oral presentation or group exercise.
• No competency-based interview.
• No standalone Situational Judgement Test (SJT). Behavioural competencies are not separately scored in AD5 2026.
• No in-person testing. Every test is delivered remotely and proctored via the EPSO TAO platform.
• No separate abstract reasoning score. Abstract reasoning is combined with numerical reasoning into a single pass / fail paper.

Any guide, course, or article describing an assessment centre, case study, or standalone SJT for EPSO/AD/427/26 is referring to a different (older) competition.

7. Key official dates

• 5 February 2026 — Notice of Competition published (OJ C/2026/711); application window opens.
• 10 March 2026, 12:00 Brussels — Application and ID-document deadline.
• 7 October 2026 — Deadline for uploading supporting documents (degree certificates, language evidence).

No test date has been published by EPSO. Any source quoting a specific test month for EPSO/AD/427/26 is speculating.

8. Sources

• Notice of Competition EPSO/AD/427/26, Official Journal of the European Union, series C, C/2026/711, 5 February 2026. Available on EUR-Lex.
• European Union — Jobs & types of jobs (official portal).
• Staff Regulations of Officials of the European Union (consolidated version).

9. Frequently asked questions

What is EPSO/AD/427/26?

It is the official reference of the EPSO AD5 2026 Administrator (Generalist) competition, published in Official Journal C/2026/711 on 5 February 2026. It creates a reserve list of 1,490 candidates for administrator posts across the EU institutions.

How many places are on the EPSO AD5 2026 reserve list?

1,490 places. This is the fixed size defined in the notice.

Is the EPSO AD5 2026 exam remote or in person?

Fully remote. All five tests are delivered online and proctored via the EPSO TAO platform. There is no in-person stage.

Does EPSO AD5 2026 have an Assessment Centre?

No. EPSO/AD/427/26 does not include an Assessment Centre, case study, oral presentation, group exercise or competency-based interview. This is a change from earlier AD cycles.

Is there a Situational Judgement Test in EPSO AD5 2026?

No separate, scored SJT. Behavioural competencies are not tested as a standalone section in EPSO/AD/427/26.

How many tests are in EPSO AD5 2026?

Five: (1) verbal reasoning, (2) numerical + abstract reasoning, (3) EU knowledge MCQ, (4) digital skills MCQ, and (5) EUFTE free-text essay on EU matters.

What is the EUFTE test?

The EU Free-Text Essay: a 40-minute written response on an EU-related topic, marked out of 10, with a minimum pass mark of 5. It counts for 15 % of the final ranking and is only marked for candidates who pass the preliminary ranking.

What languages can I take EPSO AD5 2026 in?

Any of the 24 official EU languages, subject to the language regime: C1 in Language 1 (used for reasoning tests), B2 in a different Language 2 (used for EU knowledge, digital skills and EUFTE).

Do I need professional experience to apply for EPSO AD5?

No. AD5 is the entry-level administrator grade. A university degree of at least three years, completed by 30 September 2026, is the only qualification requirement.

When does the EPSO AD5 2026 exam take place?

EPSO has not published a test date. Only the application window (5 February – 10 March 2026) and the supporting-documents deadline (7 October 2026) are officially dated. Any specific test month circulating online is speculation.

What is the starting salary for an EU AD5 official?

AD5 step 1 basic pay is defined in the EU Staff Regulations, Annex I, Article 66 and updated annually. Check the consolidated Staff Regulations on EUR-Lex for the current figure.

How is the EPSO AD5 2026 final score calculated?

Verbal reasoning 35 % + EU knowledge 25 % + digital skills 25 % + EUFTE 15 %. The numerical + abstract reasoning paper is pass / fail and does not contribute points to the final ranking.

Can I retake EPSO AD5 2026 tests?

No. Tests are taken once within the competition cycle. Candidates who fail can apply to future EPSO competitions when notices are published.

Is EPSO AD5 2026 open to non-EU citizens?

No. EU citizenship with full civic rights is a strict eligibility requirement under EPSO/AD/427/26.

What is the pass mark for the EPSO AD5 2026 verbal reasoning test?

10 out of 20 over 35 minutes.

What is the pass mark for the EPSO AD5 2026 digital skills test?

20 out of 40 over 30 minutes.

What is the pass mark for the EPSO AD5 2026 EU knowledge test?

15 out of 30 over 40 minutes.

How long is the EPSO AD5 2026 exam in total?

The five scored tests add up to 175 minutes (2 hours 55 minutes) of test time, excluding breaks and platform setup.

Where do I apply for EPSO AD5 2026?

Through the official EPSO candidate portal on europa.eu. The application window for EPSO/AD/427/26 closed on 10 March 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time.

How do I prepare for EPSO AD5 2026?

Practice each of the five tests under timed conditions on a platform that matches the TAO interface, focus on EU knowledge and digital skills (50 % of the final score combined), and train EUFTE essay writing in your Language 2 (15 % of the final score). Pass EPSO provides adaptive practice for all five sections.