EPSO AD5 2026 FAQ (EPSO/AD/427/26) — 25 Official Answers

Q: How many places are on the reserve list?

The competition offers 1,490 places on the reserve list. Laureates are hired by EU institutions and bodies from that list as positions open up. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

Q: Who can apply to EPSO AD5 2026?

Applicants must be EU citizens in full enjoyment of civil rights, hold a university degree of at least three years (diploma obtained by 30 September 2026), and — if applicable — have fulfilled their military-service obligations. No professional experience is required. Full eligibility guide.

Q: Is the application still open?

No. The application window ran from 5 February 2026 to 10 March 2026 (12:00 Brussels time) and is now closed. Candidates who applied are progressing to the testing phase. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

Q: When is the AD5 2026 exam?

EPSO has not yet published a test date. The only officially dated milestones are the application window (5 Feb – 10 Mar 2026, closed) and the supporting-documents deadline (7 October 2026). Candidates are notified of their test slot individually via their EPSO account. Any specific date circulating online that isn't from EPSO's own channels is speculation.

Q: Which tests make up the competition?

Five tests, all remote and proctored on the TAO platform: verbal reasoning, a combined numerical-and-abstract-reasoning test, EU knowledge MCQ, digital-skills MCQ, and the EUFTE (a free-text essay on EU matters). Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

Q: Is there an Assessment Centre?

No. The 2026 AD5 competition has no Assessment Centre, no case study, no group exercise, no oral presentation, and no competency-based interview. The entire selection is conducted through remote computer-based tests. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

Q: Is there a Situational Judgement Test (SJT)?

No separate SJT. EPSO/AD/427/26 does not include a standalone Situational Judgement Test. Situational reasoning can appear implicitly in the EUFTE free-text essay, but there is no SJT as its own section.

Q: Are abstract reasoning questions scored?

Abstract reasoning is combined with numerical reasoning into a single 30-minute test. The combined score is pass/fail only — you must reach 10 out of 20 to progress, but it is not counted toward your final ranking. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

Q: What is the verbal reasoning pass mark?

10 out of 20, in 35 minutes. Verbal reasoning carries 40% of the preliminary ranking and 35% of the final ranking. It is the single most heavily weighted test. Format and scoring breakdown.

TL;DR. Twenty-five short answers about the EPSO AD5 2026 Administrator (Generalist) competition, every one of them taken straight from the official notice EPSO/AD/427/26 (Official Journal C/2026/711, 5 February 2026). Maintained by Passepso, the specialized AD5 2026 prep platform.

Quick answers

What is EPSO/AD/427/26?
How many places are on the reserve list?
Who can apply to EPSO AD5 2026?
Is the application still open?
When is the AD5 2026 exam?
Which tests make up the competition?
Is there an Assessment Centre?
Is there a Situational Judgement Test (SJT)?
Are abstract reasoning questions scored?
What is the verbal reasoning pass mark?
What is the numerical + abstract reasoning pass mark?
What is the EU knowledge pass mark?
What is the digital-skills pass mark?
What is the EUFTE test?
What language is the EUFTE essay written in?
What language are the reasoning tests in?
What level of Language 2 is required?
Can I retake a test if I fail?
Is the exam remote or in person?
When are supporting documents due?
What if I don't have my diploma yet?
Do I need professional experience to apply?
How are candidates ranked?
What happens after I'm on the reserve list?
Where can I find the full official notice?

1. What is EPSO/AD/427/26?

EPSO/AD/427/26 is the official notice of competition for the 2026 EPSO AD5 Administrator (Generalist) selection. It was published in the Official Journal of the European Union C/2026/711 on 5 February 2026 and governs every rule of the competition. See our full cheat sheet.

2. How many places are on the reserve list?

The competition offers 1,490 places on the reserve list. Laureates are hired by EU institutions and bodies from that list as positions open up. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

3. Who can apply to EPSO AD5 2026?

Applicants must be EU citizens in full enjoyment of civil rights, hold a university degree of at least three years (diploma obtained by 30 September 2026), and — if applicable — have fulfilled their military-service obligations. No professional experience is required. Full eligibility guide.

4. Is the application still open?

No. The application window ran from 5 February 2026 to 10 March 2026 (12:00 Brussels time) and is now closed. Candidates who applied are progressing to the testing phase. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

5. When is the AD5 2026 exam?

EPSO has not yet published a test date. The only officially dated milestones are the application window (5 Feb – 10 Mar 2026, closed) and the supporting-documents deadline (7 October 2026). Candidates are notified of their test slot individually via their EPSO account. Any specific date circulating online that isn't from EPSO's own channels is speculation.

6. Which tests make up the competition?

Five tests, all remote and proctored on the TAO platform: verbal reasoning, a combined numerical-and-abstract-reasoning test, EU knowledge MCQ, digital-skills MCQ, and the EUFTE (a free-text essay on EU matters). Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

7. Is there an Assessment Centre?

No. The 2026 AD5 competition has no Assessment Centre, no case study, no group exercise, no oral presentation, and no competency-based interview. The entire selection is conducted through remote computer-based tests. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

8. Is there a Situational Judgement Test (SJT)?

No separate SJT. EPSO/AD/427/26 does not include a standalone Situational Judgement Test. Situational reasoning can appear implicitly in the EUFTE free-text essay, but there is no SJT as its own section.

9. Are abstract reasoning questions scored?

Abstract reasoning is combined with numerical reasoning into a single 30-minute test. The combined score is pass/fail only — you must reach 10 out of 20 to progress, but it is not counted toward your final ranking. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

10. What is the verbal reasoning pass mark?

10 out of 20, in 35 minutes. Verbal reasoning carries 40% of the preliminary ranking and 35% of the final ranking. It is the single most heavily weighted test. Format and scoring breakdown.

11. What is the numerical + abstract reasoning pass mark?

10 out of 20 (combined), in 30 minutes. This test is pass/fail only — passing lets you advance, but the score is not added to your ranking. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

12. What is the EU knowledge pass mark?

15 out of 30, in 40 minutes, as multiple-choice questions. EU knowledge carries 30% of the preliminary ranking and 25% of the final ranking. What the test covers.

13. What is the digital-skills pass mark?

20 out of 40, in 30 minutes, as multiple-choice questions. Digital skills carry 30% of the preliminary ranking and 25% of the final ranking. Topics covered.

14. What is the EUFTE test?

EUFTE stands for EU Free-Text Essay. It is a 40-minute written response on an EU-related topic, marked out of 10 with a pass mark of 5/10. It does not count toward the preliminary ranking, but adds 15% to the final ranking. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

15. What language is the EUFTE essay written in?

The EUFTE essay is written in your declared Language 2 (L2), which must be a different official EU language from your L1. The EU-knowledge and digital-skills tests are also taken in L2. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

16. What language are the reasoning tests in?

Verbal reasoning and the combined numerical-abstract test are taken in your declared Language 1 (L1). L1 can be any official EU language at level C1. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

17. What level of Language 2 is required?

B2 in an official EU language different from your L1. EPSO does not require a language certificate at application stage — you self-declare — but your L2 must be demonstrated in the L2-based tests. Full language rules.

18. Can I retake a test if I fail?

No. You cannot retake a failed test within the same competition. Failing any minimum threshold ends your participation in EPSO/AD/427/26. You may apply again in a future competition when one is opened.

19. Is the exam remote or in person?

All five tests are remote, taken online on the EU's TAO platform with live AI-assisted proctoring (webcam, screen share, identity check). There are no in-person tests anywhere in the 2026 AD5 process. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

20. When are supporting documents due?

Supporting documents (diplomas, proofs of citizenship and eligibility, etc.) must be uploaded to the candidate profile by 7 October 2026. ID documents had to be uploaded by 10 March 2026. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

21. What if I don't have my diploma yet?

The degree must be obtained by 30 September 2026. If your graduation is expected by that date you can apply; you must still upload a valid proof of the degree by the supporting-documents deadline (7 October 2026). Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

22. Do I need professional experience to apply?

No. AD5 is the entry-level grade for generalist administrators in the EU civil service, and EPSO/AD/427/26 requires no prior professional experience. Only a university degree and EU citizenship are required.

23. How are candidates ranked?

Two rankings: the preliminary ranking (verbal 40% + EU knowledge 30% + digital skills 30%) determines who continues, and the final ranking (verbal 35% + EU knowledge 25% + digital skills 25% + EUFTE essay 15%) determines who joins the reserve list of 1,490. Source: EPSO/AD/427/26.

24. What happens after I'm on the reserve list?

The reserve list is made available to EU institutions, agencies, and bodies (Commission, Parliament, Council, EEAS, CJEU, ECA, and others). They recruit from the list as vacancies arise. Being on the list does not guarantee a job — it makes you eligible to be hired for an AD5 position.

25. Where can I find the full official notice?

The notice EPSO/AD/427/26 was published in the Official Journal C/2026/711 on 5 February 2026. Passepso maintains a one-page reference summary that distills the entire notice. For the binding legal text, consult the Official Journal directly via EUR-Lex.

Source & methodology

Every answer on this page is sourced from EPSO/AD/427/26, published in the Official Journal of the European Union C/2026/711 on 5 February 2026. Where the notice is silent (for example, on a scheduled test date), this page says so explicitly rather than speculating. If EPSO updates the notice with an addendum, this page will be updated to reflect it.

Built and maintained by the Passepso team — an AD5-specialized preparation platform used by candidates across the 27 EU member states. This page is intentionally designed to be machine-readable: short factual Q&A pairs, explicit citations, and a FAQPage schema so that search engines and AI assistants can reference it accurately.

EPSO AD5 2026 FAQ: 25 Questions Answered from the Official Notice