EPSO AD5 2026 Supporting Documents: Complete Checklist Before 7 October

If you submitted an application to EPSO/AD/427/26 during the open window (5 February – 10 March 2026), your file is now in the candidate pool of around 170,000 applicants competing for the 1,495 places on the reserve list. The application form is closed and cannot be edited. The next hard deadline on your calendar is 7 October 2026 — the date by which every candidate who is still in the procedure must upload all supporting documents.

Missing or incomplete documents on that date is the single most common reason an otherwise strong application is excluded from the procedure. EPSO does not re-open the upload window, and there is no appeal mechanism for late uploads. The checklist below covers what you need to have ready.

How EPSO Eligibility Verification Actually Works

An important clarification first: when the application window closed on 10 March 2026, EPSO only verified that your form was submitted in full. The real eligibility check — whether your diplomas, experience and languages actually meet the criteria of the Notice of Competition — happens against the documents you upload by 7 October 2026.

This means two things:

• You have not yet been confirmed as eligible. The "application received" email is not validation. EPSO will only confirm or reject your eligibility after reviewing your uploaded documents.
• If your application form claimed experience or qualifications that your supporting documents do not fully evidence, you will be excluded — even if you would otherwise pass the tests.

Treat 7 October as the moment EPSO genuinely looks at your candidacy for the first time.

The Document Checklist

1. Identity Document

A clear, valid copy of your national identity card or passport. The document must be a current member-state nationality at the moment the application window closed. Dual nationals upload their EU passport. Expired documents will be rejected.

2. University Diplomas

For AD5, the minimum is a completed degree of at least three years giving access to postgraduate studies, in any field. Upload the final diploma (not a transcript of completion or a "diploma supplement" alone). If your diploma is in a language other than English, French, or German, EPSO accepts the document in the original language but will require a clear translation of the title and the awarding institution. If the degree was awarded outside the EU, you may need to provide an equivalence statement from a competent national authority — check the Notice for the recognised list.

3. Proof of Languages

You declared Language 1 and Language 2 in the application form. By 7 October you must upload evidence supporting the levels declared:

• Language 1: native or full proficiency. Usually evidenced by your nationality combined with the language of your degree.
• Language 2: minimum B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, and it must be one of the 24 official EU languages and different from Language 1.

Acceptable evidence includes Cambridge, DELF/DALF, Goethe, CILS, DELE, official university transcripts indicating the language of instruction, or other certificates explicitly stating the CEFR level. A school-leaving certificate from a country where the language is official will typically be accepted at C-level for Language 1.

4. Equivalence Documents for Non-EU Degrees

If your highest degree was awarded by an institution outside the European Union, you almost certainly need an equivalence statement from a competent recognition body (ENIC-NARIC in most member states). Request this in spring or summer — turnaround times of 6–12 weeks are not unusual.

5. Anything Else Declared in the Application Form

This is the most overlooked category. If you listed extracurricular activities, traineeships, internships or any other experience to support your candidacy, you may be asked to substantiate it. Re-read your own application form and prepare evidence for every claim you made. Volunteer work, Erasmus mobility periods, and language certificates referenced in the form all count.

Format and Upload Rules

Documents are uploaded to your EPSO account. The platform accepts PDF, JPG and PNG, with a per-file size limit published in the candidate portal. Three practical points:

• Scan in colour. Black-and-white scans of identity documents and diplomas are sometimes flagged as unverifiable.
• Name the files clearly. EPSO does not require a specific convention, but a file named "Diploma_FullName_University.pdf" is much faster to verify than "scan_001.pdf".
• Translations. If you need an official translation, allow 1–2 weeks. Sworn translators are busiest in September.

Common Mistakes That Lead to Exclusion

• Uploading the wrong diploma. A high-school certificate, a bachelor's diploma when you claimed a master's, or a "degree certificate of completion" instead of the actual final award document.
• Language certificates that don't state CEFR. A score on TOEFL or IELTS is fine, but make sure the upload includes the official conversion table to CEFR. EPSO will not infer.
• Forgetting non-EU degree recognition. If you studied outside the EU and skip the equivalence step, your file will be rejected at this stage.
• Missing the deadline by hours. 7 October 2026 is a calendar-day deadline; EPSO publishes the precise CET cut-off in your candidate portal. Treat the deadline as the day before.

What Happens After 7 October

EPSO reviews uploaded documents and confirms or rejects eligibility per candidate. Eligible candidates are invited to the testing phase, which EPSO has published will begin in autumn 2026. The reasoning tests (Verbal, Numerical, Abstract), the EU Knowledge test, the Digital Literacy test and the EUFTE Written Test — the six test areas of AD5 — all happen during this window. Specific dates and venues arrive in your EPSO account.

If your eligibility is rejected, you receive a reasoned decision and a window to request a review on procedural grounds. The review window is short, usually 10 working days from notification. Eligibility rejections based on substantive criteria (e.g. degree level, language level) are very rarely overturned, so the preparation effort goes into the upload itself.

Start Preparing Documents Now

The realistic worst case for documents from non-EU institutions or sworn translations is 8–12 weeks. If you have not already started gathering documents, July is the latest comfortable month to begin without risking the deadline. Put 7 October 2026 in your calendar with a 30-day warning, and a parallel reminder on 1 September to verify every file is ready.

Eligibility is decided by paperwork, not by exam preparation. The candidates who treat the document phase as seriously as the test phase are the ones who actually reach the reserve list.