EPSO AD5 vs AD6: What's the Difference and Which Should You Apply For?

If you are researching EU careers, you will quickly come across the grades AD5 and AD6 — both administrator grades in the European institutions. Understanding the difference between AD5 and AD6 is essential for choosing the right EPSO competition and building realistic career expectations. This guide explains both grades clearly, using the current EPSO/AD/427/26 competition as the reference point.

The EU Staff Grade Structure

The EU institutions use a unified staff grading system defined by the EU Staff Regulations. There are two main staff categories:

• AST (Assistants): grades AST1–AST11 for support and technical roles.
• AD (Administrators): grades AD5–AD16 for policy, legal, financial, and management roles.

Within the AD category, lower numbers mean lower seniority. AD5 is the entry level; AD16 is reserved for the most senior directors-general and equivalent roles.

What Is AD5?

AD5 is the standard entry grade for administrators recruited through general competitions. To be eligible for AD5, you need:

• A completed university education of at least 3 years (bachelor's degree or equivalent), with the diploma obtained by 30 September 2026 for the current competition.
• No professional experience is required beyond the degree.

The current EPSO/AD/427/26 competition is an AD5 generalist competition offering 1,490 reserve list places. It is open to recent graduates and early-career professionals alike.

What Is AD6?

AD6 is one grade above AD5 and typically requires a higher level of qualification or more experience. Eligibility for AD6 competitions generally requires either:

• A completed university education of at least 4 years (master's degree or equivalent), or
• A 3-year degree plus at least 1 year of relevant professional experience.

EPSO does not always run AD5 and AD6 competitions simultaneously. AD6 competitions are less frequent and are sometimes targeted at specific profiles (lawyers, economists, etc.).

Salary and Seniority

As you might expect, AD6 officials earn more than AD5 from day one. The base salary at AD6 Step 1 is higher than AD5 Step 1. However, an AD5 official who performs well and receives merit promotions can reach AD6 within a few years of service — internal promotions are common. The difference in starting salary is therefore significant but not permanent.

Which Should You Apply For?

The answer depends on your qualifications:

If you are eligible for both, consider applying for AD6 when available — but do not wait. The AD5 competition EPSO/AD/427/26 has 1,490 places and applications are now closed. If you missed it, use this cycle to prepare so you are ready for the next one.

Key Differences at a Glance

• AD5: entry-level administrator, 3-year degree minimum, no experience required.
• AD6: one grade above, requires 4-year degree or 3-year degree plus experience.
• Both grades work in the same institutions on similar policy and administrative functions.
• AD6 carries a higher starting salary and is a step closer to senior management.
• Career progression means an AD5 hire can reach AD6 and beyond through merit promotions.

Prepare for the Current Competition

The open competition right now is EPSO/AD/427/26 — an AD5 generalist competition. It consists entirely of remote CBT sections: verbal reasoning, numerical + abstract reasoning, EU knowledge, digital skills, and the EUFTE essay. There is no assessment centre.

If you are preparing, Passepso offers practice for all five sections with content aligned to the official competition format.