EPSO EU Knowledge Test: What You Need to Know for AD5 2026

The EU Knowledge Test in EPSO AD5 2026

The EU knowledge test is a critical component of the EPSO AD5 2026 competition (EPSO/AD/427/26). According to the official Notice of Competition, it carries significant weight in both the preliminary and final rankings, making it one of the most important tests to prepare for.

Official Format and Duration

The EU knowledge test is a multiple-choice questionnaire (MCQ) lasting 40 minutes. It is scored out of 30 points, and candidates must achieve a minimum of 15 out of 30 to pass.

Like all tests in this competition, the EU knowledge MCQ is taken remotely through the TAO platform with online proctoring. There are no in-person test sessions.

Weight in the Scoring

The EU knowledge test counts in both ranking phases:

• Preliminary ranking: 30% weight (combined with verbal reasoning at 40% and digital skills at 30%)
• Final ranking: 25% weight (after the EUFTE essay score is added at 15%)

This means the EU knowledge test directly determines whether you make it past the preliminary stage and where you end up on the final reserve list.

Language

The EU knowledge test is taken in your Language 2 (L2), which must be at B2 level or above. This is the same language used for the digital skills test and the EUFTE essay. Choose your L2 carefully, as it affects your performance across multiple test components.

What Topics to Expect

While the Notice of Competition does not publish a detailed syllabus, EU knowledge tests in EPSO competitions traditionally cover the following areas based on publicly available EPSO guidance:

• EU institutions and bodies: The roles, composition, and decision-making processes of the European Parliament, European Council, Council of the EU, European Commission, Court of Justice, Court of Auditors, and other bodies.
• EU policies: Key policy areas such as the single market, common agricultural policy, cohesion policy, external relations, and the area of freedom, security, and justice.
• EU treaties and legal framework: The Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), including their key provisions.
• EU budget and financial framework: How the EU is funded, the multiannual financial framework, and budgetary procedures.
• EU history and enlargement: Key milestones in European integration, enlargement rounds, and founding principles.
• Current EU priorities: The European Green Deal, digital transformation, NextGenerationEU, and other current strategic priorities.

How This Test Fits the Competition Structure

The AD5 2026 competition has five test components, all taken remotely:

1. Verbal reasoning (35 min, scored out of 20, minimum 10/20)
2. Numerical and abstract reasoning (30 min, scored out of 20, minimum 10/20, pass/fail only)
3. EU knowledge MCQ (40 min, scored out of 30, minimum 15/30)
4. Digital skills MCQ (30 min, scored out of 40, minimum 20/40)
5. EUFTE essay (40 min, scored out of 10, minimum 5/10)

You must pass the minimum threshold in every single test to be considered for the reserve list. Even a strong EU knowledge score cannot compensate for failing another component.

How to Prepare

Given the 30% weight in the preliminary ranking, the EU knowledge test deserves serious preparation time. Focus on:

• Official EU sources: The Europa.eu website, EUR-Lex for treaties, and official institutional pages provide authoritative information.
• Practice under timed conditions: With only 40 minutes for the MCQ, time management is essential.
• Prepare in your L2: Since the test is in your second language, practice reading EU-related material in that language.

At Passepso, our practice materials are designed specifically for the AD5 2026 competition format, based on the official Notice of Competition EPSO/AD/427/26.

Source: Notice of Competition EPSO/AD/427/26, published 5 February 2026, Official Journal C/2026/711.