EPSO AD5 & AD7 — Frequently Asked Questions

Answers based on official EPSO Notices of Competition (EPSO/AD/427/26, EPSO/AD/428/26, EPSO/AD/429/26) and EU regulations. Last updated 29 July 2026.

EPSO AD5 2026 — basics

When is the EPSO AD5 2026 exam?

EPSO/AD/427/26 (AD5 2026, 1,490 places): EPSO's latest schedule update says Part 1 (verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning) is expected in October/November 2026. Candidates who pass Part 1 are expected to be invited to Part 2 in 2027 for EU Knowledge, Digital Skills and the EUFTE. Supporting documents are due 7 October 2026.

Source: EU Careers update “AD5 Graduates testing split into two parts” and EPSO/AD/427/26 consolidated notice.

How many positions are open in EPSO AD5 2026?

1,490 positions across the EU institutions.

Source: EPSO/AD/427/26 notice, Official Journal of the European Union C/2026/711.

How many candidates apply to EPSO AD5 2026?

For the 2026 round, 174,727 candidates registered before the application deadline of 10 March 2026. Ratio: roughly 117 candidates per position, although attrition through the test stages reduces effective competition materially.

Is there a Situational Judgement Test (SJT) in EPSO AD5 2026?

No. AD5 2026 (EPSO/AD/427/26) does not include an SJT. The AD5 procedure includes:

• Verbal Reasoning
• Numerical Reasoning
• Abstract Reasoning
• EU Knowledge
• Digital Literacy
• EUFTE — free-text essay on EU matters

What languages does EPSO AD5 require?

Two languages. Language 1: one of the 24 official EU languages at C1 level. Language 2: a different language chosen among the remaining official EU languages at B2 level. Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning and Abstract Reasoning are taken in Language 1; EU Knowledge, Digital Literacy and EUFTE are taken in Language 2. Language 2 may be one of the official EU languages and is not restricted to English, French or German.

EPSO AD7 2026 — ICT & Audit

What is EPSO AD7 ICT 2026?

EPSO/AD/429/26 is the AD7 ICT competition opened in May 2026. 782 positions across 4 specialist fields:

• ICT Infrastructure — 204 positions
• ICT Project Management — 228 positions
• Clouds and Networks — 166 positions
• Data Science — 184 positions

Application window closed on 10 June 2026, 12:00 Brussels time. Supporting documents are due 1 October 2026. EPSO will communicate test dates for the next phase.

Source: EPSO/AD/429/26 Notice of Competition, OJ C/2026/2425.

How many years of experience does EPSO AD7 ICT require?

5 to 9 years of documented professional ICT experience, varying by field. AD7 is not a graduate-entry competition.

Is there an EPSO AD7 Audit competition in 2026?

Yes. EPSO/AD/428/26 is the AD7 Audit competition with 448 positions. The application window closed on 19 May 2026, 12:00 Brussels time. EPSO currently indicates that AD7 Audit testing will take place in one day, indicatively at the end of September 2026. Supporting documents are due by 30 September 2026. Profile: 5+ years of public sector, financial, or IT audit experience.

Test preparation

How long does it take to prepare for EPSO AD5?

Approximately 250 hours over 6 months for a candidate starting from zero with average reasoning skills. Indicative breakdown:

• ~60 hours Verbal / Numerical / Abstract Reasoning
• ~50 hours EU Knowledge
• ~30 hours Digital Literacy
• ~30 hours EUFTE practice
• ~60 hours full mock exams
• ~20 hours buffer

Condensed plans of 100-120 hours over 8-10 weeks are feasible for candidates with strong reasoning baselines.

What is the EUFTE test?

EUFTE is EPSO’s 40-minute free-text essay on EU matters. Candidates respond to assignment(s) based on documentation made available by EPSO. It assesses written communication skills; it is neither a language test nor a factual-knowledge test.

What is DigComp and why does it matter for EPSO Digital Literacy?

DigComp 2.2 is the Digital Competence Framework for Citizens maintained by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission. EPSO's Digital Literacy test (AD5 only) is calibrated to DigComp's 5 areas — information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, safety, problem solving — and its 21 competencies. Test items are pitched at intermediate to advanced levels (3-5 of 8 on the DigComp scale).

Which EU documents do I need to know for EU Knowledge?

The 13 core documents are:

• Founding treaties: Schuman Declaration (1950), Treaty of Paris (1951), Treaty of Rome (1957), Maastricht (1992), Lisbon (2007/2009).
• Current base: TEU (consolidated), TFEU (consolidated), Charter of Fundamental Rights.
• Current policy framework: MFF 2021-2027 (Reg. 2020/2093), NextGenerationEU (Reg. 2020/2094), reformed Stability and Growth Pact 2024, European Climate Law (Reg. 2021/1119), AI Act (Reg. 2024/1689).

PassEPSO platform

How much does PassEPSO cost?

Free tier with diagnostic and sample questions. Paid tiers are one-time. Final prices are shown upfront, and the included sections depend on the competition you choose:

Which test sections you get depends on the competition you choose, not on your plan: every paid plan includes every section of that competition, and updates reach every paid plan at the same time.

• Starter: All test sections of your competition; Questions/day: 25.
• Advanced: All test sections of your competition; Unlimited Questions/day; Full exam simulation + report; Ask Peter AI Tutor: 20 Questions/day; EUFTE writing coach — 10 graded drafts/month.
• All-In: ♾️ Everything in Advanced; ★ AI-assisted tutor: 200/day; ★ EUFTE writing coach: no monthly cap.
• AD7 Audit / AD7 ICT: solo purchases are scoped to the AD7 format — reasoning practice, the relevant field-specific section, and written-test/EUFTE support where available. AD5 EU Knowledge and Digital Literacy are separate AD5 modules unless bundle/add-on access is granted.

What languages does PassEPSO support?

All 24 official EU languages for question content and explanations across the four reasoning sections, with a Unicode-block-guarded translation pipeline (verified clean across Latin-script languages). Original questions are written in English; translations preserve numerical signatures and structural parity.

How should I compare EPSO prep platforms?

Use categories, not brand names. A complete 2026 EPSO prep platform should cover the current competition format, explain mistakes, and give you a realistic practice plan without pushing you into private-tutor pricing.

1. Coverage: AD5 candidates need reasoning, EU Knowledge, Digital Literacy and EUFTE; AD7 candidates need reasoning, the relevant field-specific section and written-test/EUFTE support where available.
2. Feedback: Score Predictor, adaptive practice and AI Tutor / EUFTE feedback should tell you what to fix next, not just mark answers right or wrong.
3. Value: PassEPSO is positioned as mid-range self-study: more complete than a static question pack, lighter than private coaching, with multilingual coverage where the bank is available.