Euronews · Feb 16, 2026 · Collected from RSS
The EU is hiring AD5 graduates and aims to attract new talent and digital skills. For about 1,400 successful candidates, this is a chance for a permanent job in the EU civil service. Ask the Euronews AI chatbot about the EU’s most elite exam.
Published on 16/02/2026 - 7:30 GMT+1 The last time the EU held its general entry-level AD5 competition, as opposed to specialist ones, was in 2019. EPSO explained the repeated delays as part of the Commission’s work to update old IT systems and fix problems with the testing platform. With open eligibility and a monthly salary of nearly €6,000, about 50,000 people are expected to apply before the 10 March deadline for these entry-level civil service jobs. Candidates will take a four-part online test to determine if they are ready to become permanent EU officials and help with policy work. There is a catch: passing the AD5 competition does not guarantee a job. About 1,400 successful candidates will be placed in a pool and may be hired by any EU institution, body or agency within a year. With around 50,000 expected candidates and a reserve list of only around 1,400 successful applicants, the odds of passing the test are just 3%. Many say the effective success rate is higher if you exclude those who never sit the exam, drop out early or prepare superficially. To find out more about the EU’s much-awaited AD5 competition, ask the Euronews AI chatbot!