EPSO AD5 2026 Test Dates, Languages and Scores

The EPSO AD5 Graduate Administrators competition, reference EPSO/AD/427/26, will begin Part 1 testing in October or November 2026. There is no single published test date for all 174,727 applicants.

Each valid applicant will receive an individual invitation several weeks before their reasoning session. The letter will give the exact date and time, and EPSO says rescheduling will not be possible.

The original one-sitting plan changed in June. Reasoning remains in 2026, while EU knowledge, digital skills and the free-text essay moved to 2027. Start a free SpeakShark conversation for general professional communication, then use EPSO samples and invitations for the competition itself.

Key takeaways

• Part 1 starts in October or November 2026.
• Every candidate receives an individual date and time.
• Supporting documents are due October 7 at 12:00 Brussels time.
• Part 1 has 40 questions across 65 minutes.
• Part 2 moved to 2027, with dates still to be announced.
• The reserve-list target is 1,490 names from 174,727 applicants.

In this guide: calendar | individual dates | Part 1 | languages | Part 2 | scores | competition | documents | delivery | method | FAQ

EPSO/AD/427/26 calendar

The application cannot be reopened merely because testing has not started. Part 1 is for candidates who submitted a valid application by the March deadline.

October 7 is often mistaken for the test date. It is the deadline for uploading documents that support application declarations. The reasoning date comes separately through the Single Candidate Portal.

The diploma rule is unusual. The degree award may be decided by September 30, even though applications closed in March, as long as the other notice conditions are met.

Why there is no single test day

EPSO expects reasoning testing to begin in October or November, but candidates will not all sit on one date.

The official update states that:

1. Each candidate completes all three reasoning tests in one session on one day.
2. Candidates are scheduled on different dates across the testing period.
3. An individual invitation arrives several weeks in advance.
4. The invitation contains the exact date, time and practical details.
5. Rescheduling is not possible.

This makes "October/November" a testing period, not a choice between two months that a candidate can select freely.

EPSO also reminds candidates to check the competition page and Single Candidate Portal regularly. The notice's general rules say candidate accounts should be checked at least every three calendar days, while a later website reminder advises checking twice a week. Following the stricter three-day rhythm avoids a gap.

An email alert is not a substitute for opening the portal. Important test invitations and application-status messages are published in the account.

Part 1 reasoning tests

Verbal reasoning has an average of 105 seconds per question. Numerical reasoning allows 120 seconds per question, while abstract reasoning allows 60 seconds.

Those averages are not a recommendation to spend exactly the same time on each item. They show why carrying unused time between sections should not be assumed. The notice gives separate durations.

The two thresholds operate independently:

• Verbal reasoning must reach at least 10/20.
• Numerical plus abstract reasoning must reach at least 10/20 combined.

A candidate with 15/20 verbal but only 9/20 across numerical and abstract does not reach Part 2. A candidate with 10/20 in both required groupings meets the minimum thresholds, but later competition still depends on the remaining tests and final ranking.

Language 1, language 2 and English

The competition requires two different official EU languages.

Candidates could choose from all 24 official EU languages when applying. Language 2 must be different from language 1.

English is not mandatory by name. It can be language 1, language 2 or neither. A candidate with C1 Italian and B2 French, for example, can use Italian for reasoning and French for the later tests if those were the choices submitted in the application.

The notice applies the minimum level to listening, reading, spoken interaction, spoken production and writing declarations. However, the published EPSO testing set itself is online reasoning, knowledge, digital skills and written communication; it does not list a separate spoken-English test.

Recruiting institutions may later interview reserve-list candidates in English and/or French, but those interviews are outside EPSO's competition stages.

For general workplace fluency, see professional interview role plays, office small talk in English, English conversation topics for adults, and ways to practise speaking alone.

Part 2 moved to 2027

Candidates who meet both reasoning thresholds will later receive a Part 2 invitation.

All three moved to 2027. EPSO has not announced exact dates.

The EU knowledge test covers institutions, procedures and main policies. EPSO says references used to develop it will be published ahead of testing.

The digital skills test follows five DigComp areas: information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, safety, and problem solving.

The EUFTE assesses written communication from documentation on EU matters. The notice explicitly says it is neither a language test nor a factual-knowledge test.

That distinction matters. Taking EUFTE in language 2 does not turn it into a grammar certification, even though a candidate needs enough language control to communicate effectively.

For broad language development rather than EPSO simulation, use English speaking and writing skills, vocabulary and speaking skills, and English conversation practice apps. Start free speaking practice without treating SpeakShark as EPSO training.

How scores and ranking work

Minimum scores keep a candidate in the competition, but minimums alone do not secure one of the 1,490 reserve-list places.

Part 1 first decides who can enter Part 2. After Part 2, EPSO scores EU knowledge, then digital skills for candidates who passed EU knowledge.

Candidates meeting all thresholds receive a preliminary combined score. EPSO ranks that group and generally scores EUFTE scripts and checks eligibility for no more than 1.5 times the target number, subject to ties or a Selection Board increase.

One and a half times 1,490 is 2,235. This is not a promised number of essay scripts because the notice permits adjustments and tied scores.

The final combined score uses verbal reasoning, EU knowledge, digital skills and EUFTE. Numerical and abstract reasoning remain gates but do not contribute to the ranked combined score.

174,727 applicants for 1,490 reserve-list places

EPSO recorded 174,727 final applicants. The notice seeks 1,490 successful candidates for the reserve list.

Dividing the two gives about 117 applicants per planned reserve-list place. Expressed another way, 1,490 is roughly 0.85% of the applicant count.

That is not a predicted success rate. The denominator includes people who may not complete testing, meet thresholds, upload evidence or pass eligibility checks. The calculation describes the scale of the starting field only.

Italy accounted for 79,343 applicants, the largest published national group. Spain had 13,789, Germany 11,699, France 10,939 and Greece 10,085. EPSO also reported that 90% of applicants were not currently working for EU institutions.

A reserve-list place is not an immediate employment contract. Recruiting services use the list, conduct targeted interviews and make offers according to institutional needs. The notice states that inclusion gives no right or guarantee of recruitment.

October 7 supporting-document deadline

Candidates must upload supporting evidence by October 7, 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time.

Typical evidence can include:

• The diploma and education records supporting eligibility.
• Documents supporting declarations made in the application.
• Any material requested through the competition instructions.

The identity card or passport had a separate March 10 deadline. Uploading it now does not retroactively repair a missed application requirement unless EPSO has given an individual instruction or remedy.

Candidates should not wait for the reasoning invitation before finishing document work. October 7 can arrive before an individual's test date.

No professional experience is required for this AD5 competition. The core education condition is at least three years of completed university studies, with the diploma award decided no later than September 30.

Remote testing and candidate-account rules

The notice states that tests are held and proctored remotely. The competition page names TAO by Open Assessment Technology as the provider.

EPSO will supply detailed modalities no later than the invitation. Candidates should not infer one browser, operating system, camera arrangement or check-in process from an older competition.

Practical preparation includes:

1. Keeping the EU Login email active through reserve-list publication.
2. Opening the Single Candidate Portal at least every three days.
3. Running the official technical checks when provided.
4. Keeping identification and the assigned room ready.
5. Reading the no-rescheduling warning before making other commitments.
6. Requesting approved reasonable accommodation through the official route.

Candidates comparing other public-service language assessments should keep each system separate. Canada's federal SLE uses employer invitations, the U.S. Foreign Service Officer Test has a public October window, and the Austrian Foreign Ministry uses C2 English language tests.

Country certificate calendars such as C1 Advanced in Germany, C2 Proficiency in Austria, IELTS in France, and DCL English in France do not replace EPSO's own competition tests.

How we researched this guide

On August 28, 2026, we opened the live EPSO/AD/427/26 competition page through the existing browser profile. We then checked the July 1 consolidated notice and the June 30 update that divided testing into two parts.

The competition page supplied the candidate count, provider and document deadline. The amended notice supplied question counts, timers, pass marks, languages, weights, reserve-list target and remote-testing rule. The update supplied the October/November period, individual invitations, no-rescheduling rule and 2027 move.

We calculated pace, applicants per target place and the 2,235 ranking boundary only from those public numbers. We did not invent an exact reasoning day, 2027 schedule or recruitment probability, and we did not use SpeakShark customer data.

We are a speaking improvement tool. We are not an exam preparation provider, and we are not affiliated with the European Personnel Selection Office, the European Union institutions or any exam board. For test format, booking and official practice material, go to the exam body directly. Use SpeakShark to make your spoken English stronger, and use official material to learn the test.

FAQ

Part 1 reasoning tests are expected to begin in October or November 2026. EPSO has not published one exact common date. Each valid applicant will receive an individual invitation several weeks in advance with a date, time and practical details, and candidates will be spread across the testing period. Rescheduling will not be possible.

Candidates must upload scanned supporting documents by October 7, 2026 at 12:00 midday Brussels time. That is a document deadline, not the reasoning-test date. The identity-card or passport deadline passed with the application deadline on March 10, while the diploma award may be decided as late as September 30.

Part 1 contains verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning in language 1. Verbal has 20 questions in 35 minutes and requires 10/20. Numerical has 10 questions in 20 minutes, while abstract has 10 questions in 10 minutes; those last two tests use a combined 10/20 pass mark.

No. After EPSO divided the testing procedure, the EU knowledge test, digital skills test and free-text essay on EU matters moved to Part 2 in 2027. Dates remain to be announced. Only candidates who meet both Part 1 reasoning thresholds will be invited to that later sitting.

Not specifically. Candidates choose two different languages from the 24 official EU languages. Language 1 needs at least C1 and is used for reasoning; language 2 needs at least B2 and is used for the 2027 tests. English can be either choice, but a valid candidate can choose two other official languages.

The notice seeks 1,490 successful candidates for a reserve list, not 1,490 immediate jobs. EPSO recorded 174,727 applicants, which is about 117 applicants per planned reserve-list place before withdrawals and eligibility checks. Inclusion on the reserve list gives no right or guarantee of recruitment.

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Sources

1. EPSO/AD/427/26 competition page, checked for status, candidate count, provider and deadlines.
2. Consolidated notice of competition, checked for tests, languages, scores, eligibility and ranking.
3. Official two-part testing update, checked for the October/November period and 2027 change.
4. Graduate administrators application overview, checked for the two-language rule and job context.
5. CEFR language levels, checked for C1 and B2 context.
6. Open Assessment Technologies, checked as the provider named on the EPSO page.
7. SpeakShark pricing, checked for current free and paid options.

EPSO can change individual dates and technical instructions. Check the competition page and Single Candidate Portal at least every three days.