More than 170 000 people have applied to the AD5 Graduate competition which closed for applications on 10 March 2026 at 12h00 midday.

Here is the final breakdown per Member State:

Of this total, 90% of the applicants is currently not working for the EU institutions. 

As announced earlier, testing will start in Autumn.

We know many of you have been waiting for updates on the AD5 Graduates selection procedure, and we are pleased to share the next step.

Testing for the AD5 Graduates selection procedure will start in autumn 2026.
The exact dates will be communicated to candidates in due time in the coming months. 

Please do not contact us for further details on the timing, not to overload our contact service: you will be informed when more details are available.

We thank all candidates for their continued interest in EU Careers.

In the last 24 hours before the deadline for applications for competition EPSO/AD/427/26 on 10 March 2026 at 12:00 (midday, Brussels time), EPSO received a high number of queries, mainly from candidates who encountered issues with the submission of their application. We are currently replying to each and every candidate who submitted a complaint before the deadline, after carefully analysing their individual situation. We kindly ask you not to send any reminders. 

If you contacted us after the deadline, we remind you that it is stipulated in the Notice of Competition that candidates who encounter technical issues must contact EPSO immediately and in any case before the deadline for applications (see 7.1.2 of the Annex 1 “General rules”). Therefore, we regret to inform candidates who contacted us after the deadline with requests linked to issues encountered with the submission of the application, that those requests will not be considered. These candidates will receive a reply in this sense.

We hope this clarifies the situation and thank you for your understanding and your patience.  

Many candidates in the AD5 graduate competition are contacting us or their Member States authorities to ask about the next steps of the competition, especially given the unprecedented number of applicants. At EPSO, we are committed to ensuring a fair and smooth testing process. We are actively reviewing different scenarios for organising the tests, as well as alternative timelines, to ensure the process works well for everyone.

We understand that candidates are eager for information, and we will provide further updates as soon as arrangements are finalised. Updates will be published here on our website and via our social media channels.

We sincerely thank all candidates for their patience and understanding as we work to deliver a well-organised and fair testing experience for all.

The EU knowledge test consists of a multiple-choice questionnaire covering the European Union, its institutions, procedures, and main policies. 

References to the sources used to develop this test will be made available on the EPSO website approximately two months before the test date.

More than 170 000 people have applied to the AD5 Graduate competition which closed for applications on 10 March 2026 at 12h00 midday. This number has surpassed all expectations.

Breakdown per Member State:

Austria 1,706
Belgium 8,013
Bulgaria 1,467
Croatia 1,210
Cyprus 671
Czechia 1,718
Denmark 992
Estonia 382
Finland 2,702
France 10,939
Germany 11,705
Greece 10,087
Hungary 1,277
Ireland 1,733
Italy 79,450
Latvia 537
Lithuania 724
Luxembourg 630
Malta 299
Netherlands 2,734
Poland 5,782
Portugal 5,037
Romania 7,430
Slovakia 1,661
Slovenia 434
Spain 13,796
Sweden 1,806

Total 174.922 – Of this total, more than 91% of the applicants is currently not working for the EU institutions.
Please note that the numbers in this table are still rough figures, subject to change.

For background information, these are the numbers of applicants for similar competitions (AD5 grade) in previous years:

2019: 22000+

2018: 22000+

2017: 23000+

2015: 31000+

2014: 27000+

2013: 21000+

2012: 45000+

2011: 41000+

2010: 51000+

We will inform candidates about the next steps as soon as possible.

Thank you for your interest in an application for the competition for AD graduates.

Due to the unprecedented interest in this competition and the very high volume of traffic, the IT system may experience temporary server issues.

In case you encounter issues with your application, we suggest you try later.

Please note that it is the responsibility of the candidates to submit their application before the deadline of 10 March 2026 at 12h00 (midday) Brussels time.

Dear candidates,

As the application deadline for the AD5 competition (10 March) approaches, we would like to remind you of the following important information:

• Your Responsibility: It is your responsibility to ensure that your application is submitted correctly and on time. 
  If you encounter any technical or administrative issues, please contact us as soon as possible.
   
• Support Timeline: Please note that EPSO’s standard reply time is of 5 working days. 
  However, due to the high volume of requests, and in spite of our best efforts to reply to applicants’ questions as soon as possible, it might take us longer to reply. We cannot guarantee that you will receive before the application deadline of 10 March at midday a response to inquiries sent less than 5 working days before (i.e. after 3 March). 
  To avoid any last-minute complications, we strongly encourage you to review your application and reach out to us well in advance if you require assistance.