Glossary of terms commonly used in EPSO selection procedures.

Internal competitions are limited to current EU institution employees, promoting opportunities for growth and advancement within their existing workplace. 
They are not managed under EPSO’s responsibility, but under the responsibility of the recruiting services themselves.
EPSO may be asked to provide support to the running of such competitions. 

The Junior Professionals Programme (JPP) is a talent development and recruitment initiative of the European Commission, aimed at attracting and integrating young professionals with diverse backgrounds and skill sets into the EU institutions. 
This programme provides participants with valuable on-the-job experience, mentorship, and opportunities to contribute to the Commission's work in various policy areas.

JPP offers recent graduates and young professionals a 3-year temporary agent contract, including a 12-month traineeship programme, during which they gain hands-on experience in different departments and Directorates-General of the European Commission. 
This immersive experience allows participants to build their professional networks, enhance their skills, and contribute to the EU's mission of promoting sustainable development, democracy, and values. 

Throughout the JPP, participants are provided with mentorship from experienced staff members, opportunities to attend training sessions, and access to professional development resources. The JPP offers a limited number of temporary agent positions (up to 70 per year), giving the successful candidates an opportunity take part in internal competitions (open to all other eligible staff) to become permanent officials at the end of the programme. 

More information about the Junior Professionals Programme, including eligibility criteria, application process, and benefits, can be found on the European Commission's website.

In line with EPSO’s selection procedures, a “laureate” is a candidate who has passed all stages of EPSO testing procedures and has been placed on the reserve list published by EPSO at the end of each competition and used by EU institutions for their specific recruitment needs. 

See the related FAQs.

Multiple-Choice Questionnaire is a common format used in EPSO exams. In this format, test-takers are presented with a question and a set of possible answer choices. They must select the correct or most appropriate answer from the given options. MCQs are designed to evaluate the test-taker's knowledge, understanding, and ability to apply concepts in a specific context.
One of the most used MCQs in EPSO selection procedures is the VNAR/reasoning test.  

See also the related FAQs.

The numerical reasoning test evaluates a candidate's logical thinking and proficiency in comprehending numerical data. Applicants must solve questions based on statistical information provided in tables. 
This test is part of the three reasoning pre-selection tests (VNAR).

See also the related FAQs

The quota of successful candidates that the institutions can recruit from the reserve list. The quotas reflect the recruitment needs of a particular institution(s) over a given period. 
Recruitment by another institution during the period in which the quota(s) are applied is subject to the approval of the institution(s) concerned.  
The quota is normally lifted three months (for generalists) or six months (for some specialists’ competitions) after the publication of the reserve list, or can be extended, on approval of the institution(s) concerned. 
EPSO is not involved in the decision to lift the quota, but we inform candidates on the competition webpage as soon as such a decision is taken by the recruiting institutions. 

See also the related FAQs. 

A request for review is a formal appeal submitted by a candidate to contest a decision made by the EPSO regarding their participation in a selection procedure. Candidates must submit their request within 10 calendar days from the date the decision is published in their EPSO Account. The review process is conducted by the Selection Board, which assesses the request and takes a decision based on the provided information. If the request is deemed valid, candidates may be allowed to re-enter the competition at the step where they were previously excluded. The purpose of the Request for Review is to ensure fairness and transparency in the EPSO selection process and to provide candidates with the opportunity to address any perceived procedural errors or irregularities. 

See also the related FAQs and the Types of complaint.

This term refers to a list of successful candidates/laureates who have passed the selection process for a particular competition, but have not been immediately appointed to a position. These candidates are placed on the reserve list, which serves as a pool of potential candidates for future job openings in the European institutions and contains information on the profile, competencies, and availability of all the successful candidates in a particular selection procedure. 
Being on a reserve list is not a guarantee of recruitment, but on average 50% of candidates are recruited within 7 months. 

European permanent officials,  are classified into three groups: Administrators (AD), Assistants (AST) and Secretaries/Clerks (ASC-SC). 
Secretaries and clerks are generally involved in office management and in providing administrative and technical support. 
Their duties include finalising documents and files; supporting the unit’s or department’s activities (meetings, official travel, diary); compiling and disseminating information (updating databases, files); performing manual tasks. 

A secretary/clerk career ranges from grade AST/SC 1 to AST/SC 6. New staff usually enters at grades AST/SC 1 or AST/SC 2. 

See the related FAQs and the EU staff categories.

Since 1 January 2023, selection boards no longer include permanent members systematically. Gradually, all Selection Boards will be composed of non-permanent members only.

Nominated Selection Board members are trained on selection and assessment methodologies before they take up their duties and continue to receive specific training and guidance from EPSO’s team of psychologists during the different stages of their competition. 

 In the context of EPSO’s selection procedures a subject matter expert, or SME for short, is someone whose job is to participate in the process of creating certain types of written tests, such as field-related questionnaires.

SMEs are officials from the EU institutions and bodies served by EPSO. They take on this task for a limited period of time, in parallel with their usual work. 
Permanent officials become SMEs on a voluntary basis, following a dedicated call for interest. They are nominated formally by their organisation of origin and must have a relevant profile in terms of knowledge or expertise in order to participate in the process of test development. They must have no conflict of interest as regards their competition in order to be confirmed as SMEs. 
Nominated SMEs are trained by EPSO on test development methodologies before they take up their duties and continue to receive specific support from EPSO throughout their assignment.
Every test development process is analysed by EPSO’s team of psychologists in order to detect any possible bias. EPSO ensures that the process follows the agreed standards for large-scale selection procedures such as the ones organised by EPSO. 

See also the related FAQs.

Temporary staff is recruited to fill vacant positions within the EU institutions and agencies for a set amount of time; this may range from a few months to a few years. 
They may be asked to perform regulatory, legal, scientific or financial support tasks;  conduct policy and data analysis; carry out IT, administrative, research, communication and programming duties, to name but a few. 
Temporary staff cover posts requiring different types of qualifications and specialisations, varying from assistant to higher administrator positions. 
For administrator positions, temporary staff can be recruited at grades ranging from entry-level grade AD 5 to AD 6 or higher. Similarly, assistant grades start at AST 1 - AST 3 and can be higher for more specialised profiles. 

See also EU staff categories and available job opportunities for temporary staff. 

A traineeship is a structured, professional learning experience offered to individuals who are interested in acquiring practical knowledge and skills related to the work of the European Union.  
The selection procedures for traineeships are run by the individual EU institutions and agencies. 

See also our Traineeships.