Candidates can fill in their application form in any of the 24 official EU languages.
Below you can find the answer to your question. If you are searching in your language and you are not getting any results, please try in English. The content may not yet be translated.
What are the main instructions to apply for an EPSO selection procedure – open competition?
Full instructions for the submission of an application for an open competition in the Single Candidate Portal are available on the website at Single Candidate Portal - Instructions
You will find the link to apply on the EU Careers website once the registration period opens.
Leave yourself plenty of time to complete your application, as it requires considerable work. The responsibility to validate your application before the deadline is entirely yours.
Before validating your application, check the content of the application tab by tab as once the deadline is over your application can no longer be modified.
You can complete your application in any of the 24 official EU languages.
Indicate any specific accommodations needed for taking the tests and follow the instructions in the Step-by-Step flyer to requesting reasonable accommodations (adjustments) in EPSO Selection Tests. Contact us immediately if you need help with your online application.
EPSO’s systems support the most commonly used Internet browsers. If you encounter issues, please consider changing the browser first before contacting us. The use of mobile devices to fill in the application form is not recommended.
As soon as you saved your application for the first time, you will receive an application number. Please always mention this number in your correspondence with EPSO.
Candidates must upload documents supporting their declarations in the application form by the deadline in the Notice of Competition.
Questions sent to the EPSO Candidate Contact Service during the last days of the application period might not be answered before the deadline for applications.
Should I indicate all my qualifications/diplomas in my application form?
Yes, it is mandatory to mention all your diplomas/qualifications.
Point 1 of the “declaration” in your application states: “I declare on my word of honour that the information given in this application is true and complete.” Failure to comply with this provision may exclude you from the selection procedure.
How can I allow my Member State authorities to offer me assistance with preparing for the selection and recruitment process?
Candidates in EPSO competitions can choose to have their contact details disclosed to the national authorities of their Member State, to allow these authorities to contact them with offers of support and assistance for the selection and recruitment process (such as training, information sessions, publications, etc.).
Candidates make this choice when applying for a competition, by indicating their agreement or disagreement in the relevant section of their electronic application form. This agreement or disagreement is valid only for the competition for which it was given, and therefore needs to be indicated each time you introduce a new application.
By answering “Yes” to the relevant question in your application form, you give your unequivocal consent for EPSO to transmit your first and last name, e-mail address, and the reference of the competition you are applying for, to the national authorities of the EU Member State of which you are a citizen. The purpose of this data transmission is to allow your national authorities to contact you in view of offering assistance with the selection and recruitment process in the context of the competition for which you are applying.
The transmission of your personal data to your national authorities is governed by Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC, in particular its Articles 7 and 9.
By answering “Yes” to the relevant question in your application form, you also unequivocally consent that the national authorities of the EU Member State of which you are a citizen process your abovementioned personal data, with the purpose of offering you assistance with the selection and recruitment process in the context of the competition for which you are applying. Your national authorities are authorised to process your data for as long as you are a participant in the competition in question, or until the closing of the competition’s reserve list if your name is included in it, or until you withdraw your consent for the processing of your data.
The processing of your personal data by your national authorities is governed by Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (the General Data Protection Regulation).
You can withdraw your consent at any time, by making a written request to that effect to your Member State. However, please note that if you decide to withdraw your consent after your data have already been transmitted by EPSO to your Member State, this will only prevent your national authorities from further processing your data, but will not affect the lawfulness of past data processing based on your consent that took place before its withdrawal.
Your consent for EPSO to transmit your personal data to your national authorities does not imply any obligation for you to accept any offers of assistance that those authorities might approach you with.
Your consent for EPSO to transmit your personal data to your national authorities does not imply any obligation for those authorities to contact you, or to offer assistance; this is entirely at the discretion of the EU Member State of which you are a citizen.
I'm encountering issues with my application form. What should I do?
EPSO’s systems support the most commonly used Internet browsers. If you encounter issues, please consider changing the browser first before contacting us.
The use of mobile devices to fill in the application form is not recommended.
For the Single Candidate Portal:
If you receive an error message that you are not allowed to apply for this selection procedure, you most likely already have a draft application. You need to scroll down in the application page and you will see the draft application. Please finalize your draft application and submit it before the deadline.
For the EPSO account:
Avoid using the ‘forward’ or ‘back’ browser buttons to move through the application form and when moving between different application forms in your EPSO account (for example to access data from your previous applications) but use the on-screen buttons instead (Back to account).
You should only copy/paste from a pure text file (.txt), using a simple word processor (e.g. NotePad on Windows, TextEdit on Mac OS X) to avoid inserting unnecessary spaces or incompatible characters.
If you cannot validate your application, you should check the “Overview” tab of your application. Information that appears in red is either missing or in error.
In case of persistent problems, you should contact EPSO’s Candidate Contact Service immediately and in any case well before the deadline as we cannot guarantee a reply if your question is sent less than 5 days before the deadline. Please note that applications that are not submitted by the deadline cannot be taken into consideration.
Can I use my application from my previous EPSO applications?
For all open competitions published after 1 January 2025:
You only need to fill in your CV details once (under “My account” → “My CV” in the Single Candidate Portal).
The information saved in your CV will be used for all future applications, so please make sure to keep it updated.
For contract agent selection procedures:
No, you must fill in a new application form in your EPSO account for each selection procedure you wish to apply for.
Can I apply for multiple selection processes, profiles and/or function groups?
Yes, you may apply to any selection processes for which you are eligible, unless stated in the Notice/Call. Please note that you may have to submit one application per profile and/or function group.
When is the deadline for registration?
The deadline for registration will be clearly stated on each Notice/Call and on the EPSO website.
