Hello! I’m here for some advice.

I am about to finish my PhD in the “societal impacts of AI”, with multiple publications on fundamental rights, democracy and tech. I don’t wanna stay in academia though, and hope that I can use my skills more to use in policy making (or applied research)?

Before doing my PhD I’ve done a traineeship at the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) in Vienna, a fellowship at the EU Delegation to the UN (Geneva) and internship at the European Union Crime Prevention Network of the EC (EUCPN) in Brussels.

My (2) master’s are in criminology & human rights law, hence my profile is most tailored at AI, tech, security, surveillance & democracy.

Something that I am openly wondering about is if EU institutions still value PhD titles, or is this more something of the past (as it is nationally, for me at least)?

If yes, what are positions suitable for my profile? Of course I speak multiple languages but I assume a bit irrelevant here.. Any tips are welcome :)

Just as the title says, I've heard from some it was super easy and from others that it was borderline hunger games. How were the rounds for you?

I finished my Bluebook traineeship a couple of months ago, for context, I have a background in translation (english-german) and a master's in politics (I know). I failed the CAST exam, I was too nervous and now I am wondering how to even land a project assistant or admin position in Brussels. Perhaps this is the wrong sub but I am wondering what my next steps could be?

How can I stay in Brussels even if not within the EU bubble?

I think we can all agree that the European Union is failing compared to superpowers, at least in terms of economic growth. Furthermore, there seems to be little to no prospect of things getting better anytime soon. Having navigated the Brussels bubble, it feels like everyone has simply accepted this as the current reality. I have heard very little discussion of concrete, systemic, achievable reforms. I wonder if maybe it would be healthy for civil servants to tell the public and each other what needs to be done.

If you are an EU civil servant, tell us what needs to be done for us to compete with China and America. What concrete, ambitious, and achievable reforms do we need to make, and how could we get them to happen?

Hello!!
Did anyone get some a response for the EIT regarding their application?

Thak you in advance

Heads up for everyone waiting, your invitation letter for AD5/427/26 Part 1 lands 19 October in your Single Candidate Portal, not by email, so log in and check directly that day. It’ll confirm your test week (9–13 Nov) but not your exact date/time, that only shows up once the TAO platform opens on the 20th.

Worth doing now rather than later: double-check your name/candidate number, make sure you have no hard conflict during 9–13 Nov (if you do, the letter explains how to flag it to EPSO), confirm Language 1 is actually the language you want to be tested in, and review the technical/ID requirements before test week instead of the night before. The mandatory prerequisite tech check runs 20 Oct–6 Nov, don’t leave that to the last day either.

More detail here if useful: https://qweega.eu/blog/epso-invitation-letter-19-october-single-candidate-portal

Hi everyone! I'm currently preparing for the upcoming EPSO/AST/158/26 – Data Management Experts (AST 3)competition, specifically Field 3: Records and Archives Management, and I was hoping to get some advice on the most useful books and study materials. To give you a little background, I have a Bachelor's and Master's degree in History, as well as a PhD in History, which I completed just a few months ago. Given my academic background and research experience, I feel that this particular field is a good match for my interests and skills. However, I'm still trying to understand how best to approach the preparation, especially when it comes to identifying reliable and sufficiently comprehensive reference materials.

For the EU knowledge test and the EUFTE, I've been looking into a couple of relatively recent Italian academic textbooks that seem promising. The first is Roberto Baratta's Il sistema istituzionale dell'Unione Europea (The Institutional System of the European Union), which focuses on the institutional architecture of the EU, the powers and functioning of its institutions, and its legislative and decision-making procedures. The second is Roberto Adam and Antonio Tizzano's Lineamenti di diritto dell'Unione europea (An Outline of European Union Law), which offers a broader overview of European integration, the development of the EU legal order, its institutions, competences, sources of law, and judicial system. I'm considering purchasing their most recent editions, but I'm wondering whether these might be too focused on legal theory for the purposes of the competition. Would they provide a solid foundation for the EU knowledge test, or would you recommend something more directly tailored to EPSO? I'm also following the official "EU careers: study materials" page on the EU Publications Office website, although I'm not entirely sure how extensively I should supplement those resources with academic textbooks, particularly for the EUFTE.

My main concern, however, is the field-related MCQ on Records and Archives Management. Unlike the general EU knowledge component, I haven't been able to identify any obvious reference textbooks specifically designed for this part of the competition, and I would really appreciate some guidance from people who are familiar with the subject. I'm particularly interested in books or online manuals, preferably in English or French, covering international archival standards such as ISAD(G), ISAAR(CPF) and ISDF, as well as electronic records management systems, digital preservation and the MoReq (Model Requirements for the Management of Electronic Records) framework. I'm also wondering whether there are any European Commission guidelines, internal records management policies, or publications relating to the Historical Archives of the EU that would be particularly relevant for this profile. Ideally, I'd like to find one or two comprehensive reference books that could provide a structured introduction to these topics, rather than relying exclusively on scattered technical documents. If anyone has prepared for a similar specialist competition, I'd also be interested to know how detailed or technical the field-related questions tend to be, and whether the emphasis is generally on international archival standards, practical records management procedures, digital preservation, or EU-specific regulations and administrative practices.

Finally, regarding the verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning tests, my initial idea was simply to practise regularly using the official sample tests and exercises available on the EU Careers website, rather than investing in additional preparation books. I'm not sure whether that would be sufficient, though, so I'd be interested in hearing how others have approached this part of the competition as well.

I'd be especially grateful for any advice from current EU archivists, records managers, or anyone who has successfully prepared for a specialist AST 3 competition. Recommendations for specific textbooks, official manuals, useful online resources, or even general suggestions on how to prioritise the preparation would be incredibly helpful.

Thanks very much in advance, and best of luck to everyone preparing for the competition!

P.S. One last question: do you think the knowledge and preparation required for this EPSO competition, particularly regarding EU institutions, records management and archival practices, could also be useful for the European Parliament's Schuman Traineeships starting in March 2027? I'm considering applying for that traineeship programme as well, ideally for a position related to archives, historical documentation or records management, and I'm wondering how much overlap there might be between the two in terms of relevant knowledge and skills.

Hi everyone!

I have an interview this Friday for an operations management internship position at the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ECCK) and I'm looking for people who have interned at any ECC (ideally in Korea) to talk about their interview and internship experiences. What type of questions did you get during the interview, how was working at the European Chamber of Commerce etc...

Hi all,

I applied to the EPSO data science competition (EPSO/AD/429/26) in May. The process is long, and I'll probably start a job in the private sector (after years in academia) in the meantime, so my CV will soon be out of date, and said experience may be highly relevant to this competition.

Two questions:

- Is it possible to update the CV or profile after the application deadline, for example while waiting for the tests or the reserve list?

- As far as I understand, there is no talent screener anymore, and the CV is only used to check eligibility (relevant years of experience) in the early stages. Is that right? And is an updated CV only really needed at the interview stage with the recruiting services?

Thanks for any experience you can share!

​M37 here. I am currently a career civil servant in Italy, in a position roughly equivalent to an AD5 grade.

​I have applied for the competition and submitted my documents, but before putting in the serious effort required to prepare, I need to weigh my options carefully.

​Currently, my net salary averages around €4,500/month (12 months). I prefer comparing net figures rather than gross due to the vastly different tax regimes. From what I understand, an AD5 post in Brussels (including household and expatriation allowances) would pay slightly more net than what I earn now. However, I am also trying to assess the long-term career and salary trajectory.

​A few specific points I am considering:

​Healthcare: I currently have comprehensive private healthcare coverage, which might be on par with or even better than the JSIS, though I am not completely sure.

​Pension: The EU pension scheme seems clearly superior. In Italy, I expect to retire at 63 at the earliest, with an estimated replacement rate around 50% of my final salary.

​Work-life balance: My current job is quite stressful, remote work is very limited (around 20–30 days per year), and overtime is frequent.

​Many people have pointed out that my case is uncommon: usually, joining the EU institutions comes with a substantial salary increase, whereas my domestic package is already competitive. Money aside, I also frequently read that the Commission can be just as demanding—if not more stressful—depending on the DG.

​All things considered, for those who know both systems well: what would you advise?

​Thank you in advance for your insights!

Hello everyone,
I’m posting this message because I’m facing a truly frustrating situation regarding the EPSO AD5 competition (EPSO/AD/427/26), and I’m wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience.
I submitted my application on March 9, 2026, and I have proof from my submission history that it was sent. However, a few days later, I noticed that my application did not appear on the single candidate portal.
On March 16, I contacted EPSO to report the issue and ask them to confirm that my application had indeed been registered.
On April 7, I received this explicit written response from EPSO:
“Our system indicates that you have successfully submitted your application for competition EPSO/AD/427/26.”
They also informed me that all candidates who had successfully submitted their applications would be invited to take the tests.
Naturally, I trusted this official confirmation and continued to prepare for the competition over the next six months.
But in October, when I contacted EPSO again because my application was still missing from the portal, I was suddenly informed that my application had apparently been reopened after its initial validation and left in draft status. According to EPSO, this means I am not a candidate.
I contested this decision, pointing out that EPSO itself had explicitly confirmed in April that my application had indeed been submitted, after I had specifically contacted them regarding the missing application.
So far, their responses have focused on internal system logs without addressing the contradiction between their April confirmation and their October decision.
What is also strange is that I never received a confirmation message in my portal inbox or a reminder indicating that my application was supposedly still in draft status. I have since tested the portal during another EPSO competition and received both types of notifications under the appropriate circumstances.
I spent six months preparing for these exams, and learning, just a few weeks before the exams, that I will not be allowed to take them - despite EPSO’s written confirmation - is extremely frustrating.
I’ve also seen other posts here about applications disappearing from the Single Candidate Portal, which leads me to wonder if there might be more widespread technical issues.
Has anyone else experienced a similar situation? More specifically, has anyone received written confirmation from EPSO stating that their application had been successfully submitted, only to later discover that it was actually marked as a “draft”?
I’d also be interested to know if anyone has successfully challenged an EPSO decision or had their application reinstated.
Thank you!

Hi guys, I have an interview for a TA lawyer-linguist role at the Council of the EU tomorrow. It’s a panel of 3 people, one being from the team I’ll be working with. What kind of questions can I expect to be asked? Thank you in advance!

I will be graduating this december so I've already started looking at opportunities including EEAS. I looked at the mandatory documents to submit and it includes copy of language certificates. I took the TOEFL years ago and it's really expensive to take it and I don't have the money to do it. All the similar "official" tests are not cheap either.

I didn't know but duolingo provides a language test. I was wondering if EU institutions were okay with it? I know I can work in English, I've studied English language for 3 years during my Bachelor, I even have a translation degree (with my law degree). I've had numerous exepriences and the first year of my master's degree was fully in English because it was abroad. The thing is none of my degrees come from an English-speaking country (France, Poland and Germany).

Hi,

I just got an email today that i’ve been invited to interview with a Selection Committee comprised of 6 persons. I have never done an AD5 Interview, and my previous interview was 7 years ago for my EU Institution Traineeship. I wanted to ask current ADs what can i expect from a 45 minutes interviews for a Specialized/Technical position at an Agency. I expect my interview to be technically heavy as my panel is composed of a Cybersecurity, AML, Law, Controller expert + 2 HR representatives. I will prepare in a holistic way, giving priority to Technical expertise, deep know- how, practical solutions, essential and selection criteria, my Written tests answers and why i chose my replies if they ask that. Then on a secondary or more flexible approach i will do Motivation, HR questions.

My questions are: How many questions total should i expect in that time?
How many technical?
How many are standard practice with HR? I suppose from HR one sure question is the motivation and other what could it be from an HR perspective based on competencies and soft skills??

I expect a tough interview, and i will prepare, but i really don’t know what is standard or what is usual for an AD5 Interview. Reserve list is small at 5.

Thank you very much,

Did any body apply to te EMA traineeships for next year? If so have you heard anything from them?

I am building an MCP server that lists EU vacancies.

It allows you to query open competitions, vacancies, traineeships, … directly from you favorite LLM.

How would you use it?
Tell me for instance if you would consider to use it to prepare application forms with Claude or ChatGPT.

100% free, no account required.

Thanks a lot, and good luck with your applications and tests.

There are news.

Invitations on 19 October.

If I were to start a CA position at the Commission in December, after a period of less than three months as an interim, and I already rent an apartment in Brussels, would I be eligible for the daily subsistence allowance and/or the installation allowance?
Or would having a lease and an interim position mean that my place of recruitment is considered to be Belgium, and therefore that I am not eligible?

Thank you!

Hi everyone! I’m an Armenian citizen from Yerevan looking to start my actuarial career in Europe. I’d particularly appreciate advice from people who have hired international candidates or entered the profession as non-EU applicants.

My background:

• Bachelor’s in Business from the American University of Armenia.
• Master’s in Finance from Rome Business School.
• Passed SOA exams P, FM and SRM; currently studying for FAM.
• Completed 7+ DataCamp courses with certificates of completion, covering SQL, R, Python and Excel at an intermediate level.
• No actuarial work or internship experience yet.

I may need employer sponsorship, depending on the country and my work authorization there. I’m also concerned about potential hiring bias associated with my nationality or unfamiliar name, although I don’t know how much this would affect my applications.

My main questions are:

1. Which European countries or employers would be realistic targets for a non-EU entry-level applicant who may need sponsorship?
2. How do employers in those markets view SOA exam progress compared with their local qualification pathways?
3. What should I prioritize now: internships, relevant projects, networking, further exams, or an adjacent insurance/data role?

If you’ve navigated a similar situation, I’d really appreciate hearing what helped. Thank you!

Hi everyone, I’m a 26 y/o Belgian-French national currently pursuing a master Ecotoxicology in Paris. I’ve started to look for internship opportunities in Paris and Brussels, particularly in ecotoxicology, environmental pollution, and environmental risk assessment.

I’m particularly interested in areas such as chemical pollution, the environmental impacts of contaminants, and environmental regulation. However, I’m not entirely sure what career paths are available to someone with my academic background, or how to get started in the EU institutions and agencies.

I’d therefore love to hear from anyone who has experience working in these fields, agencies, or organisations involved in environmental policy and regulation.

I’d really appreciate any advice, personal experiences, or recommendations for organisations and programmes to look into.

A few more questions I have:

Internships: Which EU institutions, agencies, or other organisations would be worth looking into for internships related to ecotoxicology or environmental pollution?

Getting a foot in the door: How competitive are these positions, and are there particular traineeships or entry-level positions I should be targeting after graduation?

Location: Would it be realistic to build a career in this field while remaining based in Belgium, particularly in Brussels?

Hi everyone!

I’d love to hear from people who have worked at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, particularly scientists and laboratory staff employed as contract agents.

Few months ago, I was offered a four-year contract agent position in a laboratory at JRC Ispra. I was genuinely tempted by the opportunity: I liked the international atmosphere, the scientific environment and the idea of working in a European institution alongside people from different backgrounds.

At the same time, I received an offer for a permanent position at a company in an industry I was already interested in. After weighing up both options, I ultimately decided to accept the permanent position.

I’m happy to have secured a stable job in an industry I’m interested in, but every now and then I find myself wondering what I might have missed by turning down the JRC opportunity.

One of my main concerns was what would happen after the four-year contract ended. Having already experienced the difficulties of building a career after a PhD, I was worried about finding myself job hunting again and potentially struggling to translate my research experience into an industry role.

I also wondered whether working at the JRC might mean spending several years in a somewhat insulated institutional environment, potentially making it harder to transition into industry later on (I had a somewhat similar experience in my PhD and I wanted to avoid a repetition of it). On the other hand, the scientific work, international exposure and prestige of the institution were very appealing.

I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have experienced the JRC firsthand.

A few questions in particular:

• What happened after your contract ended?
• How did you find living in Ispra?
• Knowing what you know now, would you take the same opportunity again?

I’m not looking for someone to tell me that I made the right or wrong decision. I’d simply like to get a more realistic picture of what working at the JRC is actually like, beyond the appeal of the institution itself.

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience!

Did anyone received any News from the Court, Council CoR and EESC for the internship Session starting in 2026? if Not, when are we expected to Receive any Feedback?

I am a freelance cybersec expert with a social science and philosophy background. Where should I look for freelance roles that can use my combination of skills?

Hi everyone, I’m an Italian Master’s student in International Relations. I’d like to work for the European Union one day, but the more I read about it, the more I realize just how difficult, long, and uncertain the path is. Don't get me wrong—I know it’s normal to face challenges, to need to gain experience, and to constantly keep learning. However, it sometimes feels like not only are there hurdles in building the career path itself, but that even with all that effort, it might not be enough. I’m 25; my only international experience is a two-week stint with the European Solidarity Corps, and I speak English at a B2 level, with B1 proficiency in French and Spanish. I’ve thought about doing internships, but the fierce competition is discouraging. I’ve read that internships alone aren't enough to get noticed, you need actual work experience, yet I’ve seen people with years of professional experience who still can't get in. Sorry if I sound like I’m complaining too much; I know I should accept that it’s a grueling process, but I have to ask: is it really worth it to wait years, potentially without ever achieving that goal? I had considered the think tank route as an alternative, but even then... I’m not sure if that’s a better path in terms of stability, the likelihood of getting hired, and salary.

Can someone help me understand why recent grads would choose a traineeship over being an interim in your dream EU institution?

I'm asking because there seems to be a strong preference for Blue Book, Schuman etc., but in my experience for fresh grads becoming an interim through a temporary workers agency gives more advantages in selections and (much) more frequently leads to winning a selection, particularly in EU agencies.

Why? Because:

- You show that you can do the work and decrease overall workload for others (with trainees it's hit&miss, some are good, but some/most waste regular staff's time).

- You show you can fit in.

- You learn and follow procedures.

- You build networks and have people who can vouch for you.

Is the aim to experience something fun or actually get an EU institutions job later? Are internships considered more "prestigious" than being an interim?

I hear that most (all?) people actually want an EU job sooner rather than later.

So -

do people just don't know about the interim ( French - intérimaire) path & its benefits, or is there something I don't understand?

I'm interested both in general comments, but also individual experiences.