2026 EMPLOYER GUIDES5 min read

How to Pass the European Union Recruitment Process 2026

Are you applying for the European Union internship or graduate programs or exploring professional opportunities? Look no further than this comprehensive guide.

Here are four key things I will cover for your convenience in this guide:

Prepare for the stages of the EU recruitment process with us by practising the suitable assessments to expect at each stage!

In this guide, you will learn:

  1. About what the European Union is.
  2. How to complete the EU’s online career application.
  3. How to pass the EU online aptitude tests, including numerical reasoning tests, verbal reasoning tests, and abstract reasoning tests.
  4. Everything about the EU’s early careers, what they each involve, and other important details you should know.

Want to pass each stage of the EU application process?

Prepare for the EU recruitment process with us. Practice the suitable assessments for each stage today!

Practice Numerical Reasoning Tests

Practice Numerical Reasoning Tests

Practice Verbal Reasoning Tests

Practice Verbal Reasoning Tests

Practice Logical Reasoning Tests

Practice Logical Reasoning Tests

Practice Video Interviews

Practice Video Interviews

Prepare for your Assessment Centre

Prepare for your Assessment Centre

Go Premium with GF and get the relevant EU practice assessment tests in the table above to pass the EPSO assessments in a go!

Let’s go ahead and learn more about the EU.

1. Who is the EU?

The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The EU was founded in 1957 and established the European Economic Community (EEC). The EEC was intended to create a single market for goods, services, capital, and labour among the member states.

The European Union has over 60,000 employees. These employees work in a variety of institutions, including the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Court of Justice.

What career opportunities does the European Union offer?

At the EU, there are a wide variety of roles you can apply for. These include careers in:

JusticeLawFianceEnvironment and climate change
Foreign AffairsAgricultureEconomicsIT
CommunicationHuman ResourcesScienceTranslation and Interpretation

Good to Know: During your EU application, ensure you are well aware of the EU competency framework and work on demonstrating these competencies throughout the process.

Now, let’s move on to start breaking down the EU’s recruitment process.

2. EU Recruitment Process

What is the EU recruitment process?

I found that the EU recruitment process is managed by EPSO, the European Personnel Selection Office. The EU hiring process is divided into 2 main stages. These two stages are:

  1. EU Online Application
  2. EU Online Tests

Good to Know: In some cases, the EU hiring process may end with an assessment centre with rounds of interviews.

Master your EU online test prep by practising our expertly designed preparation assessments.

EU online tests practice

Read on as I get into each of the stages of the EU recruitment process in further detail.

3. EU Online Application

How do I apply to the EU?

For your EU job application, you must create an account on their official careers website to apply for a position. Once you have found a role that interests you, you can apply by filling out your: 

  • Personal information
  • Work experience
  • Education
  • Skills
  • Resume
  • Cover Letter

Some EU online applications, depending on which division you are applying to, may look like this:

EU online application

European Union Online Application Form

Source: EU Careers

Once you ace the EU application stage, you will move on to the next stage of the recruitment process: the EU online tests.

4. EU Online Aptitude Tests

What are the EU online tests?

The EU online tests are developed by EPSO. The time limit and test sections for these assessments can vary depending on the role you are applying for. These may include a reasoning skills assessment and role-specific tests.

You can expect to take the following EU tests:

  1. Verbal Reasoning Test
  2. Numerical Reasoning Test
  3. Abstract Reasoning Test

Good to Know:

Depending on the role, the tests may also include a MCQ knowledge test to assess your understanding of the EU and its policies, a digital skills test to evaluate your digital literacy, an EPSO field-related test that measures your technical expertise for the role, and a written test to assess your written communication skills.

Find out more about the EU aptitude test stage, starting with the EU verbal reasoning test.

Before you start your EU application process, explore the FAQs section below for more answers about the EU recruitment process.

5. EU Recruitment Process FAQs

1 What is the EU knowledge test?

If you are applying to the EU for a permanent position, you may need to complete the EU knowledge test. This assessment is a multiple choice test about the EU’s history, institutions, policies, and values.

2 Would my non-EU diploma be accepted when applying to the EU?

Non-EU diplomas need recognition from NARIC. Exceptions: lower-level diplomas if you already have a recognised EU diploma, or UK diplomas awarded before 2021.

3 What are the five key areas the EU looks for in terms of digital skills?

The EU assesses applicants based on five key digital skill areas:

  1. Information & data literacy
  2. Communication & collaboration
  3. Digital content creation
  4. Safety
  5. Problem-solving

4 If I am hired, where will I be working within the EU?

EPSO organises selection processes for ten EU organisations and institutions:

  1. European Parliament
  2. Council of the European Union
  3. European Commission
  4. Court of Justice of the European Union
  5. European Court of Auditors
  6. European External Action Service
  7. European Economic and Social Committee
  8. Committee of the Regions
  9. European Ombudsman
  10. European Data Protection Supervisor

If hired, you may be hired in Brussels and Luxembourg. For more information, refer to the position’s Notice of Competition.

Prepare for your EU hiring process with our expert-made aptitude tests used by over 150 UK universities and their students, and also across Asia and continental Europe.

Practice with peace of mind with commitment to a full 100% money-back guarantee if you do not pass your job tests.

Click the links below to uncover more about the EU recruitment process:

  1. EU Verbal Reasoning Test
  2. EU Numerical Reasoning Test
  3. EU Abstract Reasoning Test
  4. EU Early Careers

This article was last updated on 13 March 2026. All information provided is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication, based on publicly available sources. For the most up-to-date details, please verify directly with the employer.

Start Preparing for EU

and other leading companies