# AD5, AD7, AST or CAST: which EPSO competition is right for you
URL: https://eu-now.com/blog/ad5-ad7-ast-cast-quale-scegliere
Published: 2026-06-16
Category: EU Careers
Tags: AD5, AD7, AST, CAST, EPSO, carriera UE
AD5, AD7, AST, AST-SC or CAST: requirements, salaries, contract types and selection process compared. The guide to choosing the right EPSO competition. 2026 verified.
## Key takeaways
- AD5 is the entry point for recent graduates: 3-year degree, no experience required, permanent contract, starting salary ~6,153 € gross
- AD7 is for specialists: degree + 5-9 years of experience in the field (ICT, audit…), permanent, ~7,876 € gross
- AST and AST-SC are assistance and secretarial profiles: high school diploma + experience, permanent, ~3,754 € and ~3,292 € gross
- CAST is for fixed-term contract agents (max 6 years), with continuous registration and four Function Groups; it does not guarantee a permanent position
- A CAST agent does not automatically become a permanent official: to move to AD or AST, you must pass an open competition just like any external candidate.
## Not all EPSO competitions are the same

"I want to work for the EU" is the starting point. But the first concrete decision is: **which competition?** AD5, AD7, AST, AST-SC, CAST are not levels of the same path — they are different entry points, with different requirements, salaries, and contract types.

Choosing the right one for your profile is the difference between applying with real chances and wasting months of preparation on the wrong competition. This guide compares everything, using verified data.

## Comparison table

| Profile | For whom | Minimum requirements | Contract | Initial gross salary |
|---------|---------|-------------------|-----------|---------------------------|
| **AD5** | Recent graduates | 3-year degree, no experience | Permanent | ~6,153 € |
| **AD7** | Specialists | Relevant degree + 5-9 years experience | Permanent | ~7,876 € |
| **AST** | Assistants | Diploma + relevant experience | Permanent | ~3,754 € |
| **AST-SC** | Secretarial staff | High school diploma + experience | Permanent | ~3,292 € |
| **CAST** | Contract agents | Variable by Function Group | Fixed-term (max 6 years) | Variable (FG I-IV) |

*(Initial salaries according to the official table in force from 1 July 2025.)*

![Four desks representing the different EU professional profiles](/photos/blog/profili-scrivanie.webp)
*AD5, AD7, AST and CAST are different entry points: requirements, contract and salary change for each.*

![AD5, AD7, AST, AST-SC and CAST compared: who each route is for, the minimum requirement and the type of contract — with CAST marked as the only one without a competition cycle.](/photos/blog/epso-entry-routes.en.svg)

## AD5 — the entry point for recent graduates

**For whom:** those who have completed university and want to start a career in the EU institutions.

**Requirements:** a degree of at least 3 years. For the AD5 2026 competition, **no professional experience is required** — it is explicitly the entry category for recent graduates (requirements may vary for other competitions). Thorough knowledge of one EU language (Language 1, C1) and satisfactory knowledge of a second (Language 2, B2) are required.

**Role:** supporting decision-makers in the development and implementation of policies, or in resource management, within multicultural teams. The AD career path ranges from grade AD5 up to AD16.

**Contract:** permanent official. **Starting salary:** ~6,153 € gross per month.

## AD7 — for experienced specialists

**For whom:** professionals with several years of experience in a specific field (ICT, audit, law, economics…).

**Requirements:** a relevant degree plus experience in the field. The exact number of years depends on the qualification: in the 2026 ICT competition, for example, requirements range from 5 years (with a five-year degree) up to 9 years (with a three-year degree in another field). Languages: one at C1 level + another at B2.

**Role:** specialist administrator. The 2026 ICT competition, for example, has 4 fields (ICT infrastructure, ICT project management, cloud and networks, data science) and you apply for only one.

**Contract:** permanent official. **Starting salary:** ~7,876 € gross per month.

## AST and AST-SC — assistance and secretarial staff

**For whom:** those without a degree but with experience, who are seeking a permanent position within the institutions.

**AST (Assistant):** executive and technical support tasks — administrative, financial, communication, research. Requirements: high school diploma with relevant experience, or a relevant professional qualification (details vary by call for applications). Career path from grade AST1 to AST11. Starting salary ~3,754 € (AST1).

**AST-SC (Secretaries/Clerks):** office management and administrative support — preparing files, document management, department coordination. Requirements: high school diploma + experience. Career path from grade SC1 to SC6. Starting salary ~3,292 € (SC1).

Both are permanent official contracts.

## CAST — the contract path

**For whom:** those seeking a faster entry (also to gain experience), accepting a fixed-term contract.

**How it works:** CAST Permanent **is not a competition with a deadline**, but a continuous registration. You sign up for a candidate database (updating your profile every 6 months to remain visible), and institutions select you when they need a profile like yours. This is followed by multiple-choice and competency tests, and an interview with the hiring institution.

**Four Function Groups** for increasing levels of responsibility:

| Function Group | Role | Education Requirement |
|----------------|----------|--------------------------|
| FG I | Manual and administrative support | Compulsory education |
| FG II | Office and secretarial duties | Post-secondary or secondary diploma + access |
| FG III | Executive, drafting, accounting, technical tasks | Post-secondary or secondary diploma + experience |
| FG IV | Administrative, advisory, linguistic, technical tasks | Degree of at least 3 years |

**Contract:** fixed-term, maximum 6 years in the same institution (an open-ended contract is only possible in some bodies, such as agencies and delegations). Test validity: passing the reasoning tests is valid for 10 years, while competency tests are valid for 5 years. **Registration does not guarantee a position.**

![Professional entering a EU institutions building](/photos/blog/profili-ingresso.webp)
*CAST is a faster entry into the institutions, but to become a permanent official, you must win a competition.*

## Does CAST become AD? No (not automatically)

A common misconception: thinking that CAST is an automatic springboard to a permanent position. **It is not.** Contract agents and permanent officials are separate categories. To become AD or AST, a CAST agent must **win an open competition** just like any external candidate.

The word "permanent" in "CAST Permanent" refers only to the always-open registration, not to the duration of the contract. Nevertheless, CAST remains an excellent way to enter the institutions, gain experience, and become familiar with the EU environment — which is also useful for better preparing for a future permanent competition.

## How to choose

- **Are you a recent graduate with a degree?** → AD5.
- **Do you have a degree + years of specialist experience?** → AD7 in your field.
- **Do you have a diploma and experience, but no degree?** → AST or AST-SC.
- **Do you want a quick entry or experience within the institutions?** → CAST (accepting the fixed-term contract).
- **Do you have a degree but want to start immediately while waiting for a competition?** → CAST FG IV as a bridge.

For full details on the AD5 selection — the largest of 2026 — read the [complete guide to the EPSO 2026 competition](/blog/concorso-epso-2026-guida-completa). And to understand how much you actually earn in each category, see the [EU officials' salary guide](/blog/stipendio-funzionario-ue-guida-completa).

## In summary

Choosing the right competition depends on your profile:

1. **AD5** = recent graduates, no experience, permanent.
2. **AD7** = specialists with experience, permanent, higher salary.
3. **AST/AST-SC** = diploma + experience, permanent.
4. **CAST** = fixed-term contract, continuous registration, faster entry.

Apply for the competition that is right for you, not the one that seems most prestigious on paper.
## FAQ
### What is the difference between AD5 and AD7?
AD5 is the entry-level grade for recent graduates: it requires a degree of at least 3 years and no professional experience. AD7 is for specialists with experience: it requires a relevant degree plus several years of experience in the field (for example, in the 2026 ICT competition, from 5 to 9 years depending on the qualification). AD5 starts at approximately €6,153 gross per month, and AD7 at approximately €7,876. Both are permanent official contracts. The choice depends on your experience: if you are a recent graduate, AD5; if you have years of specialization, AD7.
### What do AST and AST-SC mean?
AST (Assistant) are officials with executive and technical-administrative support duties: administrative, financial, communication, or research roles. AST-SC (Secretaries/Clerks) are secretarial and office management profiles. Both typically require a high school diploma plus relevant experience (exact requirements vary by call for applications), are permanent contracts, and start at approximately €3,754 (AST1) and €3,292 (AST-SC1) gross per month, respectively. They are the alternative for those who do not have a degree but have experience.
### What is CAST and how does it work?
CAST (Contract Agent) is the path for fixed-term contract agents. Unlike competitions for permanent officials, CAST Permanent is a continuous registration with no deadline: you sign up for a database (updating your profile every 6 months to remain visible), and institutions select you when they have a need. There are four Function Groups (FG I-IV) for increasing job levels. The contract lasts for a maximum of 6 years within the same institution. Registration does not guarantee a position: it is a pool from which institutions recruit.
### Can a CAST agent become a permanent official?
Not automatically. Contract agents and permanent officials are two separate employment categories with distinct recruitment processes. A CAST agent does not automatically convert into an official: to become AD or AST, they must win an open competition just like any external candidate. The word 'permanent' in 'CAST Permanent' refers only to the fact that registration is always open, not to the duration of the contract.
### Which competition has the most vacancies in 2026?
In 2026, the largest competition is the generalist AD5 (EPSO/AD/427/26) with 1,490 positions. This is followed by the specialist AD7 competitions: ICT (EPSO/AD/429/26) with 782 positions across 4 fields, and Audit (EPSO/AD/428/26). The CAST Permanent does not have a fixed number of positions as it is a continuous pool. EPSO has also announced other competitions for 2026 (IT experts AD8 in AI and cybersecurity, lawyer-linguists) for which details have not yet been published. Always check the official page eu-careers.europa.eu for updated calls for applications.
### If I have a degree but little experience, what should I choose?
AD5 is designed exactly for you: it is the entry point for recent graduates and requires no professional experience. It is the natural choice for those who have recently completed university. If, instead, you have a degree and several years of specialist experience (IT, audit, law…), consider the specialist AD7 competitions, which reward experience with a higher starting salary. CAST can be a faster way in (continuous registration) to gain experience within the institutions while waiting to attempt a permanent competition.
## Official sources
- EU Careers — Permanent officials (AD, AST, AST-SC) FAQ: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/help/faq/permanent-officials-ad-ast-ast-sc
- EU Careers — Contract agents (FG I-IV) FAQ: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/help/faq/contract-agents-fg-i-ii-iii-iv
- EU Careers — CAST Permanent: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/Cast-Permanent
- EU Careers — Eligibility requirements: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/selection-procedure/general-and-specific-eligibility-requirements

## This article in other languages
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Source of record: https://eu-now.com/blog/ad5-ad7-ast-cast-quale-scegliere — published by EU-now (eu-now.com), which is not EPSO and not affiliated with the European Commission.