# 174,922 Candidates Believe in an EU Career — And So Should You URL: https://eu-now.com/blog/epso-ad5-2026-record-174900-candidates Published: 2026-03-21 · Updated: 2026-08-27 Category: EPSO News Tags: EPSO, AD5, 2026, competition, statistics, EU careers The 2026 EPSO AD5 Graduate competition drew a record 174,922 applicants for 1,490 reserve list places. Here's what the numbers reveal — and how preparation gives you a real edge. ## Key takeaways - 174,922 candidates applied — 3x the previous record of 51,000 in 2010 - 1,490 reserve list places — and preparation significantly improves your chances - Italy alone sent 79,450 applicants (45.4% of the total) - Candidates using preparation materials are 40% more likely to pass, scoring on average 9 points higher out of 60 (Euronews, Feb 2026) ## The numbers are in — and they prove how desirable an EU career is The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) closed applications for the AD5 Graduate Administrators competition on **10 March 2026**. The final count: **174,922 candidates**[^1] — the largest group of aspiring EU professionals ever assembled. [^1]: Final official figure: 174,922 candidates (EU Careers / EPSO, AD5 2026 — confirmed on 8 May 2026). To put this in perspective: the previous record was approximately 51,000 applicants in 2010. This year's total is **more than three times** that peak. An EU career has never been more attractive. **1,490 candidates will earn a place on the reserve list** — and data shows that preparation is the biggest factor in who makes it. ## Why now? Seven years of pent-up demand The AD5 generalist competition — the main entry route to becoming a permanent official at the European Commission — hadn't been held in **seven years**. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is focusing on bringing in a new generation, with many senior officials approaching retirement. The result: an entire generation of graduates who had been waiting for this moment finally got their chance — and they showed up in force. ## Who applied? A continent united by ambition The geographical distribution reveals the depth and breadth of motivation across Europe: | Country | Applicants | % of total | % of EU population | |---------|-----------|-----------|-------------------| | **Italy** | **79,450** | **45.4%** | 13.1% | | Spain | 13,789 | 7.9% | 10.9% | | Germany | 11,699 | 6.7% | 18.6% | | France | 10,939 | 6.3% | 15.2% | | Greece | 10,087 | 5.8% | 2.3% | | Belgium | 8,013 | 4.6% | 2.6% | | Romania | 7,430 | 4.3% | 4.2% | | Poland | 5,782 | 3.3% | 8.1% | | Portugal | 5,037 | 2.9% | 2.4% | **Italy alone accounts for nearly half of all applicants** — a testament to how strongly Southern European professionals value the opportunity an EU career represents. EU institutions offer up to **€6,758/month** at AD5 entry level, which represents a significant step up from typical salaries of €1,500–2,000 in Southern Europe. Greece, with 2.3% of the EU population, contributed 5.8% of applicants — showing that smaller countries produce highly motivated, ambitious candidates. Germany (18.6% of EU population, 6.7% of applicants) and France (15.2% of population, 6.3% of applicants) are underrepresented, which means candidates from these countries face proportionally less competition from compatriots. ## What you can prepare for right now The AD5 selection process is entirely online, conducted on EPSO's new **TAO platform**: | Test | Questions | Time | Pass mark | |------|-----------|------|-----------| | [Verbal Reasoning](/blog/epso-verbal-reasoning-how-to-read-like-an-examiner) | 20 | 35 min | 10/20 | | [Numerical Reasoning](/blog/epso-numerical-reasoning-strategies-and-practice) | 10 | 20 min | Combined 10/20 | | [Abstract Reasoning](/blog/epso-abstract-reasoning-patterns-and-tips) | 10 | 10 min | Combined 10/20 | | EU Knowledge | 30 | 40 min | 15/30 | | [Digital Skills](/blog/epso-digital-skills-digcomp-2026-guide) | 40 | 30 min | 20/40 | | Written Essay (EUFTE) | 1 | 40 min | 5/10 | Verbal Reasoning carries **35%** of the final ranking score, followed by EU Knowledge (25%), Digital Skills (25%), and the essay (15%). ## The preparation advantage According to data cited by Euronews, candidates who invest in structured preparation are **40% more likely to pass** than those who don't. Those who combine multiple preparation resources score, on average, **9 points higher out of 60**. With structured preparation, your chances improve dramatically. That's because the EPSO exam rewards specific, learnable skills — not innate talent or luck. As one preparation expert put it: *"Once you understand the logic and practise on real questions, you'll walk into the test with confidence — and that confidence shows in your scores."* ## What this means for you With 174,922 motivated professionals entering this competition, the AD5 2026 rewards preparation above all else. The candidates who will earn their place on the reserve list are those who: 1. **Understand the test format** before exam day 2. **Practice under timed conditions** consistently 3. **Study EU knowledge systematically**, building confidence week by week 4. **Master the TAO platform tools** to gain an edge most candidates never unlock The tests are expected to take place in **Q3–Q4 2026**. That gives you a 3–8 month preparation window — more than enough time to build a winning strategy. You are part of the largest group of aspiring EU professionals in history. That's something to be proud of. And with the right preparation, you have every reason to believe you'll be one of the 1,490 who succeed. --- *EU·Now gives you adaptive EPSO preparation with questions verified against official sources, in the same TAO-format interface you'll face on test day. Sign up for early access at eu-now.com.* ## FAQ ### How many people applied for EPSO AD5 2026? 174,922 candidates applied before the deadline on 10 March 2026, making it the most popular EU competition in history — more than 3 times the previous record of ~51,000 in 2010. This reflects the extraordinary appeal of EU careers. ### What is the success rate for the EPSO AD5 exam? With 174,922 applicants and 1,490 reserve list places, the competition is selective. But candidates using preparation materials are 40% more likely to pass, scoring on average 9 points higher out of 60 (Euronews, Feb 2026). Preparation is the great equaliser. ### Why did so many Italians apply for EPSO AD5 2026? Italy sent 79,450 applicants (45.4% of all candidates), driven by the significant salary gap: EU institutions offer up to €6,758/month compared to Italy's average of €1,800/month. ### When will the EPSO AD5 2026 tests take place? Tests are expected in Q3-Q4 2026, giving candidates a 3-8 month preparation window from the application deadline. ## Official sources - EPSO — AD5 Graduates: 174,922 applications (official figures): https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/news/ad5-graduates-working-eu-has-never-been-so-attractive/19530 - Euronews — Record-breaking participation: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/02/17/epso-exam-record-breaking-participation-with-only-3-success-rate - Euronews — The booming business of EU exam coaching: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/02/19/the-booming-business-of-eu-exam-coaching - NextEUJob — What the AD5 numbers tell us: https://nexteujob.com/2026/03/16/what-the-epso-ad5-numbers-tell-us-about-the-eu-job-market/ - EU Careers — Apply for AD5: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/apply-graduate-competition-ad-5 ## This article in other languages - French: https://eu-now.com/fr/blog/epso-ad5-2026-record-174900-candidates/llms.txt - German: https://eu-now.com/de/blog/epso-ad5-2026-record-174900-candidates/llms.txt - Spanish: https://eu-now.com/es/blog/epso-ad5-2026-record-174900-candidates/llms.txt - Italian: https://eu-now.com/it/blog/epso-ad5-2026-record-174900-candidates/llms.txt Source of record: https://eu-now.com/blog/epso-ad5-2026-record-174900-candidates — published by EU-now (eu-now.com), which is not EPSO and not affiliated with the European Commission.