# How to Register with EPSO: Your First Steps to an EU Career (Beginner's Guide)
URL: https://eu-now.com/blog/how-to-register-epso-account-first-steps
Published: 2026-06-18
Category: EU Careers
Tags: EPSO account, getting started, EU Login, Single Candidate Portal, CAST, beginners, EU careers
Never applied to the EU before? This is the very first step. We explain every acronym in plain language and walk you through creating your account — EU Login, EPSO Account, the Single Candidate Portal — using a CAST contract-agent application as a worked example. Verified against official EU sources.
## Key takeaways
- Your very first step is an account on eu-careers.europa.eu — it starts with EU Login, the European Commission's secure sign-in.
- There are two account systems: the Single Candidate Portal (for open competitions since 2025) and the EPSO Account (still used for CAST contract-agent applications).
- For the EPSO Account you may only ever have ONE — a second account can get you excluded. The data must match your ID or passport exactly.
- To be eligible you need citizenship of an EU Member State and knowledge of at least two official EU languages.
- CAST is the easiest place to start: it's always open, has no deadline, and you just reconfirm your interest every 6 months to stay visible to recruiters.
## So you want to work for the EU — where on earth do you start?

If you've just discovered that you can build a career inside the European institutions, the first thing you hit is a wall of acronyms: EPSO, EU Login, AD5, CAST, FG IV, NoC... It feels like you need a decoder ring before you can even sign up.

You don't. The actual **first step is simple: create your account**. Everything else — choosing a competition, studying, taking tests — comes later. This guide takes you from "I know nothing" to "my account is created and my profile is ready," explaining every term in plain language along the way.

We'll use a **CAST contract-agent application** as our worked example, because it's the easiest and most beginner-friendly way in: it's open all year round, there's no deadline, and the entry test is the most approachable EPSO offers.

## First, let's decode the alphabet soup

Before you click anything, here are the only acronyms you actually need. Keep this table open in a tab.

| Term | Full name | What it actually means for you |
|---|---|---|
| **EU** | European Union | The 27 member countries. Your future employer. |
| **EPSO** | European Personnel Selection Office | The EU's recruitment office. You apply through its website, **eu-careers.europa.eu**. |
| **EU Login** | — | The European Commission's secure sign-in (one email + password + phone). The **front door** to every EU online service. |
| **EPSO Account** | — | Your older-style candidate account. **Still used for CAST.** You may only have **one, ever**. |
| **Single Candidate Portal** | SCP | The newer portal that replaced the EPSO Account **for open competitions** published since 2025. |
| **AD** | Administrator | Graduate-level officials (grades AD 5 to AD 16). AD 5 is the entry level for university graduates. |
| **AST** | Assistant | Support/technical officials (grades AST 1 to AST 11). |
| **AST/SC** | Secretaries & Clerks | Office-management and clerical officials (grades AST/SC 1 to 6). |
| **CAST** | Contract Agents Selection Tool | A permanent, always-open database for **contract agents**. Our example today. |
| **FG** | Function Group | The four contract-agent levels, **FG I to FG IV**, based on your qualifications. |
| **NoC** | Notice of Competition | The official rulebook for a competition. For CAST, the equivalent is the **Call for Expressions of Interest**. |
| **CBT / MCQ** | Computer-Based Test / Multiple-Choice Question | The format of the entry tests: questions on a screen, pick the right answer. |

That's it. If you understand that table, you're ahead of most first-time candidates.

## Before you register: are you eligible?

Three quick checks. If you pass all three, you can register today.

### 1. Citizenship
You must be a **citizen of at least one EU Member State**. If you gain EU citizenship later, you can add it to your profile and apply from then on.

### 2. Languages
You need knowledge of **at least two of the EU's 24 official languages**. Tests in any given procedure are taken across **two different languages** — so you'll always use a second language somewhere in the process. (Linguistic profiles usually require three.)

### 3. Education and experience
This depends on the role and, for CAST, on the **Function Group** you target:

| Level | Typical minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| **AD** roles / Contract agent **FG IV** | A university degree (and often relevant experience — except entry-level AD 5) |
| **AST** roles / Contract agent **FG I, II, III** | Secondary or post-secondary education; relevant experience may be required |

Your degree must be **recognised by a competent authority of an EU Member State**. The exact requirement is always written in the Notice of Competition or Call for Expressions of Interest — read it before you apply.

{/* IMAGE: account-decision-tree */}

## Which account do I actually create?

This is the single most confusing thing for beginners, so let's make it black-and-white. **There are two systems, and which one you use depends on what you're applying to.**

| You're applying to… | You use… | Account rule |
|---|---|---|
| An **open competition** (e.g. AD5 generalist, AST, specialist profiles), published since Jan 2025 | **EU Login + Single Candidate Portal** | You may keep several profiles, but only **one application per competition**. |
| **CAST** (contract agents) — *our example* | **EU Login + EPSO Account** | Only **one EPSO Account, ever**. A second one can get you excluded. |

**Both start with EU Login.** Think of EU Login as the front door, and the Single Candidate Portal or EPSO Account as the room you walk into afterwards. As of 2026, CAST procedures are still handled through the **EPSO Account** "until further notice."

## Step-by-step: creating your account (CAST example)

Set aside about **30 minutes**. Have your ID card or passport next to you — the names and dates you enter must match it exactly.

### Step 1 — Go to the official website
Open **eu-careers.europa.eu**. This is the one and only official EPSO site. Bookmark it. (Anything else asking for money to "register you" is not EPSO — registration is always free.)

### Step 2 — Create your EU Login
EU Login is the European Commission's authentication service — your secure sign-in for every EU service.

1. Choose **Create an account** and enter your first name, last name, e-mail, and a password.
2. **Make your details match your ID or passport exactly** (last name, first name, date of birth). Mismatches cause problems later.
3. You'll receive an e-mail from the *Authentication Service of the European Commission*. Click the link to set your password. (Check your spam folder if it doesn't arrive.)
4. Set up **two-factor authentication** — a second verification step (for example the **EU Login Mobile app**). This protects your account and is required.

{/* IMAGE: hero-guy-studying */}

### Step 3 — Create your EPSO Account (for CAST)
Once you're signed in with EU Login, create your **EPSO Account** to register in the contract-staff database.

⚠️ **The golden rule:** you may only ever have **one EPSO Account**. Having more than one can get you excluded from a selection procedure at any stage. If you think you created one years ago, recover it — don't make a new one.

### Step 4 — Build your profile (your "EU CV")
Fill in your personal, educational, and professional details. This is where you enter:
- **Language skills** — at least two official EU languages
- **Education and training** — at least one qualification
- **Professional experience** — real, paid work relevant to the profiles you want
- A copy of an **ID document**, and your **nationality**

Good news: you fill this in **once**. It's saved and reused for future applications.

### Step 5 — Choose your profile(s) and Function Group
Browse the contract-staff profiles (there are 20+, from Finance and HR to ICT, Law, Communication, and Translation) and pick the ones that genuinely match your background. You submit **one application per profile and/or Function Group**, and you can register for **several** if they fit.

The four Function Groups:

| Function Group | Type of tasks |
|---|---|
| **FG I** | Manual and administrative support-service tasks |
| **FG II** | Clerical or secretarial tasks, office management |
| **FG III** | Executive tasks, drafting, accountancy, technical tasks |
| **FG IV** | Administrative, advisory, linguistic and equivalent technical tasks |

**FG IV** is the most popular target — it's graduate-level work comparable to an Administrator (AD).

### Step 6 — Validate your application
Complete and **validate** the form in the language(s) required by the **Call for Expressions of Interest**. An application that isn't validated doesn't count. Once validated, your profile is live in the database.

🎉 **That's it — registration done.** You are now in the system.

## After you register: what happens next?

Registering is the start, not the finish. Here's the CAST journey from here:

1. **Reconfirm every 6 months.** This is critical: if you don't update your application at least every six months, **your profile becomes invisible to recruiters.** Set a calendar reminder now.
2. **An institution shortlists you.** When an EU institution, body, or agency has a vacancy, they search the database and shortlist the profiles that fit. With CAST, **the institutions come to you.**
3. **You take the EPSO tests.** Shortlisted candidates take **computer-based, multiple-choice reasoning tests**: Verbal, Numerical, and [Abstract Reasoning](/blog/epso-abstract-reasoning-patterns-and-tips). (No EU Knowledge, no [Digital Skills](/blog/epso-digital-skills-digcomp-2026-guide), no essay — that's why CAST is the gentle on-ramp.) You're usually invited about 10 days in advance. These tests are now sat **online from home with remote proctoring** (via the TAO/OAT or TestWe platforms): a camera and microphone stay on, you show a **valid photo ID**, and you follow a "clean desk" rule. Run the technical check **before** test day.
4. **You interview with the institution.** Pass the tests and the recruiting service runs its own interview/selection. This varies by institution.
5. **You get a contract offer.** Initial contracts typically run **6–12 months**, often renewable depending on the EU body.

{/* IMAGE: eu-schuman */}

Remember: for CAST, **registering does not guarantee a job.** It puts you in the pool that institutions recruit from. For open competitions the flow is different — after registering you submit an application to a specific competition before its deadline, then sit the tests, and successful candidates go onto a **[reserve list](/blog/epso-reserve-list-what-happens-after)** that institutions hire from.

## The whole journey at a glance

**Before the alta (preparation):**
1. Confirm you're eligible (citizenship, two languages, qualifications).
2. Decide your route — CAST contract agent (easiest start) or an open competition.
3. Gather your ID and your CV details.

**The alta (this guide):**
4. EU Login → EPSO Account → profile → profiles/Function Group → validate.

**After the alta (the path to a job):**
5. Reconfirm every 6 months → get shortlisted → pass reasoning tests → interview → contract.

{/* IMAGE: registration-timeline */}

## Five beginner mistakes to avoid

- **Creating a second EPSO Account.** One only — ever. Recover the old one instead.
- **Details that don't match your ID.** Your EU Login name and date of birth must match your passport/ID card exactly.
- **Forgetting the 6-month reconfirmation.** Miss it and you vanish from recruiters' searches.
- **Not checking your account.** EPSO communicates through your account — get into the habit of checking it regularly (every few days during an active procedure).
- **Paying a third party to "register" you.** Registration on eu-careers.europa.eu is always free. There are no official paid shortcuts.

## Know your rights — and where the real rulebook lives

EPSO publishes a single page of official **Instructions and policies for candidates**. When in doubt, that page (and the Notice of Competition or Call for Expressions of Interest for your specific procedure) always wins over any blog, forum, or coaching site — including this one. A few things worth knowing from day one:

- **Need an adjustment?** If you have a disability or a specific need, you can request **reasonable accommodations** — extra time, special equipment, adapted formats, and more. You ask for it **in the application form when you apply**, attaching supporting documents (e.g. a medical or disability certificate). Questions go to **EPSO-ACCESSIBILITY@ec.europa.eu**. Accommodations are decided case by case.
- **Genuine emergency on test day?** There's an official **test-rescheduling policy** for medical or family emergencies — so a real emergency doesn't have to end your candidacy.
- **Something went wrong in a test?** EPSO has a published **complaint-resolution policy** for testing events. You have a route to raise problems.
- **It's all free, and in your language.** Registering and testing cost nothing, and the portal works in all **24 official EU languages** (English is the reference version if a translation lags).

## Your action plan

1. **Check the three eligibility boxes** — citizenship, two languages, qualifications.
2. **Go to eu-careers.europa.eu** and create your **EU Login** (15 minutes).
3. **Create your EPSO Account** and build your profile (one account, ID-matching details).
4. **Pick your CAST profiles and Function Group**, then **validate**.
5. **Set a 6-month reconfirmation reminder** — and start practising Verbal, Numerical, and Abstract Reasoning.

The acronyms looked scary. The first step wasn't. Welcome to the start of your EU career.

---

*EU·Now helps you take the next step after registering: focused practice for the EPSO reasoning tests — Verbal, Numerical, and Abstract — with questions verified against official EPSO sources, in the format you'll meet on test day. Join the waitlist at eu-now.com.*
## FAQ
### What is EPSO?
EPSO stands for the European Personnel Selection Office. It is the body that organises the selection of staff for all the EU institutions (European Commission, Parliament, Council, Court of Justice, agencies, and more). You apply for EU jobs through EPSO's website, eu-careers.europa.eu.
### What is the first step to work for the EU?
Creating your candidate account on eu-careers.europa.eu. This always begins with an EU Login (the European Commission's secure sign-in). From there you either use the Single Candidate Portal (for open competitions published since 2025) or your EPSO Account (still used for CAST contract-agent applications).
### Do I need an EU Login, an EPSO Account, or the Single Candidate Portal?
You always need an EU Login first — it's the front door. Then it depends on what you apply to: open competitions (such as AD5) now use the Single Candidate Portal, while CAST contract-agent procedures still use the EPSO Account. You can have several Single Candidate Portal profiles, but only one EPSO Account ever.
### Who can register? Do I have to be a citizen of an EU country?
Yes. To apply through EPSO you must be a citizen of at least one EU Member State, and you need knowledge of at least two official EU languages. Specific roles add education and professional-experience requirements set out in the Notice of Competition or Call for Expressions of Interest.
### Is registering the same as applying?
Not quite. Creating your account and profile is registration. For CAST, registering puts your profile in a database that institutions search when they have vacancies — it does not guarantee a job. For open competitions, you also submit an application to a specific competition before its deadline.
### I have a disability or special need — can I get adjustments?
Yes. EPSO offers reasonable accommodations such as extra time, special equipment, and adapted test formats. You request them in the application form at the time of applying and attach supporting documents (for example a medical or disability certificate). Requests are assessed case by case. Questions can be sent to EPSO-ACCESSIBILITY@ec.europa.eu.
### Where are the EPSO tests taken?
EPSO reasoning tests are now sat online from your own home with remote proctoring, using the TAO/OAT or TestWe platforms. You need a laptop or desktop with a working camera and microphone, a valid photo ID, and a quiet room, and you follow a clean-desk policy. Always run the technical check before your test date.
## Official sources
- EU Careers — Instructions and policies for candidates: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/instructions-and-policies-candidates
- EU Careers — Online testing: what you must know: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/what-know-about-testing
- EU Careers — Reasonable accommodations in EPSO selection procedures: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/overview-possible-reasonable-accommodations-epso-selection-tests
- EU Careers — How to create a Single Candidate Portal account: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/how-create-single-candidate-portal-account
- EU Careers — Single Candidate Portal / EU Login (FAQ): https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/help/faq/single-candidate-portal-eu-login
- EU Careers — Why are there two kinds of candidate accounts (EPSO Account vs Single Candidate Portal)?: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/help/faq/2060
- EU Careers — Register in the contract staff database (CAST Permanent): https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/Cast-Permanent
- EU Careers — Selection procedures for contract staff positions: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/selection-procedures-contract-staff-positions
- EU Careers — Contract agents (CAST Permanent) FAQ: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/help/faq/contract-agents/cast-permanent
- EU Careers — Eligibility (FAQ): https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/help/faq/eligibility
- EU Careers — EU staff categories: https://eu-careers.europa.eu/en/eu-careers/staff-categories

## This article in other languages
- French: https://eu-now.com/fr/blog/how-to-register-epso-account-first-steps/llms.txt
- German: https://eu-now.com/de/blog/how-to-register-epso-account-first-steps/llms.txt
- Spanish: https://eu-now.com/es/blog/how-to-register-epso-account-first-steps/llms.txt
- Italian: https://eu-now.com/it/blog/how-to-register-epso-account-first-steps/llms.txt

Source of record: https://eu-now.com/blog/how-to-register-epso-account-first-steps — published by EU-now (eu-now.com), which is not EPSO and not affiliated with the European Commission.