EPSO/AD/430/26 — Artificial intelligence (AD 8)
The EU institutions are recruiting 240 AI administrators at grade AD 8. Applications close on 13 October 2026 at 12:00 Brussels time. The only test that ranks candidates is a 30-question multiple-choice test on the field, sat in your second language. This page explains what that test measures and how to prepare for it.
The competition at a glance
What the field test measures
The notice publishes no syllabus. The test is "specific to the field", and the field is defined by the typical duties in Annex II. Three profiles share the 240 posts, and a good question bank has to cover all three:
- Building and operating AI systems: architectures and design patterns at enterprise scale, build-or-buy choices, model selection, MLOps, testing and quality assurance, data readiness (pipelines, quality, governance), and technology watch on generative AI, APIs, retrieval-augmented generation, the Model Context Protocol and agentic AI.
- Compliant and defensible AI use: the AI Act (Regulation 2024/1689 as amended by the Digital Omnibus 2026/1744), the General-Purpose AI Code of Practice, trustworthiness, explainability, traceability and reproducibility, data protection under Regulation 2018/1725 for the institutions, and AI literacy.
- AI policy and enforcement: the general-purpose AI ecosystem, the AI Continent Action Plan and the Apply AI Strategy, AI Factories, and the technical soundness of policy decisions.
How EU-now prepares you for it
EU-now has a dedicated Artificial intelligence field inside its ICT specialty. Every question is generated from official sources only, so a question about high-risk obligations quotes the consolidated AI Act, not a blog: the AI Act and the Digital Omnibus, the three chapters of the GPAI Code of Practice, the Commission guidelines on prohibited practices, the definition of an AI system, general-purpose models and Article 50 transparency, the EDPB opinion on AI models, the EDPS orientations on generative AI, the NIST AI Risk Management Framework and its generative AI profile, and the ENISA framework for the cybersecurity of AI.
You pick the field once, at onboarding, and the drills open on it. Each question comes with an explanation that shows why the right option is right and where each distractor goes wrong. The three reasoning tests and the written test are trained in the same place, in the five languages of the platform.
The other tests are pass or fail
Verbal reasoning needs 10 out of 20; numerical and abstract reasoning are scored together and need 10 out of 20 combined. The written test needs 5 out of 10 and is only marked for candidates near the top of the field-test ranking. None of these scores adds to the ranking, so the strategy is simple: clear them safely and put the remaining weeks into the field.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for both Artificial intelligence and Cybersecurity?
No. The notice allows one field per candidate, chosen when you submit the application. The choice cannot be changed after the deadline.
Which language is the field test in?
In your language 2, the one you declare at B2 level or above. The reasoning tests are in your language 1 (C1 or above).
Is there a published syllabus for the AI test?
No. The notice only says the test is specific to the field. The duties listed in its Annex II are the closest thing to a syllabus, and that is what EU-now builds its question bank around.
Does the reserve list depend on the written test?
Only as a threshold. The written test (EUFTE) is pass or fail at 5 out of 10, and it is marked only for roughly 1.5 times the number of posts, taken from the top of the field-test ranking.
Do I need a degree in AI?
Not necessarily. Degrees in computer science, data science, mathematics, statistics, engineering and several other areas qualify, and any other degree qualifies with a documented AI focus (a formal specialisation, at least 30 ECTS in AI or an AI thesis). Without a qualifying degree you need nine years of relevant experience.
Five weeks is enough if you spend them on the right test
Choose the Artificial intelligence field at onboarding and start with the drills built from the AI Act and the Commission guidance.
Start preparing for the AI field →The other field of the same notice: EPSO/AD/430/26 — Cybersecurity (AD 8)
Figures and dates from the Notice of Competition EPSO/AD/430/26, OJ C/2026/4668 of 8 September 2026. Places of employment from the eu-careers listing. eur-lex.europa.eu ↗