Applications closed in March. The reasoning tests are expected in October/November. Which means August is the month that decides who walks into Part 1 prepared, and who realises in October that the summer slipped away.
Here is exactly where the competition stands right now, and what you should be doing in the next 60–90 days.
Where the competition stands (August 2026)
- 174,922 applications for 1,490 reserve-list places, a 0.85% success rate, the most competitive EPSO generalist competition on record.
- Part 1 (Verbal, Numerical, Abstract Reasoning) is expected October/November 2026, taken remotely, computer-based.
- Individual invitations will arrive several weeks before your test, with your exact date and time. Because of the record applicant numbers, testing will be spread across several days.
- Supporting documents must be uploaded to your EPSO profile by 7 October 2026, 12:00 (midday) Brussels time.
- Part 2 (EU Knowledge, Digital Skills, EUFTE essay) follows in 2027 for those who clear the eliminatory cut after Part 1.
What this timeline actually means for you
Count backwards. If the tests begin in late October, invitations could land in your inbox in September. From today, you have roughly 10–12 weeks of preparation time, and the last two weeks before your test date should be consolidation, not learning something new.
That leaves August and September as your real training window. The candidates who pass Part 1 are, right now, doing three things:
1. Training Verbal Reasoning first
Verbal Reasoning eliminates more candidates than any other section. It is not a vocabulary test, it is a logic test under extreme time pressure. The difference between candidates who score 45% and those who score 68% is almost never intelligence. It is technique: knowing how to eliminate trap answers, how to distinguish what a passage states from what it implies, and when to skip a question.
2. Practising under real time pressure
Untimed practice creates false confidence. The EPSO format punishes slow accuracy just as hard as fast guessing. Every practice session from now on should be timed to the real per-question pace.
3. Preparing their documents early
The 7 October supporting-documents deadline lands before or during the test window. Do not let admin work steal prep time in the final stretch, see the checklist section below.
Your August action plan
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Week 1–2 | Take a timed diagnostic (VR + NR + AR). Establish your real baseline score per section. |
| Week 2–3 | Learn the core techniques for your weakest section (for most: Verbal Reasoning). |
| Week 3–4 | Daily timed drills, 30–45 minutes. Track your score trend, not individual results. |
| End of August | Full timed mock of Part 1. Gather your supporting documents in one folder. |
<1% succeed. Train like it.
Timed practice tests, a TAO-style mock exam and 200+ EU Knowledge flashcards, built specifically for EPSO/AD/427/26. Join 300 members preparing right now.
Start Free →Frequently asked this month
When exactly will I get my test date?
EPSO sends individual invitation letters several weeks before your session, with the exact date, time and practical instructions. Dates differ between candidates because testing is spread across the testing period.
Can I choose my test date?
You will be scheduled, your invitation states your assigned slot. Check your EPSO account and email regularly from September onwards, including spam folders.
Is there a pass mark or is it ranking-based?
Part 1 works with score thresholds, you must clear the bar in each reasoning test to progress. With 174,922 applicants and an eliminatory cut before Part 2, every point matters.
Next update: 15 August, the supporting documents checklist and how to prepare for your invitation letter.