Working for the European Union: where to start
Who hires, the main ways in, who can apply and which path fits you, explained in plain words.
Who hires
The European Union hires people in its institutions (the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, the Court of Justice and others), in dozens of agencies and bodies spread across EU countries, and in its diplomatic service.
Abroad, the EU is represented by more than 140 EU Delegations, which work much like embassies and hire their own staff.
The main ways in
- Permanent official: you pass an open competition run by EPSO, the EU's selection office, and join a reserve list. Contracts are for an indefinite period.
- Temporary agent: you apply directly for a specific post, often in an agency. Fixed-term contract.
- Contract agent: you register in EPSO's always-open database for contract staff, or apply to a published post. Fixed-term contract in function groups FG I to FG IV.
- Seconded national expert: for people who already work in a national public administration.
- Local agent: posts in EU Delegations, hired in the host country.
- Trainee: paid or unpaid traineeships of a few months, for students and recent graduates.
Who can apply
For posts in the institutions and agencies you must be a citizen of an EU Member State and enjoy full rights as a citizen, have met any military service obligations of your country, and meet the character requirements for the job.
There are exceptions: local agent posts in EU Delegations, some traineeships and some mission posts are open to people who are not EU citizens. Our guide on jobs for non-EU citizens explains them.
Languages
You need at least two official EU languages. Each notice sets the level: for contract staff it is a thorough knowledge (C1) of one EU language and a satisfactory knowledge (B2) of a second one. Language profiles, such as translators, usually ask for three languages.
Which path fits you
- EU citizen with a university degree: EPSO competitions for administrators (AD) and contract staff in function group FG IV.
- EU citizen with secondary education: competitions for assistants (AST) and contract staff in function groups FG I to FG III.
- Student or recent graduate: traineeships, such as the Commission's Blue Book.
- Not an EU citizen: local agent posts and traineeships in the EU Delegation of your country.
Official sources
- EPSO – General and specific eligibility requirements
- EU Careers – Contract types
- EPSO – Contract staff selection procedure
- EEAS – Vacancies
Checked on 27 October 2026. Rules and figures change: the official pages and each notice always prevail. Content from europa.eu reused under CC BY 4.0 and rewritten by Kandidatu.
Other guides
- EU contract types explainedOfficials, temporary agents, contract agents, national experts, local agents and trainees: what each contract means, how long it lasts and how you get it.
- EPSO competitions step by stepHow an open competition for permanent EU officials works, from the notice to the job offer, and what the reserve list really means.
- Contract staff: EPSO's always-open databaseThe easiest way into the EU institutions for many people: register any time, get shortlisted, pass the reasoning tests and the interview.
- EU salaries and benefitsBasic salaries by grade, deductions, the EU tax and the main allowances, with the figures published by EU Careers.
- EU traineeshipsThe Commission's Blue Book, the traineeships of the other institutions and agencies, and those in EU Delegations: who can apply, when, and what they pay.
- EU jobs for people who are not EU citizensMost EU posts require EU citizenship, but not all of them: local posts in EU Delegations, some traineeships and some mission posts are open to others.