The application can be filled out in any of the 24 official EU languages.
Do I have to relocate to Brussels or Luxembourg to work as a translator?
Officials recruited to work for the EU Institutions must relocate to their place of employment. Permanent telework from outside the place of employment is not allowed. Telework from home is granted based on the needs of the service.
Will candidates be allowed to use dictionaries during the tests?
Candidates will not be allowed to use paper or online dictionaries during testing. The language-related tests for this competition have been duly adapted to take this into account.
Which tests will I sit for the translators’ competition?
The list of tests is available in the notice of competition (4.3. Testing). We have published sample tests on our website
Do you already have a date for the tests?
The testing session for this competition will take place in two separate days, both falling within the same month. Candidates will have to attend both days in order to complete their tests. In view of the important number of tests (5) comprised by this competition, EPSO felt that this decision would be in the best interest of candidates. Information about the testing dates will be published on this website as soon as available.
Note that the sequence in the infographic between steps 3 and 4 may be reversed, in line with EPSO’s operational needs. Such possible changes will be communicated by EPSO in due time.
I made a mistake in the application form. Can I still change it?
If you have already validated your application, you will no longer be able to edit it. You can add a supporting document explaining the wrong date in the application form (see “Upload supporting documents” in your EPSO account).
If you have not yet validated your application, you can still edit it. Don’t forget to validate your application before the deadline (14/01/2025).
If you applied for the wrong language competition, you must delete your application and start a new one. This is, however, only possible if you have not yet validated your application.
Do you accept my qualification/diploma issued in non-EU countries?
For diplomas awarded in non-EU countries, a NARIC recognition is required: https://www.enic-naric.net/
If you have a diploma recognised in an EU Member State, you don’t need NARIC recognition for your lower-level diploma(s). Example: If you have a Bachelor’s degree from a university outside the EU, and a Master’s degree from an EU university, you don’t need NARIC recognition for the Bachelor’s degree.
Qualifications/diplomas awarded until 31/12/2020 in the United Kingdom are accepted without further recognition. For diplomas awarded after this date (from 01/01/2021), a NARIC recognition is required.
I do not meet all the requirements in the notice of competition. Can I still apply?
As you can read in the notice of competition, all requirements must be met by the deadline for applications, i.e. 14/01/2025 at the latest. The only exception applies to the diploma attesting at least three years of completed university studies, which can be awarded by 10 April 2025 at the latest.
Why can’t I insert a date in the future for my ongoing work experience?
You can only insert professional experience until the date of the validation of your application. Please select the date of the day (today) as the end date.
Should I declare my professional experience in the application form?
In line with the notice of competition (3.3. Specific conditions – qualifications) no professional experience is required for participation in the competition for translators.
Candidates may include their professional experience in the application form. In that case, they should carefully read the information in our FAQs under Which supporting documents should I provide?
Can I insert all my languages in the application form?
You can declare all your languages in the application form (under “Language skills”), not only the ones you choose for the tests. No certificate or diploma is required to prove your language knowledge.
My language knowledge is not of the level required in the notice of competition. Can I still apply?
In line with the information in the notice of competition, candidates must meet all the general and specific eligibility conditions on the closing date for applications except where otherwise noted in Section 3.3. In particular, they must meet the requirements on languages. The latter are particularly important for the competition for translators.
Do I need a diploma or certificate to prove my language level?
Candidates for EPSO’s competition for translators are not required to have language-related degrees or diplomas to be eligible for this competition.
This is fully in line with the notice of competition.
Candidates’ knowledge of languages will be evaluated through the relevant tests, in line with the information in the notice of competition.