ECB and Council of Europe online tests
What each one tests, and how EPSO practice helps
The ECB’s online tests
Some ECB recruitment campaigns start with online tests that measure cognitive ability and behavioural style. The tests are in English.
The practice test the ECB links to covers numerical, verbal and abstract reasoning. Most roles then add a written test for shortlisted candidates, on a topic the ECB doesn’t share in advance.
The Council of Europe’s online tests
Depending on the vacancy, the Council of Europe can ask screened applicants to sit online ability tests, written exams, simulation exercises such as an in-tray exercise, or a language test in English or French. TestReach runs its online assessments.
A 2014 Council of Europe candidate guide describes three adaptive reasoning tests with a time limit on each question: 15 verbal questions on text passages, 12 numerical questions on tables and 12 logical questions on series of symbols. Each took about 12 minutes, and the vacancy notice says which tests apply to you.
How EPSO practice helps
Both organisations test the same 3 skills as EPSO’s reasoning tests: reading a text closely, working with figures in tables, and finding the rule in a series of shapes. The question formats and time limits differ, so use the official practice tests to learn the format.
Our practice is built for EPSO, with unlimited questions and an explanation for each one, so you can build the skills themselves for free.
What this site does not cover
There is nothing here for the ECB’s written test or personality questionnaires, or for the Council of Europe’s written exams, simulation exercises and language tests.
ECB and Council of Europe tests, answered
- Are the ECB tests in English?
- Yes. The ECB says its psychometric tests are in English.
- Will the questions look like EPSO’s?
- Not exactly. The skills are the same, but each organisation uses its own test provider, question format and time limits.
- Does every vacancy use these tests?
- No. The ECB uses them in some campaigns only, and the Council of Europe sets the tests per vacancy. Check the vacancy notice.
Based on the ECB’s careers pages and the Council of Europe’s jobs pages, checked on 26 October 2026. The vacancy notice you apply to overrides anything on this page.