The 2026 data management competition, explained
Three fields, 964 places and one ranked test. Applications close on 11 November 2026.
What the competition is
EPSO is recruiting assistants at grade AST 3 in 3 fields of data management. You can apply for one field only.
Applications close on 11 November 2026 at 12:00 midday Brussels time, and your ID card or passport is due by the same deadline. Supporting documents are due by 11 March 2027.
| Field | Places |
|---|---|
| Data processing, analytics and statistics | 423 |
| Librarianship and information science | 243 |
| Records and archives management | 298 |
Who can apply
You need one of 3 combinations of education and experience in the field you choose. EPSO published a clarification of the education requirement on 14 October 2026, so read it before you apply.
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | Citizen of an EU Member State. |
| Language 1 | One official EU language at C1. You sit the reasoning tests in it. |
| Language 2 | A second official EU language at B2. You sit the field test and the essay in it. |
| Route one | A post-secondary diploma of at least 2 years in a relevant area, plus 3 years of relevant experience. |
| Route two | A bachelor’s degree in any field and a relevant further diploma, plus 3 years of relevant experience. |
| Route three | A secondary diploma giving access to post-secondary study, plus 6 years of relevant experience. |
The tests
All 5 tests are very likely to be on the same day, online and remotely proctored. EPSO hasn’t announced the date yet.
| Test | Questions | Time | Pass mark | Counts for ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal reasoning | 20 | 35 min | 10/20 | No |
| Numerical reasoning | 10 | 20 min | 10/20 combined | No |
| Abstract reasoning | 10 | 10 min | 10/20 combined | No |
| Field-related multiple choice | 30 | 40 min | 15/30 | Yes |
| Essay on EU matters (EUFTE) | 1 essay | 40 min | 5/10 | No |
Try a question now
Pick a test and answer one real reasoning question.
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Answer options
The pass marks
Verbal reasoning needs at least 10/20 on its own. Numerical and abstract are added together, and the total needs at least 10/20.
The reasoning tests are gates and don’t count for the ranking. Use your preparation time to clear them with some margin, then move on to the field test.
The field test and the essay
The field-related test is the only one that ranks you. It has 30 multiple-choice questions on the field you applied for, in language 2, and candidates with at least 15/30 are ranked by score.
EPSO then marks the essays of the best-ranked candidates and checks their eligibility. The essay needs at least 5/10.
Where it sits among the other procedures
This is one AST competition, and the AST page covers how assistant competitions work in general. CAST is the closest neighbour: it’s always open and leads to contract agent posts.
The reasoning tests are the same in every EPSO procedure, so your practice counts for all of them.
What this site does not cover
Laureo practises the three reasoning tests, with the real timings and both pass marks. There is nothing here for the field test or the essay, so you’ll need another source for those.
Data management competition questions, answered
- When is the deadline?
- 11 November 2026 at 12:00 midday Brussels time, for the application and your ID card or passport. Supporting documents are due by 11 March 2027.
- Can I apply for more than one field?
- No. You choose one of the 3 fields when you apply.
- When are the tests?
- EPSO hasn’t announced the date. It says all the tests will very likely be on the same day, and the date will appear on the competition page and in your EPSO account.
- Do the reasoning tests count for the ranking?
- No. You need to pass both reasoning pass marks, and then the field-related test decides your place.
- Do I need a degree?
- No. A secondary diploma plus 6 years of relevant experience is one of the 3 routes in.
Places, dates and eligibility routes are from EPSO’s competition pages, checked on 26 October 2026. Question counts, timings and pass marks are from the notice of competition as reported, and the notice itself overrides anything on this page.