If you are looking at the assistant (AST) career, the useful question is not only “is there a competition now”. It is “what is the rhythm”. Looking at what EPSO has run and planned over four years shows that AST competitions come round every year, each in a different field, which tells you what to do in the months between.
Four years of AST competitions
| Year | Competition | Status of the information |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | EPSO/AST/156/24, assistants including a financial management field | As recapped by a training provider |
| 2025 | AST 3 communication: graphic design and visual content, social media and digital communication, webmaster | As recapped by a training provider |
| 2026 | EPSO/AST/158/26, 964 assistants in three data and information fields, closing 11 November 2026 | From the notice, C/2026/4963 |
| 2027 | Parliamentary work (March*), proofreaders and editors in Luxembourg in eight languages (May*), ICT (November*) | EPSO planner, last updated 22 September 2026; to be confirmed |
What this shows: each round picks a field, and the fields change. It also shows that the 2027 plan has three AST lines, more than any single year in this table. One earlier precedent for the first of them is EPSO/AST/134/14, a competition for assistants in the field of parliamentary work, published in 2014. That is a long time ago, so use it only to know the profile exists.
Why this matters for your timing
- A notice gives about five weeks. AST/158 was open from 6 October to 11 November 2026. You cannot build experience or find documents in five weeks.
- The field decides eligibility. In AST/158 each field listed the diploma areas it accepted, and experience had to match the field's duties. Your field now tells you which 2027 line fits you.
- The first stage is the same everywhere. The reasoning tests are the first gate in each field, so one preparation serves any of them. The grade and its pay are explained in our AST 3 career guide.
Matching yourself to the 2027 lines
You do not need to know the notice to ask the right question of each line:
- Parliamentary work, March. Do you have experience supporting committees, procedures or legislative work, in a parliament or similar body?
- Proofreaders and editors, Luxembourg, May. Do you work professionally with texts in one of the eight languages, which the planner does not name on this line?
- ICT, November. What can you document in systems, development, operations or support?
The notices will set the real conditions, and we update our guides on the day they appear. The grade, levels and fields are to be confirmed on the planner. See also our 2027 planner guide.
What to do in the months between
- Pick the line that matches your experience and collect the evidence now: certificates with exact dates and duties.
- Train the reasoning tests, starting from the 8-week plan.
- Read the AST/158 notice to see how EPSO words diploma areas and relevant experience at AST 3.
Whatever the field, the first stage is the same set of reasoning tests. EU Testing has a free 5-question sample for each of verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning, so you can see the formats before you decide to train more. Try the free samples →
Frequently asked questions
How often does EPSO run AST competitions?
In the years we can see, there has been roughly one a year: a finance field in 2024, communication in 2025 and data management in 2026, with three AST lines on the 2027 planner. The 2024 and 2025 details are as recapped by a training provider.
Which AST competitions are planned for 2027?
Assistants in parliamentary work (March), proofreaders and editors in Luxembourg in eight languages (May) and ICT (November), per EPSO's planner as last updated on 22 September 2026. All months are to be confirmed.
How long do I have to apply once a notice is out?
About five weeks in the recent cases. EPSO/AST/158/26 opened on 6 October 2026 with a deadline of 11 November 2026 in the original notice. Check the competition page for any amended date.
Can I prepare for an AST competition without knowing the field?
You can prepare the reasoning tests, which are the first gate in every field, and gather evidence of your experience. The field test depends on the notice.
Where can I read about the AST 3 grade and pay?
Our AST 3 career guide explains the grade, the starting salary of 4,806.17 euros a month in basic pay and the two ways to qualify.
2026: notice EPSO/AST/158/26 (C/2026/4963). 2027: EPSO planner, last updated 22 September 2026. 2024 and 2025 as recapped by a training provider. As on 4 November 2026.