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Document C2021/120A/01
Notice of open competition – EPSO/AD/391/21 – Experts in technical support to Member States’ structural reforms and experts in the Schengen acquis (AD 7)
Notice of open competition – EPSO/AD/391/21 – Experts in technical support to Member States’ structural reforms and experts in the Schengen acquis (AD 7)
Notice of open competition – EPSO/AD/391/21 – Experts in technical support to Member States’ structural reforms and experts in the Schengen acquis (AD 7)
PUB/2021/245
OJ C 120A, 8.4.2021, p. 1–28
(BG, ES, CS, DA, DE, ET, EL, EN, FR, GA, HR, IT, LV, LT, HU, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SL, FI, SV)
8.4.2021 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
CA 120/1 |
NOTICE OF OPEN COMPETITION
EPSO/AD/391/21 – EXPERTS IN TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO MEMBER STATES’ STRUCTURAL REFORMS AND EXPERTS IN THE SCHENGEN ACQUIS (AD 7)
(2021/C 120 A/01)
Deadline for registration: 11 May 2021 at 12.00 (midday), Brussels time
The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) is organising an open competition, based on qualifications and tests, to draw up two reserve lists from which mainly the Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) and the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) of the European Commission may recruit new members of the civil service as ‘ administrators’ (function group AD).
This Notice of competition and its annexes form the binding legal framework for this selection procedure.
Please see ANNEX III for the general rules governing open competitions.
Number of successful candidates sought:
1. |
Structural reform support: 45 |
2. |
Schengen acquis: 25 |
This Notice covers two fields. You may only apply to one. You must make your choice when you apply online and you will not be able to change it after you have validated your online application form.
Throughout the selection procedure, you will be invited to sit several tests, as indicated in this notice of competition. EPSO will ensure that the conditions under which you sit such tests are in line with the recommendations established by the relevant Public Health Authorities (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control/other International/European and national authorities).
WHAT TASKS CAN I EXPECT TO PERFORM?
(1) Structural reform support
The Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support will be the main recruiter for this field of the competition. Recruited experts will be in charge of the design, implementation and evaluation of technical support projects, with the aim of supporting administrative and structural reforms in Member States, in the following areas/sectors of expertise:
— |
Public administration |
— |
Judicial system |
— |
Financial sector |
— |
Public revenue administration |
— |
Expenditure management |
— |
Business environment |
— |
Energy and climate sector |
— |
Environment sector |
— |
Education sector |
— |
Health sector |
— |
Social welfare systems |
— |
Digitalisation |
As a structural reform expert, you will be expected to be immediately operational and to demonstrate a high level of expertise in the reform in one or more of the abovementioned areas/sectors. You will also have to demonstrate the capacity to provide advice and support for the design, implementation and evaluation of reforms to public administrations.
(2) Schengen acquis
The Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs will be the main recruiter for this field of the competition. Recruited experts will have to demonstrate relevant legal, policy or practical expertise and knowledge, and will be in charge of the design, implementation and evaluation of the Schengen acquis in Member States, with the aim of reinforcing the legal and policy framework in place, in the following areas/sectors of expertise:
— |
Integrated border management |
— |
External border management |
— |
Police cooperation in the field of implementation of the Schengen acquis |
— |
Visa policy |
— |
Large-scale information systems for border, migration and security, their interoperability and automation of border controls |
— |
Migration management sector, including return |
As a ‘Schengen expert’, you will be expected to be immediately operational and to demonstrate a high level of expertise in one or more of the abovementioned areas/sectors. You will have to be able to provide advice and support, often under tight deadlines, for the design, implementation and evaluation of policy in the context of possible reforms of the Schengen acquis. As part of your tasks, you will be expected to carry out frequent missions to the Member States to perform on-site evaluations or to participate in meetings with Member States and EU agencies.
Please see ANNEX I for more information about the typical duties to be performed.
AM I ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
You must meet ALL of the following general and specific conditions on the closing date for online applications:
(1) General conditions
— |
Enjoy full rights as a citizen of a Member State of the EU |
— |
Meet any obligations under national laws on military service |
— |
Meet the character requirements for the duties concerned |
(2) Specific conditions — languages
You must have knowledge of at least two official EU languages; one at minimum C1 level (thorough knowledge) and the other at minimum B2 level (satisfactory knowledge).
Please note that the minimum levels required above must apply to each linguistic ability (speaking, writing, reading and listening) requested in the application form. These abilities reflect those of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=090000168045bb52
In this Notice of Competition, we will refer to the languages as:
— |
Language 1: language used for the computer-based Multiple-Choice Question tests; |
— |
Language 2: language used for the selection based on qualifications (Talent Screener) and for the assessment centre tests. This must be different from language 1. |
Communication via the EPSO account between EPSO and the candidates who have submitted a valid application will take place in one of the languages they have declared in their application form at B2 level or higher.
Language 2 must be English or French.
This competition is being organised to respond to the needs of DG REFORM and DG HOME. Based on the reasons listed below, successful candidates recruited in these Directorate-generals must have satisfactory knowledge (minimum B2 level) of English or French .
While knowledge of additional languages may be an advantage, DG REFORM and DG HOME mostly resort to English, and to a lesser extent to French, for analytical work, internal communication, as well as communication with external stakeholders, publications and reports, and legislation, as mentioned under ‘Duties’ in Annex I. When communicating with other institutions, DG REFORM and DG HOME also use these two languages in the main.
With this in mind, the following points on the languages used by DG REFORM and DG HOME staff should be emphasised:
— |
English and French are the main languages when it comes to communication between the staff of these directorates-general, internal meetings or internal training sessions. English is also widely used for carrying out analytical work, communicating with external stakeholders, and for drafting publications, reports and legislative proposals. Staff also draft briefings and speeches mostly in English. |
— |
English and French are the main languages used by these two Directorate-Generals in meetings with other services of the Commission, in interservice consultations and in audit procedures; |
— |
Internal training sessions for newcomers are also held in English and French. |
Staff can use languages other than English and French, for instance for country-specific work, and knowledge of other languages is considered an asset. However, laureates require knowledge of English or French to at least B2 level so they can carry out the tasks referred to in the relevant section of the Notice and in Annex I and be immediately operational following recruitment.
This is why, as regards point (4) of Section ‘HOW WILL I BE SELECTED’, English or French must be used for the selection based on qualifications (Talent Screener) and for the assessment centre tests. Besides, the Talent Screener is subject to a comparative assessment by the Selection Board. It is used as a reference document by the Board during the field-related interview at the assessment centre, and is used for recruitment purposes if a candidate is successful. It is therefore in the interest of the service and of the candidates that the Talent Screener is completed in language 2 (English or French).
(3) Specific conditions — qualifications & work experience
A level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least 4 years , attested by a diploma, followed by a minimum of 6 years’ professional experience directly related to the duties of the chosen field as indicated in Annex I,
or
a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least 3 years , attested by a diploma, followed by a minimum of 7 years’ professional experience directly related to the duties of the chosen field as indicated in Annex I.
Please see ANNEX IV for examples of minimum qualifications
HOW WILL I BE SELECTED?
(1) Application process
When completing your application form, you will have to:
— |
select a language 1 and a language 2
|
— |
confirm your eligibility for the competition |
— |
provide further information relevant to the competition (for example: diplomas, work experience and answers to field-related questions (Talent Screener)). |
You can select any of the 24 official EU languages when completing your application form, except for the Talent Screener section which must be completed in your language 2 (English or French) .
By validating your application form, you declare on your honour that you meet all the conditions mentioned under the section ‘Am I eligible to apply?’ Once you have validated your application form, you will no longer be able to make any changes. It is your responsibility to ensure that you complete and validate your application within the deadline.
(2) Computer-based Multiple-Choice Question (MCQ) tests
If the number of candidates exceeds a certain threshold for each field, as defined by the Director of EPSO acting as Appointing Authority, all candidates who validated their application form by the deadline will be invited to sit a series of computer-based MCQ tests either in one of EPSO’s accredited centres or remotely.
Unless instructed otherwise, you must book an appointment for the MCQ tests following the instructions received from EPSO. Typically, you will be offered several dates on which you can sit the tests, in various locations. The booking and testing periods are limited.
If the number of candidates is below the threshold , these tests will be held during the assessment centre (point 5) instead.
The computer-based MCQ tests will be organised as follows:
Tests |
Language |
Questions |
Duration |
Marking |
Pass mark |
Verbal reasoning |
Language 1 |
20 questions |
35 min |
Out of 20 |
10/20 |
Numerical reasoning |
Language 1 |
10 questions |
20 min |
Out of 10 |
Numerical + abstract combined: 10/20 |
Abstract reasoning |
Language 1 |
10 questions |
10 min |
Out of 10 |
These tests are eliminatory and do not count towards the other tests held at the assessment centre.
(3) Eligibility checks
The eligibility requirements laid down in the section ‘Am I eligible to apply?’ above will be checked against the data provided in candidates’ online applications. EPSO will check whether you meet the general eligibility conditions, while the Selection Board will check compliance with the specific eligibility conditions under the sections ‘Education and Training’ and ‘Professional Experience’ of the candidates’ online application, taking into account the duties indicated in Annex I.
There are two possible scenarios:
— |
If the computer-based MCQ tests are organised upfront, the Selection Board will proceed with the eligibility checks of the files of the candidates who have obtained the pass marks in all the tests, as defined in the Notice of competition, and in descending order of the relevant marks obtained in those tests. The files will be checked until the number of eligible candidates reaches a certain threshold, defined by the director of EPSO acting as Appointing Authority prior to testing, and only those candidates will be invited to the next stage of the competition. The other files will not be checked. |
— |
If the computer-based MCQ tests are not organised upfront , the files of all candidates who validated their application form by the deadline will be checked for eligibility. |
Please note that the candidates’ supporting documents will be checked at a later stage (cf point 6 below).
(4) Selection based on qualifications (Talent Screener)
In order to allow the Selection Board to carry out an objective assessment of the comparative merits of all candidates in a structured way, all candidates in the same field of this competition must answer the same set of questions in the ‘Talent Screener’ section of the application form in language 2. The selection based on qualifications will be carried out, only for those candidates deemed eligible as described above in point 3, using solely the information provided in this Talent Screener section. You should therefore include all relevant information in your Talent Screener answers, even if already mentioned in other sections of your application form. The questions are based on the selection criteria included in this notice.
Please see ANNEX II for the list of criteria.
To carry out the selection based on qualifications, the Selection Board will first assign each selection criterion a weighting that reflects its relative importance (1 to 3) and each of the candidate’s responses will be awarded between 0 and 4 points. The points are multiplied by the weighting for each criterion and added up to identify those candidates whose profiles best match the duties to be performed.
Only the candidates with the highest total marks following the selection based on qualifications (Talent Screener) will go through to the next stage.
(5) Assessment centre
A maximum of 3 times the number of successful candidates sought for each field will be invited to this phase. If you meet the eligibility requirements according to the data in your online application and if you scored one of the highest overall marks for the selection based on qualifications, you will be invited to attend an assessment centre (online or in-person) over one or several days in your language 2 (English or French) . Please note that the case study and the written test in the field may be organised either in one of EPSO’s accredited test centres or remotely. Further details and instructions will be included in your invitation letter.
If the computer-based MCQ tests described in point 2 were not organised upfront , you will sit them during the assessment centre phase either in one of EPSO’s accredited centres or remotely. These tests are eliminatory and the marks obtained will not be added to the marks of the other assessment centre tests in the calculation of your total score.
Unless instructed otherwise, you will have to upload scanned copies of your supporting documents to your EPSO account. Further details and instructions will be included in your invitation letter.
Eight general competencies, as well as the field-related competencies required for the competition, will be tested at the assessment centre through five tests (general competency-based interview, case study, situational competency-based interview, field-related interview and written test in the field) as described in the following matrices:
Competency |
Tests |
|||
|
Situational competency-based interview |
Case study |
||
|
Case study |
General competency-based interview |
||
|
Case study |
General competency-based interview |
||
|
Situational competency-based interview |
General competency-based interview |
||
|
Situational competency-based interview |
Case study |
||
|
Situational competency-based interview |
General competency-based interview |
||
|
Situational competency-based interview |
General competency-based interview |
||
|
Situational competency-based interview |
General competency-based interview |
Pass marks: 3/10 per competency and 40/80 in total
Competency |
Test |
Pass mark |
Field-related competencies |
Field-related interview |
25/50 |
Written test in the field |
25/50 |
(6) Reserve list
After checking candidates’ supporting documents against the information provided in their online application form, the Selection Board will draw up a reserve list for each field until the number of successful candidates sought is reached — of those eligible candidates who have obtained all pass marks as well as the highest overall marks following the assessment centre. Names will be listed alphabetically.
The reserve lists and the competency passports, giving qualitative feedback from the Selection Board, of successful candidates will be made available to the EU institutions for recruitment procedures and future career development. Inclusion on a reserve list does not confer any right to or guarantee of recruitment.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND SPECIAL ADJUSTMENTS
EPSO endeavours to apply equal opportunities, treatment and access to all candidates.
If you have a disability or a medical condition that may affect your ability to sit the tests, please indicate this in your application form and let us know the type of special adjustments you need.
Discover more about our equal opportunities policy and procedure to request special adjustments on our website (https://epso.europa.eu/how-to-apply/equal-opportunities_en) and in the General rules annexed to this notice (under point 1.3. Equal opportunities and special adjustments).
WHEN AND WHERE CAN I APPLY?
In order to apply, you will first need to create an EPSO account. Please note that you must create only one account for all EPSO applications.
Apply online on the EPSO website https://jobs.eu-careers.eu by:
11 May 2021 at 12.00 (midday), Brussels time.
ANNEX I
DUTIES
1. Structural reform support
The European Commission is looking for administrators with a strong knowledge of and expertise in structural reforms. The administrators recruited will be expected to perform tasks such as those described below, in one or more of the following areas/sectors of expertise:
— |
Public administration |
— |
Judicial system |
— |
Financial sector |
— |
Public revenue administration |
— |
Expenditure management |
— |
Business environment |
— |
Energy and climate sector |
— |
Environment sector |
— |
Education sector |
— |
Health sector |
— |
Social welfare systems |
— |
Digitalisation |
In these areas/sectors of expertise, the administrators’ main duties may include, but are not limited to:
— |
Providing Member States’ authorities with direct advice at technical and political level (by discussing reform needs), translating Member State requests for support into technical support projects and contributing to their successful implementation on the ground; |
— |
Designing and coordinating technical support projects, as agreed with the Member States, in coordination with other Commission services and technical support providers (officials from other Member States, international organisations, public agencies, private experts); |
— |
Providing direct technical support to reform design and implementation; |
— |
Managing complex contracts or agreements of technical support to Member States, including the drafting of terms of reference and the description of the actions; |
— |
Monitoring the operational implementation of technical support to Member States; |
— |
Contributing to the evaluation of the results of the technical support projects and of the relevant reforms; |
— |
Representing the Commission in discussions with Member States and other stakeholders (technical support providers in particular); |
— |
Providing general analysis on policy developments in the area/sector of expertise; |
— |
Providing inputs from technical support projects in the European Union governance processes, such as the European Semester. |
2. Schengen acquis
The European Commission is looking for administrators with a strong knowledge of and expertise in the Schengen acquis. The Schengen acquis is composed of a wide-range and fast developing set of rules covering external border management, a series of flanking and compensatory measures as well as a robust evaluation and monitoring mechanism. The Schengen acquis concerns different policy areas/sectors on which specific expertise is required in the Commission to develop new policies and provide technical support to Member States (in the context of evaluation and monitoring).
The administrators recruited will be expected to perform tasks such as those described below, in one or more of the following areas/sectors of expertise:
— |
Integrated border management |
— |
External border management |
— |
Police cooperation in the field of implementation of the Schengen acquis |
— |
Visa policy and travel documents |
— |
Large-scale information systems for border, migration and security, their interoperability and automation of border controls |
— |
Migration management sector, including return |
In these areas/sectors of expertise, the administrators’ main duties may include, but are not limited to:
— |
Preparing legislative initiatives on the Schengen acquis and participating in the negotiations with the co-legislator; |
— |
Contributing to the design and implementation of new policy initiatives for the Schengen acquis; |
— |
Providing general analysis on policy developments in the area/sector of expertise; |
— |
Assessing and evaluating existing legislation of the Schengen acquis; |
— |
Identifying new needs and adapting the existing legislation of the Schengen acquis on the basis of the outcome of its evaluation; |
— |
Preparing and coordinating Schengen evaluation missions on the implementation of the Schengen acquis by Member States and Schengen Associated countries; leading the team of experts and following up with the evaluated Member States in coordination with other Commission services and technical support providers (international organisations, EU decentralised agencies, namely CEPOL, EUROPOL, eu-LISA and FRONTEX); |
— |
Monitoring the operational implementation of the Schengen acquis by Member States and EU Agencies; |
— |
Providing Member States’ authorities with direct advice at technical and political level by discussing needs to improve the implementation of the Schengen acquis; |
— |
Contributing to the evaluation of projects supporting the implementation of the Schengen acquis; |
— |
Providing input to projects in the context of the Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI) as part of the Integrated Border Management Fund (IBMF) and Asylum Migration Fund (AMF); |
— |
Representing the Commission in discussions with Member States, the European Parliament and other stakeholders, including technical support providers. |
End of ANNEX I, click here to return to main text
ANNEX II
SELECTION CRITERIA
1. Structural reform support
The Selection Board will consider the following criteria for the selection based on qualifications:
1. |
Professional experience in supporting the design of public sector reform programmes/projects in one or more of the following areas/sectors of expertise:
|
2. |
Professional experience in implementing public sector reform programmes/projects in one or more of the following areas/sectors of expertise:
|
3. |
Professional experience in evaluating the performance of public sector reforms implemented in one or more of the following areas/sectors of expertise:
|
4. |
Professional experience in public sector reforms obtained while working in one or more or for one or more of the following:
|
5. |
Professional experience in supporting or coordinating change management strategies. |
6. |
Professional experience in negotiations with or on behalf of a Member State or a European Institution on reform in the areas/sectors of expertise of this field of the competition. |
7. |
Professional experience in public procurement or project management. |
8. |
Professional experience in academic research and/or teaching on reform in the areas/sectors of expertise of this field of the competition. |
9. |
University degree (Master or PhD) in studies with a specialisation in reform in the areas/sectors of expertise of this field of the competition, in addition to the diploma required to access the competition. |
10. |
Diploma/Certificate in change management, in addition to the diploma required to access the competition. |
2. Schengen acquis
The Selection Board will consider the following criteria for the selection based on qualifications:
1. |
Professional experience in one or more of the following areas/sectors of expertise:
|
2. |
Professional experience in evaluating the performance of Member States as regards the implementation of the Schengen legal framework (e.g., carrying out Schengen evaluations at national or EU level, national or EU audits) in one or more of the following areas/sectors of expertise:
|
3. |
Professional experience in preparing and developing policy or legislation of the Schengen acquis, including in the preliminary stages, such as policy communication, impact assessment, public consultation, coordination of positions, and representation in committees or expert groups. |
4. |
Professional experience in implementing or in enforcing policy or legislation of the Schengen acquis. |
5. |
Professional experience in developing integrated border management strategies at national or EU level. |
6. |
Professional experience in the development and monitoring of operations of EU large-scale information systems for borders, migration and security and their interoperability or in the design and negotiation of their policy and regulatory frameworks. |
7. |
Professional experience in negotiations with or on behalf of a Member State or a European Institution in the areas/sectors of expertise of this field of the competition. |
8. |
University degree (Master or PhD) in studies in the areas/sectors of expertise relevant to this field of the competition, in addition to the diploma required to access the competition. |
End of ANNEX II, click here to return to main text
ANNEX III
GENERAL RULES GOVERNING OPEN COMPETITIONS
GENERAL INFORMATION
Any reference, in the framework of selection procedures organised by EPSO, to a person of a specific gender must be deemed also to constitute a reference to a person of any other gender.
Where candidates tie for the last available place at any stage of the competition, they will all go through to the next stage of the competition. Any re-admitted candidates following a successful appeal will also be invited to the next stage.
Where candidates tie for the last available place on the reserve list, they will all be included on the reserve list. Any re-admitted candidates following a successful appeal at this stage of the procedure will also be added to the reserve list.
1. WHO CAN APPLY?
1.1. General and specific conditions
The general and specific conditions (including knowledge of languages) for each field or profile are indicated in the section ‘Am I eligible to apply?’.
Specific conditions regarding qualifications, professional experience and knowledge of languages vary depending on the profile requested. In your application, you should include as much information as possible regarding your qualifications and professional experience (where required) as described in the section ‘Am I eligible to apply?’ of this notice that is relevant to the duties .
(a) |
Diplomas and/or certificates: Diplomas, whether issued in EU or non-EU countries, must be recognised by an official EU Member State body, e.g. an EU Member State’s education ministry. The Selection Board will allow for differences between education systems. For post-secondary education and technical, professional or specialist training, indicate the subjects covered, the duration and whether it was full-time, part-time or an evening class. |
(b) |
Professional experience (if required) will be taken into account only if it is relevant to the required duties and:
|
1.2. Supporting documents
At different steps of the selection procedure, you will need to provide an official document proving your citizenship (e.g. passport or identity card) which must be valid on the closing date of your application (closing date of the first part of your application in the case of a 2-part application scenario).
All periods of professional activity must be covered by originals or certified photocopies of:
— |
documents from former and current employer(s) stating the nature and level of duties performed, and start and end dates, with the official header and stamp of the company, and the name and signature of the person in charge; or |
— |
employment contract(s) and first and last pay slips, with a detailed description of the duties performed; |
— |
(for non-salaried work, e.g. self-employed, liberal professions) invoices or order forms detailing the work performed or any other relevant official supporting documents; |
— |
(for conference interpreters where professional experience is required) documents attesting the number of days, and languages interpreted from and into, relating specifically to conference interpreting. |
In general, no supporting documents are required to prove your knowledge of languages, except for some linguist or specialist profiles.
You may be asked for additional information or documents at any stage of the procedure. EPSO will inform you of what supporting documents you need to provide and when.
1.3. Equal opportunities and special adjustments
If you have a disability or a medical condition that may hinder your ability to sit the tests, please indicate this in your application form and let us know the type of special adjustments you need. If a disability or condition develops after you have validated your application, you must inform EPSO as soon as possible using the information indicated below.
Please note that you will have to send a certificate from your national authority or a medical certificate to EPSO in order for your request to be taken into consideration. Your supporting documents will be examined, so that reasonable accommodation can be made where required.
Should you encounter any accessibility issues, or should you require more information, please contact the EPSO-accessibility team by:
— |
email (EPSO-accessibility@ec.europa.eu); or |
— |
post:
|
2. BY WHOM WILL I BE ASSESSED?
A Selection Board is appointed to compare candidates and select the best ones on the basis of their competencies, aptitudes and qualifications in the light of the requirements set out in this notice of competition. Its members also decide on the difficulty of the competition tests and approve their content on the basis of proposals made by EPSO.
To ensure the Selection Board’s independence, it is strictly forbidden for candidates or anyone outside the board to attempt to contact any of its members, except in the context of tests which require direct interaction between the candidates and the board.
Candidates who wish to state their case or assert their rights must do so in writing, addressing their correspondence intended for a Selection Board to EPSO, which will pass it on to the board. Any direct or indirect intervention by candidates that does not comply with these procedures is forbidden and may result in disqualification from the competition.
The existence of a family relationship or a hierarchical link between a candidate and a Selection Board member, in particular, gives rise to a conflict of interest. Selection Boards are asked to declare any such situations to EPSO immediately when they become aware of them. EPSO will evaluate each case individually and take the appropriate measures. The non-respect of the above mentioned rules could make Selection Board members liable to disciplinary action and result in disqualification from the competition for candidates (see section 4.4).
The names of the Selection Board members are published on the EPSO website (www.eu-careers.eu) before the beginning of the assessment centre/phase.
3. COMMUNICATION
3.1. Communication with EPSO
You should consult your EPSO account at least twice a week to keep track of your progress during the competition. If you are prevented from doing so because of a technical problem on EPSO’s side, you must notify EPSO immediately and exclusively via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en).
EPSO reserves the right not to supply information that is already clearly stated in this notice of competition, its annexes or on the EPSO website, including under ‘frequently asked questions’.
In all correspondence relating to an application, please mention your name as given in your EPSO account, your application number and the reference number of the selection procedure.
EPSO applies the principles of the code of good administrative behaviour https://ec.europa.eu/info/about-european-union/principles-and-values/ethics-and-integrity/code-conduct-eu-staff_en (as published in the Official Journal). Accordingly, EPSO reserves the right to cease any improper (i.e. repetitive, abusive and/or irrelevant) correspondence.
3.2. Access to information
Candidates have specific rights of access to certain information concerning them individually, granted in the light of the obligation to state reasons, in order to allow for an appeal against rejection decisions.
This obligation to state reasons must be balanced with the confidentiality of the Selection Board proceedings, which ensures the boards’ independence and the objectivity of the selection. Due to confidentiality, attitudes adopted by members of Selection Boards regarding the individual or comparative assessments of candidates cannot be disclosed.
These access rights are specific to candidates in an open competition and legislation on public access to documents may not confer on them rights broader than those specified in this section.
3.2.1. Automatic disclosure
You will automatically receive the following information via your EPSO account after each stage of the selection process organised for a given competition:
— |
MCQ tests: your results and a grid with your answers and the correct answers by reference number/letter. Access to the text of the questions and answers is explicitly excluded; |
— |
eligibility: whether you were admitted; if not, the eligibility conditions that were not met; |
— |
Talent Screener: your results and a grid with the question weightings, the points awarded for your answers and your total score; |
— |
preliminary tests: your results; |
— |
intermediate tests: your results if you are not amongst the candidates invited to the next phase; |
— |
assessment centre/phase: if you are not disqualified, your competency passport showing your overall marks for each competency and the Selection Board’s comment providing quantitative and qualitative feedback on your performance at the assessment centre/phase. |
As a rule, EPSO does not communicate to candidates any source texts or test assignments, as these are intended for re-use in future competitions. For certain tests, however, it may exceptionally publish the source texts or assignments on its website if:
— |
the tests have been completed; |
— |
the results have been established and communicated to candidates; and |
— |
the source texts/assignments are not intended for reuse in future competitions. |
3.2.2. Information on request
You may request an uncorrected copy of your answers in written tests where the content is not intended for reuse in future competitions. This explicitly excludes answers to e-tray exercises and case studies.
Your corrected answer papers and the details of the marking, in particular, are covered by the secrecy of Selection Board proceedings and will not be disclosed.
EPSO endeavours to make as much information available to candidates as possible, in accordance with the obligation to state reasons, the confidential nature of Selection Board proceedings and the rules on the protection of personal data. All requests for information will be evaluated in light of these obligations.
Any requests for information should be submitted via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en) within 10 calendar days of the day your results were published in your EPSO account.
4. COMPLAINTS AND ISSUES
4.1. Technical and organisational issues
If, at any stage of the selection procedure, you encounter a serious technical or organisational problem, in order to allow us to investigate the issue and take corrective measures, please inform EPSO exclusively via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en).
In all correspondence, please mention your name (as given in your EPSO account), your application number and the reference number of the selection procedure.
If the problem occurs at a test centre, please:
— |
alert the invigilators immediately so that a solution can be investigated at the centre itself. In any case, ask them to record your complaint in writing; and |
— |
contact EPSO no later than 3 calendar days after your tests via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en) with a brief description of the problem. |
For problems occurring outside test centres (e.g. mainly concerning the test booking process), please follow the instructions in your EPSO account and on EPSO’s website or contact EPSO immediately via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en).
For issues with your application, you must contact EPSO immediately and in any case before the deadline for applications via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en). Queries sent less than 5 working days before the deadline for applications might not be answered before the deadline.
4.2. Internal review procedures
4.2.1. Error in the computer-based multiple choice questions (MCQs)
The MCQ database is subject to permanent in-depth quality control by EPSO and Selection Boards.
If you believe that an error in one or more of the MCQs affected your ability to answer, you are entitled to ask for the question(s) to be reviewed by the Selection Board (under the ‘neutralisation’ procedure).
Under this procedure, the Selection Board may decide to cancel the question containing the error and to redistribute the points among the remaining questions of the test. Only those candidates who received that question will be affected by the recalculation. The marking of the tests remains as indicated in the relevant sections of this notice of competition.
Arrangements for complaints about the MCQ tests are as follows:
— |
procedure: please contact EPSO only via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en); |
— |
language: in the Language 2 you chose for the competition in question; |
— |
deadline: within 3 calendar days of the date of your computer-based tests; |
— |
additional information: describe what the question was about (content) in order to identify the question(s) concerned, and explain the nature of the alleged error as clearly as possible. |
Requests received after the deadline or that do not clearly describe the contested question(s) and alleged error will not be taken into account.
In particular, complaints merely pointing out alleged issues of translation, and which do not clearly specify the problem, will not be taken into account.
The same review procedure applies with regard to errors in the e-tray exercise.
4.2.2. Requests for review
You can request a review of any decision taken by the Selection Board or EPSO that establishes your results and/or determines whether you can proceed to the next stage of the competition or are excluded.
Requests for review may be based on:
— |
a material irregularity in the competition process; and/or |
— |
non-compliance, by the Selection Board or EPSO, with the Staff Regulations, the notice of competition, its annexes and/or case law. |
Please note that you are not allowed to challenge the validity of the Selection Board’s assessment of the quality of your performance in a test or the relevance of your qualifications and professional experience. This assessment is a value judgment made by the board and your disagreement with the board’s evaluation of your tests, experience and/or qualifications does not prove that it has made an error. Requests for review submitted on this basis will not lead to a positive outcome.
Arrangements for requests for review are as follows:
— |
procedure: please contact EPSO only via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en); |
— |
language: in the Language 2 you chose for the competition in question; |
— |
deadline: within 10 calendar days of the date on which the contested decision was published in your EPSO account; |
— |
additional information: indicate clearly the decision you wish to contest and on what grounds. |
Requests received after the deadline will not be taken into account.
You will receive an acknowledgment of receipt within 15 working days. The body which took the contested decision (either the Selection Board or EPSO) will analyse and decide on your request and you will receive a reasoned reply as soon as possible.
If the outcome is positive, you will be re-entered in the selection process at the stage at which you were excluded, regardless of how far the competition has progressed in the meantime.
4.3. Other forms of contestation
4.3.1. Administrative complaints
As a candidate in an open competition, you have the right to address an administrative complaint to the Director of EPSO acting as the appointing authority.
You may submit a complaint against a decision, or lack thereof, that directly and immediately affects your legal status as a candidate, only if the rules governing the selection procedure have clearly been infringed. The Director of EPSO cannot overturn a value judgment made by a Selection Board (see section 4.2.2).
Arrangements for administrative complaints are as follows:
— |
procedure: please contact EPSO only via the EPSO website (https://epso.europa.eu/help_en); |
— |
language: in the Language 2 you chose for the competition in question; |
— |
deadline: within three months of notification of the contested decision or of the date by which a decision should have been made; |
— |
additional information: indicate clearly the decision you wish to contest and on what grounds. |
Requests received after the deadline will not be taken into account.
4.3.2. Judicial appeals
As a candidate in an open competition, you have the right to submit a judicial appeal to the General Court, under Article 270 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 91 of the Staff Regulations.
Note that appeals against decisions taken by EPSO rather than by the Selection Board will not be admissible before the General Court unless an administrative complaint under Article 90(2) of the Staff Regulations has first been made (see section 4.3.1). In particular, this is the case with the decisions concerning the general eligibility criteria, which are taken by EPSO not the Selection Board.
Arrangements for judicial appeals are as follows:
— |
procedure: please consult the website of the General Court (http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/). |
4.3.3. European Ombudsman
All EU citizens and residents can make a complaint to the European Ombudsman.
Before you submit a complaint to the Ombudsman, you must first make the appropriate administrative approaches to the institutions and bodies concerned (see sections 4.1-4.3).
Making a complaint to the Ombudsman does not extend the deadlines for lodging administrative complaints or judicial appeals.
Arrangements for complaints to the Ombudsman are as follows:
— |
procedure: please consult the website of the European Ombudsman (http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/). |
4.4. Disqualification from the selection procedure
You may be disqualified at any stage in a selection procedure if EPSO finds that you:
— |
have created more than one EPSO account; |
— |
have applied to incompatible fields or profiles; |
— |
do not meet all the eligibility conditions; |
— |
made false declarations or declarations unsupported by the appropriate documents; |
— |
have failed to book or sit one or more of your tests; |
— |
have cheated during the tests; |
— |
did not declare in your application form the languages required in this Notice of Competition, or did not declare the minimum level(s) required for those languages; |
— |
attempted to contact a member of the Selection Board in an unauthorised manner; |
— |
failed to inform EPSO of a possible conflict of interest with a Selection Board member; |
— |
submitted your application in a language other than that/those specified in this notice of competition (allowances may be made regarding the use of another language for proper nouns, official titles and job titles as indicated in the supporting documents or labels/titles of diplomas); and/or |
— |
signed or wrote a distinctive mark on anonymously marked written or practical tests. |
Candidates for recruitment by the EU institutions must show the highest possible integrity. Fraud or attempted fraud may render you liable to penalty and compromise your eligibility for future competitions.
End of ANNEX III, click here to return to main text
ANNEX IV
EXAMPLES OF MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS PER MEMBER STATE AND THE UNITED KINGDOM AND PER GRADE CORRESPONDING, IN PRINCIPLE, TO THOSE REQUIRED BY THE NOTICES OF COMPETITION
Please click here for an easy-to-read version of these examples
COUNTRY |
AST-SC 1 to AST-SC 6 AST 1 to AST 7 |
AST 3 to AST 11 |
AD 5 to AD 16 |
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Secondary education (giving access to post-secondary education) |
Post-secondary education (non-university higher education course or short university course lasting at least two years) |
University-level education (lasting at least three years) |
University-level education (four years or more) |
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Belgique — België — Belgien |
Certificat de l’enseignement secondaire supérieur (CESS)/Diploma secundair onderwijs Diplôme d'aptitude à accéder à l'enseignement supérieur (DAES)/Getuigschrift van hoger secundair onderwijs Diplôme d'enseignement professionnel/Getuigschrift van het beroepssecundair onderwijs |
Candidature/Kandidaat Graduat/Gegradueerde Bachelor/Professioneel gerichte Bachelor |
Bachelor académique (180 crédits) Academisch gerichte Bachelor (180 ECTS) |
Licence/Licentiaat Master Diplôme d'études approfondies (DEA) Diplôme d'études spécialisées (DES) Diplôme d'études supérieures spécialisées (DESS) Gediplomeerde in de Voortgezette Studies (GVS) Gediplomeerde in de Gespecialiseerde Studies (GGS) Gediplomeerde in de Aanvullende Studies (GAS) Agrégation/Aggregaat Ingénieur industriel/Industrieel ingenieur Doctorat/Doctoraal diploma |
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България |
Диплома за завършено средно образование |
Специалист по … |
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Диплома за висше образование Бакалавър Магистър |
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Česká republika |
Vysvědčení o maturitní zkoušce |
Vysvědčení o absolutoriu (Absolutorium) + diplomovaný specialista (DiS.) |
Diplom o ukončení bakalářského studia (Bakalář) |
Diplom o ukončení vysokoškolského studia Magistr Doktor |
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Danmark |
Bevis for: Studentereksamen Højere Forberedelseseksamen (HF) Højere Handelseksamen (HHX) Højere Afgangseksamen (HA) Bac pro: Bevis for Højere Teknisk Eksamen (HTX) |
Videregående uddannelser = Bevis for = Eksamensbevis som (erhvervsakademiuddannelse AK) |
Bachelorgrad (BA eller BS) Professionsbachelorgrad Diplomingeniør |
Kandidatgrad/Candidatus Master/Magistergrad (mag.art) Licenciatgrad ph.d.-grad |
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Deutschland |
Abitur/Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife Fachabitur/Zeugnis der Fachhochschulreife |
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Fachhochschulabschluss Bachelor |
Hochschulabschluss/Fachhochschulabschluss/Master Magister Artium/Magistra Artium Staatsexamen/Diplom Erstes Juristisches Staatsexamen Doktorgrad |
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Eesti |
Gümnaasiumi lõputunnistus + riigieksamitunnistus Lõputunnistus kutsekeskhariduse omandamise kohta |
Tunnistus keskhariduse baasil kutsekeskhariduse omandamise kohta |
Bakalaureusekraad (min 120 ainepunkti) Bakalaureusekraad (< 160 ainepunkti) |
Rakenduskõrghariduse diplom Bakalaureusekraad (160 ainepunkti) Magistrikraad Arstikraad Hambaarstikraad Loomaarstikraad Filosoofiadoktor Doktorikraad (120–160 ainepunkti) |
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Éire/Ireland |
Ardteistiméireacht, Grád D3, I 5 ábhar/Leaving Certificate Grade D3 in 5 subjects Gairmchlár na hArdteistiméireachta (GCAT)/Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) |
Teastas Náisiúnta/National Certificate Gnáthchéim bhaitsiléara/Ordinary bachelor degree Dioplóma náisiúnta (ND, Dip.)/National diploma (ND, Dip.) Ardteastas (120 ECTS)/Higher Certificate (120 ECTS) |
Céim onóracha bhaitsiléara (3 bliana/180 ECTS) (BA, B.Sc, B.Eng)/Honours bachelor degree (3 years/180 ECTS) (BA, B.Sc, B.Eng) |
Céim onóracha bhaitsiléara (4 bliana/240 ECTS)/Honours bachelor degree (4 years/240 ECTS) Céim ollscoile/University degree Céim mháistir (60-120 ECTS)/Master’s degree (60-120 ECTS) Dochtúireacht/Doctorate |
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Ελλάδα |
Απολυτήριο Γενικού Λυκείου Απολυτήριο Κλασικού Λυκείου Απολυτήριο Τεχνικού Επαγγελματικού Λυκείου Απολυτήριο Ενιαίου Πολυκλαδικού Λυκείου Απολυτήριο Ενιαίου Λυκείου Απολυτήριο Τεχνολογικού Επαγγελματικού Εκπαιδευτηρίου |
Δίπλωμα επαγγελματικής κατάρτισης (IΕΚ) |
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Πτυχίο ΑΕI (πανεπιστημίου, πολυτεχνείου, ΤΕI) Μεταπτυχιακό Δίπλωμα Ειδίκευσης (2ος κύκλος) Διδακτορικό Δίπλωμα (3ος κύκλος) |
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España |
Bachillerato + Curso de Orientación Universitaria (COU) Bachillerato BUP Diploma de Técnico especialista |
FP grado superior (Técnico superior) |
Diplomado/Ingeniero técnico |
Licenciatura Máster Ingeniero Título de Doctor |
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France |
Baccalauréat Diplôme d'accès aux études universitaires (DAEU) Brevet de technicien |
Diplôme d'études universitaires générales (DEUG) Brevet de technicien supérieur (BTS) Diplôme universitaire de technologie (DUT) Diplôme d'études universitaires scientifiques et techniques (DEUST) |
Licence |
Maîtrise Maîtrise des sciences et techniques (MST), maîtrise des sciences de gestion (MSG), diplôme d'études supérieures techniques (DEST), diplôme de recherche technologique (DRT), diplôme d'études supérieures spécialisées (DESS), diplôme d'études approfondies (DEA), master 1, master 2 professionnel, master 2 recherche Diplôme des grandes écoles Diplôme d'ingénieur Doctorat |
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Hrvatska |
Svjedodžba o državnoj maturi Svjedodžba o završnom ispitu |
Stručni pristupnik/pristupnica |
Baccalaureus/Baccalaurea (sveučilišni prvostupnik/prvostupnica) |
Baccalaureus/Baccalaurea (sveučilišni prvostupnik/prvostupnica) Stručni specijalist Magistar struke Magistar inženjer/magistrica inženjerka (mag. ing) Doktor struke Doktor umjetnosti |
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Italia |
Diploma di maturità (vecchio ordinamento) Perito ragioniere Diploma di superamento dell’esame di Stato conclusivo dei corsi di studio di istruzione secondaria superiore |
Diploma universitario (DU) Certificato di specializzazione tecnica superiore Attestato di competenza (4 semestri) |
Diploma di laurea — L (breve) |
Diploma di laurea (DL) Laurea specialistica (LS) Master di I livello Dottorato di ricerca (DR) |
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Κύπρος |
Απολυτήριο |
Δίπλωμα = Programmes offered by Public/Private Schools of Higher Education (for the latter accreditation is compulsory) Higher Diploma |
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Πανεπιστημιακό Πτυχίο/Bachelor Master Doctorat |
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Latvija |
Atestāts par vispārējo vidējo izglītību Diploms par profesionālo vidējo izglītību |
Diploms par pirmā līmeņa profesionālo augstāko izglītību |
Bakalaura diploms (min. 120 kredītpunktu) |
Bakalaura diploms (160 kredītpunktu) Profesionālā bakalaura diploms Maģistra diploms Profesionālā maģistra diploms Doktora grāds |
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Lietuva |
Brandos atestatas |
Aukštojo mokslo diplomas Aukštesniojo mokslo diplomas |
Profesinio bakalauro diplomas Aukštojo mokslo diplomas |
Aukštojo mokslo diplomas Bakalauro diplomas Magistro diplomas Daktaro diplomas Meno licenciato diplomas |
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Luxembourg |
Diplôme de fin d’études secondaires et techniques |
BTS Brevet de maîtrise Brevet de technicien supérieur Diplôme de premier cycle universitaire (DPCU) Diplôme universitaire de technologie (DUT) |
Bachelor Diplôme d'ingénieur technicien |
Master Diplôme d'ingénieur industriel DESS en droit européen |
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Magyarország |
Gimnáziumi érettségi bizonyítvány Szakközépiskolai érettségi-képesítő bizonyítvány |
Felsőfokú szakképesítést igazoló bizonyítvány (Higher Vocational Programme) |
Főiskolai oklevél Alapfokozat (Bachelor degree 180 credits) |
Egyetemi oklevél Alapfokozat (Bachelor degree 240 credits) Mesterfokozat (Master degree) (Osztatlan mesterképzés) Doktori fokozat |
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Malta |
Advanced Matriculation or GCE Advanced level in 3 subjects (2 of them grade C or higher) Matriculation certificate (2 subjects at Advanced level and 4 at Intermediate level including Systems of Knowledge with overall grade A-C) + Passes in the Secondary Education Certificate examination at Grade 5 2 A Levels (passes A-C) + a number of subjects at Ordinary level, or equivalent |
MCAST diplomas/certificates Higher National Diploma |
Bachelor’s degree |
Bachelor’s degree Master of Arts Doctorate |
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Nederland |
Diploma VWO Diploma staatsexamen (2 diploma's) Diploma staatsexamen voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs (Diploma staatsexamen VWO) Diploma staatsexamen hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs (Diploma staatsexamen HAVO) |
Kandidaatsexamen Associate degree (AD) |
Bachelor (WO) HBO bachelor degree Baccalaureus of ‘Ingenieur’ |
HBO/WO Master's degree Doctoraal examen/Doctoraat |
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Österreich |
Matura/Reifeprüfung Reife- und Diplomprüfung Berufsreifeprüfung |
Kollegdiplom/Akademiediplom |
Fachhochschuldiplom/Bakkalaureus/Bakkalaurea |
Universitätsdiplom Fachhochschuldiplom Magister/Magistra Master Diplomprüfung, Diplom-Ingenieur Magisterprüfungszeugnis Rigorosenzeugnis Doktortitel |
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Polska |
Świadectwo dojrzałości Świadectwo ukończenia liceum ogólnokształcącego |
Dyplom ukończenia kolegium nauczycielskiego Świadectwo ukończenia szkoły policealnej |
Licencjat/Inżynier |
Magister/Magister inżynier Dyplom doktora |
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Portugal |
Diploma de Ensino Secundário Certificado de Habilitações do Ensino Secundário |
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Bacharel Licenciado |
Licenciado Mestre Doutorado |
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România |
Diplomă de bacalaureat |
Diplomă de absolvire (colegiu universitar) Învățământ preuniversitar |
Diplomă de licenţă |
Diplomă de licenţă Diplomă de inginer Diplomă de urbanist Diplomă de master Certificat de atestare (studii academice postuniversitare) Diplomă de doctor |
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Slovenija |
Maturitetno spričevalo (spričevalo o poklicni maturi) (spričevalo o zaključnem izpitu) |
Diploma višje strokovne šole |
Diploma o pridobljeni visoki strokovni izobrazbi |
Univerzitetna diploma Magisterij Specializacija Doktorat |
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Slovensko |
Vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške |
Absolventský diplom |
Diplom o ukončení bakalárskeho štúdia (Bakalár) |
Diplom o ukončení vysokoškolského štúdia Bakalár (Bc.) Magister Magister/Inžinier ArtD. |
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Suomi/Finland |
Ylioppilastutkinto tai peruskoulu + kolmen vuoden ammatillinen koulutus – Studentexamen eller grundskola + treårig yrkesinriktad utbildning Todistus yhdistelmäopinnoista (Betyg över kombinationsstudier) |
Ammatillinen opistoasteen tutkinto – Yrkesexamen på institutnivå |
Kandidaatin tutkinto – Kandidatexamen/Ammattikorkeakoulututkinto – Yrkeshögskoleexamen (min. 120 opintoviikkoa – studieveckor) |
Maisterin tutkinto – Magisterexamen/Ammattikorkeakoulututkinto – Yrkeshögskoleexamen (min. 160 opintoviikkoa – studieveckor) Tohtorin tutkinto (Doktorsexamen) joko 4 vuotta tai 2 vuotta lisensiaatin tutkinnon jälkeen – antingen 4 år eller 2 år efter licentiatexamen Lisensiaatti/Licentiat |
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Sverige |
Slutbetyg från gymnasieskolan (3-årig gymnasial utbildning) |
Högskoleexamen (80 poäng) Högskoleexamen, 2 år, 120 högskolepoäng Yrkeshögskoleexamen/Kvalificerad yrkeshögskoleexamen, 1–3 år |
Kandidatexamen (akademisk examen omfattande minst 120 poäng, varav 60 poäng fördjupade studier i ett ämne + uppsats motsvarande 10 poäng) Meriter på grundnivå: Kandidatexamen, 3 år, 180 högskolepoäng (Bachelor) |
Magisterexamen (akademisk examen omfattande minst 160 poäng, varav 80 poäng fördjupade studier i ett ämne + uppsats motsvarande 20 poäng eller två uppsatser motsvarande 10 poäng vardera)
Meriter på avancerad nivå:
Meriter på forskarnivå:
|
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United Kingdom |
General Certificate of Education Advanced level — 2 passes or equivalent (grades A to E) BTEC National Diploma General National Vocational Qualification (GNVQ), advanced level Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education, A level (VCE A level) |
Higher National Diploma/Certificate (BTEC)/SCOTVEC Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ) level 4 |
(Honours) Bachelor degree NB: Master’s degree in Scotland |
Honours Bachelor degree Master’s degree (MA, MB, MEng, MPhil, MSc) Doctorate |
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NOTE: UK diplomas awarded in 2020 (until 31 December 2020) are accepted without an equivalence. UK diplomas awarded as from 1 January 2021 must be accompanied by an equivalence issued by a competent authority of an EU Member State. |
End of ANNEX IV, click here to return to main text