European Union Official

Typical Salary

£23,500 To £173,500

Typical Hours

37 to 39 a week

evenings away from home

How To Become a European Union Official

You can get into this job through:

a university course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role

College / University

You'll need a degree and 1 to 3 years' professional experience for administrator jobs. If you're a recent graduate, you'll usually start as a junior administrator.

2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

Apprenticeship

You can work towards this role by starting with an advanced apprenticeship as a business administrator.

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

It may be possible to work your way into this job by starting in a role with less responsibility and applying for promotion when you've got more experience. There are two levels you can start with, depending on your qualifications:

Support level
Assistant level

For a Support level job like secretary or clerk, you'll need one of the following:

2 A levels or equivalent and 3 years' professional experience
1 year of professional training and 3 years' professional experience

For Assistant level jobs, you'll usually need one of the following:

a higher national diploma or equivalent
2 A levels or similar qualifications, plus relevant work experience

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
knowledge of English language
analytical thinking skills
excellent verbal communication skills
knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
the ability to read English
the ability to use your initiative
maths knowledge
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

Your day-to-day duties may include:

drawing up new laws
taking part in negotiations with non-EU countries
putting new policies and programmes into practice
attending meetings and conferences
preparing research and reports
answering questions from members of the European Parliament
managing staff, finances or equipment

Working Environment

You could work in an office.

Career Path & Progression

Career Path & Progression are not listed for this job.

Volunteering Opportunities

If you’re a graduate, you may be able to get useful work experience through the European Commission Traineeship Scheme. This is a 5-month training and work placement programme.

Tips & Information

Career tips

You must apply for jobs at all grades through an annual selection process known as an 'open competition'. This involves computer-based testing in your home country, and an assessment stage held in Brussels.

If you're successful at the assessment stage, you'll be put on a reserve list for up to 1 year. Candidates from the reserve list will then be selected for interview when a suitable job comes up.

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a European Union official from EU Careers.

Details on how to apply can be found from the European Personnel Selection Office.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

be able to speak a second EU language
be a citizen of an EU member state

You do not need a qualification in the second language, but you'll be tested during the recruitment process. Sample tests can be found on EU Careers.