Part 1 of EPSO/AD/427/26 (verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning) is taken at home, on your own computer, under remote invigilation. EPSO has published detailed instructions for this competition, and some of the rules are easy to miss: no paper, no second screen, no charger plugged in once the test has started. This article goes through what the instructions say, in the order you will meet it.
The format
The notice of competition states that the tests “will be held and proctored (invigilated) remotely”. The competition page names the platform: TAO, by Open Assessment Technologies. The invigilation runs through Proctorio, a browser extension. The reasoning tests are in your Language 1, the language you declared at C1 level.
| Test | Questions | Time | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal reasoning | 20 | 35 min | 10/20 |
| Numerical reasoning | 10 | 20 min | 10/20 combined |
| Abstract reasoning | 10 | 10 min |
On 30 June 2026, EU Careers announced that all three tests are taken in one session, on a date assigned to each candidate, and that rescheduling is not possible. The invitation arrives in your candidate account. The notice asks candidates to check that account at least every three calendar days.
Computer and software
From the TAO instructions for EPSO/AD/427/26:
- Desktop or laptop only. Phones and tablets are not supported. Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.15 or later, or Ubuntu 18.04 or later.
- Chrome or Edge, in the version given in the instructions, with the Proctorio extension installed and permission to record the screen.
- Administrator rights on the computer. EPSO advises against corporate laptops, which usually do not give them.
- A camera and a microphone. A built-in camera is preferred; virtual cameras and camera management software are not allowed.
- A single screen. A second monitor is forbidden.
- Antivirus, firewall, VPN and any web proxy switched off, and the system clock set to your time zone.
- A wired connection, or a strong Wi-Fi signal that nobody else is using heavily during the test.
The prerequisite test
Before the real session, there is a technical check: system diagnostics, webcam image, ID check, room and desk scan, then the exam agreement. It is not scored. The instructions describe it as “highly recommended” and say that technical complaints may be dismissed if it was not done.
It can usually be taken only once per competition. Do it on the same computer, keyboard, mouse, network and in the same room as on the day.
ID check and room scan
You need a passport or ID card with your name and photo on the same side. If yours has them on different sides, the instructions ask you to send EPSO a single PDF of both sides through the candidate portal, by 23:59 CET on the calendar day after the test.
The room scan lasts between 20 and 60 seconds: a slow 360° turn, then the desk, under the desk, around the chair and behind the screen.
What is allowed on the desk
- The laptop, plugged in and charging.
- Mouse, mousepad, external keyboard and numeric keypad (wireless is fine), a USB multi-port adapter.
- Up to two plain white tissues.
- One clear drink in a transparent container with no label.
Everything else is excluded. The list includes phones within reach, smartwatches, headphones and earplugs, docking stations, external calculators, books, notes, pens, pencils, paper, food, coats, hats and bags.
For numerical reasoning, this means working with the calculator built into the platform and its on-screen scratchpad. The calculator takes a dot as the decimal separator (12.5, not 12,5). TAO also has a highlighter, a line reader, zoom and a tool to cross out answer options.
What ends a test automatically
The instructions list actions after which Proctorio closes the session with no way back in, including:
- plugging in a charger after the start;
- connecting a second screen;
- opening another tab, reloading or closing the test tab, leaving full screen;
- changing network or using a proxy;
- removing permissions or uninstalling Proctorio;
- being disconnected from Proctorio for more than two minutes.
The recording is then reviewed by a person. Speaking or reading aloud, another person in the room, leaving the desk, covering your face, writing notes, eating, or switching off the camera or microphone can lead to disqualification.
During the test
Within a test, you can move between questions, bookmark the ones you want to revisit and come back to them before submitting. If you submit with questions left blank and time remaining, a warning lets you go back. A timer shows the time left for the current test.
If something goes wrong
During the test, call TAO support on the number given in the instructions, and stay seated in front of the camera during the call. After the test, the notice gives you three calendar days to contact EPSO through your candidate account, with a detailed description of the problem and proof of what you did to solve it. A complaint does not automatically lead to a retest.
Final week checklist
- Read the TAO instructions for EPSO/AD/427/26 and your invitation letter.
- Take the prerequisite test on the computer and in the room you will use.
- Check admin rights, the Proctorio extension and the browser version.
- The evening before: clear the desk, unplug extra screens and docks, put your ID and a clear drink within reach.
- On the day: charger plugged in before the start, antivirus and VPN off, log in a few minutes early.
Practising before the day
Once the setup is sorted, what remains is the reasoning itself. EPSODrill has verbal, numerical and abstract questions in the EPSO format, with ten free questions per test and no sign-up. Pro accounts also have timed exams with the same number of questions and the same durations as Part 1. EPSODrill has no built-in calculator, so for numerical practice, use your computer's calculator and no paper, which is close to the conditions on the day.