EPSO EUFTE Essay 2026: Format, Marking Criteria and Tips

The EUFTE (Free-text Essay on EU matters) is the written test of the EPSO AD5 2026 competition. It is the last piece of the puzzle: it counts for 15% of the final score and it is only marked for the best-placed candidates. Few candidates prepare for it properly — which is exactly why it can make the difference.

The EUFTE at a glance

• Duration: 40 minutes.
• Written in your language 2.
• You write an essay based on EU-related documentation provided on screen.
• Score: 0 to 10. Pass mark: 5/10.
• Weight: 15% of the final combined score.

According to the notice of competition, the EUFTE assesses written communication skills only: it is "neither a language test nor a test of factual knowledge". You are not marked on your grammar for its own sake, nor on how much you know about EU policy — you are marked on how clearly you communicate.

Who actually gets marked?

This is the part most candidates miss. The essay is only marked for candidates who pass all the other tests and who rank among the top 1.5 times the number of successful candidates sought on the preliminary combined score. With 1,490 places in AD5 2026, that means roughly the best 2,235 candidates.

The preliminary combined score is made of verbal reasoning (40%), EU knowledge (30%) and digital skills (30%). In other words: a strong essay is useless if your Part 1 and Part 2 scores do not get you into that group. Prepare the multiple-choice tests first, then the essay.

What the assessors look for

EPSO marks the essay against published "anchors". Among them, you must:

• structure your text with a logical flow of ideas;
• write concisely, without unnecessary words;
• present the subject matter in an understandable way for the reader.

Practically, a good EUFTE answer reads like a short briefing note: a clear position, well-ordered arguments, and no padding.

A 40-minute plan

• Minutes 0–6 — read and plan. Read the question twice. Skim the documentation and mark the 3–4 points you will use. Write a one-line answer to the question.
• Minutes 6–34 — write. Introduction (your answer in two or three sentences), two or three body paragraphs (one idea each, starting with a topic sentence), conclusion or recommendation.
• Minutes 34–40 — review. Cut repetitions, check that every paragraph answers the question, fix obvious errors.

Five mistakes that cost points

1. Copying the documentation instead of using it to support your own argument.
2. No clear answer in the first paragraph — the reader should know your position immediately.
3. Padding: long introductions, generic sentences about "the importance of the EU".
4. One-block text without paragraphs.
5. Running out of time because you started writing without a plan.

How to practise

Write at least one timed essay per week in your language 2, on topics such as the green transition, digitalisation, migration, enlargement or the single market. Keep strictly to 40 minutes, then reread your text against the three anchors above.

To get started, download our free AD5 Essay Guide (structure, model paragraphs and checklists). And don't forget the condition to be marked at all: a high preliminary score. Train verbal reasoning, EU knowledge and digital skills with our free timed test and full access.

👉 Discover the AD5 preparation pack on qweega.eu