Virtual Blue Book - Administrative Traineeship

Phase 1 - Applications for traineeship positions

If you pass the eligibility checks, you will be included in the Virtual Blue Book. From there, you can apply for specific traineeship positions and take part in the selection process until a final placement offer is made.

You will receive instructions on how to access the Virtual Blue Book portal where Commission Directorates-General (DGs), services and agencies publish traineeship positions for the upcoming session. The number of available positions corresponds to the traineeships offered for that session.

Please note that certain Directorates General, services or agencies may not recruit nationals from non-EU countries.    

Step 1 – Consultation of positions

At the start of Phase 1, all available traineeship positions can be consulted. 

You may mark any number of positions as favourites.

Step 2 – Application rounds

The consultation phase is followed by three application rounds. 

You may apply for up to three positions in total, one per round, in line with the published schedule.

Motivation and cover letters

General motivation

When applying for your first position, you must complete a general motivation section:

• Minimum 500 and maximum 1 500 characters

• Explaining your interest in a traineeship. 

   

This general motivation:

• Is common to all applications

• Any changes made later will apply to all three applications.

   

Cover letters

For each position you apply for, you must:

• Upload a position-specific cover letter (PDF format)
• Submit your application via “Apply online”.

You are strongly advised to tailor each cover letter to the specific position. 

Both the general motivation and cover letters are assessed by recruiting services and can significantly influence the selection outcome.
 

Recruitment and selection process

• Recruiting units can see all applications submitted across the three rounds.
• They may start selecting candidates at any time and are not required to wait until all rounds are completed.
• They are not obliged to inform candidates of the outcome of their applications or provide justification for their decisions. 

You may:

• Be contacted for an informal interview
• Be informed of a potential selection before applying for a second or third position.

Such contacts are not binding.
Only a written placement offer issued by the Traineeships Office confirms a selection. 

Until you receive an official placement offer in your candidate account, you are advised to continue applying (up to three positions) to maximise your chances.

Non-EU candidates: 

The recruitment of non-EU candidates involves additional administrative steps required by national authorities. As a result, the selection of non-EU candidates concludes at the end of the first phase. 

Phase 2 – Late selection

If none of your 3 applications has been successful, or if you have missed the application window, you may still have a chance to be selected in a second phase.

Recruiting services that have not yet filled all positions may:

• Continue the selection process
• Contact candidates who have not received a placement offer

• Select also candidates who did not apply to them during Phase 1.

   

Important: 

• Being preselected does not guarantee a traineeship placement; the Virtual Blue Book contains at least three times as many applicants as there are available places. 

• If you are selected, you will receive only one placement offer. If you decline it, your application will be automatically withdrawn from the Virtual Blue Book, and you will not be given another chance for the same traineeship session. 

• If you are no longer available or interested in a traineeship, please inform the Traineeships Office via the Contact form.