EU traineeships and internships
Almost every EU institution and agency runs a paid traineeship. The Blue Book at the European Commission is the largest with ~1,200 places per intake; the Council, Parliament, ECB, EIB, Court of Justice, EEAS, Court of Auditors and the decentralised agencies each run their own. This page is the canonical index. Compare programmes, see live vacancies, and read the per-programme guides.
Major EU traineeship programmes
| Programme | Host | Location | Duration | Stipend | Intakes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Book Traineeship The flagship EU traineeship. Two intakes per year, ~1,200 places. Mix of policy/administrative and translation streams. | European Commission | Brussels, Luxembourg, EU Delegations | 5 months | ~€1,420/month | Twice a year (March, October) |
| Council Traineeship (Schuman) For recent graduates and current students (paid). Plus an unpaid "compulsory traineeship" for current students whose curriculum requires it. | Council of the EU | Brussels | 5 months | ~€1,335/month | Twice a year (February, September) |
| European Parliament Schuman Traineeship General and journalism options. Open to EU citizens with a university degree, plus a limited number of non-EU places. | European Parliament | Brussels, Luxembourg, Liaison Offices | 5 months | ~€1,500/month | Twice a year (March, October) |
| ECB Traineeship & Graduate Programme Open to economics, finance, law, statistics, IT and HR backgrounds. Also runs a dedicated Graduate Programme for analytical and research tracks. | European Central Bank | Frankfurt | 3 to 12 months | ~€1,170/month | Continuous |
| EIB Internships and Graduate Programme The EU's public bank. Internships in lending, risk, treasury, equity, sustainability, economics; structured Graduate Recruitment Programme for early-career professionals. | European Investment Bank | Luxembourg | 1 to 5 months (internships); 2 years (graduates) | Paid (varies) | Continuous |
| Court of Justice Traineeships Law graduates. Placements with judges' chambers, the Registry, Press and Information, and Directorates. | Court of Justice of the EU | Luxembourg | 5 months | ~€1,470/month | Twice a year (March, October) |
| Europol Traineeship Law enforcement support, data analysis, cybercrime, financial crime, comms. EU citizenship required + security clearance. | Europol | The Hague | 3 to 12 months | ~€840/month | Continuous |
| EEAS Traineeship Two tracks: HQ in Brussels, and "Junior Professionals in Delegation" abroad. | European External Action Service | Brussels and EU Delegations worldwide | 6 months | Paid (location-dependent) | Twice a year |
| Court of Auditors Traineeships Audit, financial management, public-sector control. Open to candidates with degrees relevant to the Court's activity. | European Court of Auditors | Luxembourg | 3, 4 or 5 months | ~€1,500/month | Three intakes per year |
| CEDEFOP Traineeship Vocational education and training research. Open to EU/EEA citizens with a relevant university degree. | CEDEFOP | Thessaloniki | 9 months | Paid | Once a year (autumn) |
Live traineeship vacancies by institution
Latest live traineeship openings
Showing the 10 most recently posted traineeship openings.
Estonian National Graduate Trainee in Advanced Materials and Process Engineering
Job Requisition ID:20894 Date Posted:15 September 2026 Closing Date:13 October 2026 23:59 CET/CEST Publication:External Only Type of Appointment (...
Estonian National Graduate Trainee in Robotics
Job Requisition ID:20893 Date Posted:15 September 2026 Closing Date:13 October 2026 23:59 CET/CEST Publication:External Only Type of Appointment (...
Short Term Internship 2026
At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe. Using the wor...
Le Programme de stages
**l'OCDE - qui nous sommes, ce que nous faisons** L’Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques [(OCDE)](http://www.oecd.org/fr/aprop...
Internship Programme
**The OECD – Who we are, what we do** The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ([OECD](http://www.oecd.org/about/)) is an internati...
Traineeship in the Programme Unit
### Open vacancies There is no open vacancy. ### Ongoing vacancies There is no ongoing vacancy. ### Closed vacancies Contract agent ##### Legal...
Traineeship in the Communications team
### Open vacancies There is no open vacancy. ### Ongoing vacancies There is no ongoing vacancy. ### Closed vacancies Contract agent ##### Legal...
Traineeship in the Programme Unit
### Open vacancies There is no open vacancy. ### Ongoing vacancies There is no ongoing vacancy. ### Closed vacancies Contract agent ##### Legal...
Traineeship in the Communications team
### Open vacancies There is no open vacancy. ### Ongoing vacancies There is no ongoing vacancy. ### Closed vacancies Contract agent ##### Legal...
How EU traineeships work
Every programme is different in detail, but the shape is consistent:
- Eligibility: most require an EU university degree (Bachelor or Master) and either EU citizenship (Blue Book, Schuman, CJEU) or EU/candidate-country citizenship (ECB, EIB). Some agency programmes are stricter on field of study.
- Selection: CV + motivation letter screening, sometimes a written test or interview. Most programmes do not require an EPSO exam.
- Stipend: paid as a monthly grant, not a salary. No social-security contributions, no pension build-up. Travel allowance for the start and end of placement is typical.
- Duration: usually 5 months (sometimes 3 to 12 for the more flexible programmes).
- Outcome: a Certificate of Completion. Some programmes formally encourage trainees to apply for entry-level posts; many alumni network heavily.
Frequently asked questions
How many EU traineeships are there?
Almost every EU institution, agency and joint undertaking runs a traineeship programme. The Blue Book (European Commission) is the largest with ~1,200 places per intake. The Council, Parliament, ECB, EIB, Court of Justice, EEAS, Court of Auditors and the decentralised agencies each run their own. EU Jobs Alert currently lists 10 live traineeship vacancies across these programmes.
Are EU traineeships paid?
The major programmes (Blue Book, Schuman, ECB, EIB, Court of Justice, EEAS, Court of Auditors) are all paid. Stipends range from about €840/month (Europol) to ~€1,500/month (Parliament Schuman, Court of Justice, Court of Auditors). The Council also offers an unpaid "compulsory traineeship" for students whose university curriculum requires it. Agencies vary. Many pay, some don't.
Do I need to be an EU citizen for an EU traineeship?
For most programmes, yes. The Blue Book, Schuman (Council and Parliament), Court of Justice and Court of Auditors are restricted to EU citizens. ECB and EIB are open to citizens of EU and candidate countries. Some research agencies and specialised programmes accept non-EU candidates; check each programme's individual eligibility notice.
How long do EU traineeships last?
Five months is the most common duration (Blue Book, Schuman, Court of Justice). ECB, EIB and Europol traineeships are more flexible (3 to 12 months). CEDEFOP runs a 9-month programme. The EIB Graduate Recruitment Programme is a 2-year structured early-career track.
When are the next application deadlines?
Blue Book opens in January (for October start) and August (for March start). Council and Parliament Schuman follow a similar twice-yearly cycle. ECB, EIB and Europol accept applications on a continuous basis. Check the live vacancies below for current openings, or subscribe to our RSS for new postings.
Can a traineeship lead to a permanent EU job?
Indirectly, yes. Trainees who pass the EU staff regulations medical, who network well and who excel are well-placed to apply for entry-level Temporary Agent or Contract Agent roles. Some agencies hire former trainees into junior CAST positions. The Blue Book is widely viewed as the most reliable "audition" for a Commission career.