European Parliament Traineeships

Did you know the Parliament offers traineeships to young people? Find out with Adela and Freddie how to apply and what kind of an experience could be in store for you too. Watch the video below.

Traineeships for university graduates are called a Robert Schuman Traineeship

Traineeships for university graduates are intended to enable trainees to build on the knowledge they acquired during their studies and to familiarise themselves with the activities of the European Union and, in particular, the European Parliament.

Three types of traineeships are available:

• the general option, open to any candidate who meets the criteria.
• the journalism option: candidates must provide proof of professional experience, as evidenced either by works published, or by membership of an association of journalists in an EU Member State, or by a qualification in journalism recognized in the EU Member States or in the applicant countries.
• the Sakharov Prize option: This traineeship programme aims to enhance trainees' knowledge of the European Parliament's human rights work and international human rights standards. It is aimed at candidates with a particular interest in human rights.

Applicants for a traineeship for university graduates must:

• be nationals of an EU Member State or an applicant country, without prejudice to the provisions of Article 5(2) of the Internal Rules;
• be aged 18 or over on their traineeship starting date;
• have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union;
• not have been awarded any other traineeship or have been in paid employment for more than four consecutive weeks the cost of which was charged to the European Union budget.

These traineeships are awarded for a period of five months which cannot be extended.

Traineeship dates and deadlines for receipt of applications:

• Application period: 15 August – 15 October (midnight)
  Traineeship period: 1 March – 31 July
• Application period: 15 March – 15 May (midnight)
  Traineeship period: 1 October – 28/29 February

Every year, 25 000 people apply for a traineeship at Parliament and 600 of them are selected.

To apply for the traineeship, you must meet the conditions and complete the online application form.

Before applying

• We advise you to read carefully the ‘Internal Rules governing traineeships and study visits in the Secretariat of the European Parliament’ and the Frequently Asked Questions before filling in the application form.
• You have 30 minutes to complete each page of the form. Please note that if you leave your application form inactive for 30 minutes, the data you have entered will be lost.
• We advise you not to wait until the last day to apply, as a large number of last-minute applications could overload the system.
• Candidates with a disability must take careful note of the conditions which apply to them.
• To ensure that you apply to those directorates-general that best suit your profile, you should read the descriptions of their activities by clicking on the information button on the last page of the application form or by visiting the website of the European Parliament Secretariat.
• The application cannot be modified online. It must be completed and sent in one step. After filling in your application, please make sure that it is correct and complete before submitting it.
• You may send only one application for one traineeship option. If you submit multiple applications for one option we will keep only the most recent one.

• Please note that any incomplete applications will automatically be rejected.
• Once you have confirmed/sent your online application, you will automatically receive a confirmation message sent to your email address. The message contains a confirmation number, which you should quote in all future correspondence concerning the traineeship, and the summary of your application in pdf format, a paper version of which will be requested if we offer you a traineeship.

See:

• Internal Rules governing traineeships and study visits
• Online application form for a traineeship for university graduates
• FAQs
• European Parliament Secretariat
• Code of Good Practice for the Employment of People with Disabilities
• Practical information - Brussels
• Practical information - Luxembourg
• Practical information - Strasbourg