The Blue Book Traineeship is the European Commission's main five-month paid traineeship for recent university graduates. Two intakes run every year, one starting in March and one in October, and trainees are placed across Commission Directorates-General and services in Brussels, Luxembourg and a few other duty stations.
The programme owes its name to the printed booklet of trainee CVs that DG HR used to share with services. Applicants must hold at least a 3-year university degree, have a thorough knowledge of English, French or German plus one other EU official language, and have no more than 6 weeks of prior professional experience inside an EU institution. Selection is in two stages: an online application with CV, motivation letter and competency answers, followed by a pre-selection that creates the "Blue Book" pool. Services then pick trainees directly from the pool based on academic background and motivation. Trainees receive a monthly grant of around EUR 1,470 (2026 figure) plus travel reimbursement and accident and health insurance. Day-to-day work mirrors that of junior policy officers: drafting briefings, attending meetings, contributing to legislative files, organising events. The Blue Book is the most common entry pathway into a longer EU career: a large share of trainees later sit an EPSO competition or move into CAST or temporary-agent contracts.
Frequently asked questions
- When are the application windows for the Blue Book Traineeship?
- Applications for the March intake open in mid-August and close in mid-September of the previous year. Applications for the October intake open in mid-January and close in mid-February of the same year. Exact dates are published on the Commission traineeships website.
- How much does a Blue Book trainee earn?
- In 2026 the monthly grant is around EUR 1,470. Trainees also receive a travel reimbursement at the start and end of the traineeship plus health and accident insurance. The grant is not subject to EU income tax.