Guides
Guides to the EPSO AD5 reasoning tests
Everything about Part 1 of the AD5 graduates competition, EPSO/AD/427/26, checked against EPSO’s own pages: the three reasoning tests, the dates, how they are scored, the testing platform and how to prepare in the time left.
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OverviewEPSO AD5 Part 1: the reasoning tests explained (2026)What Part 1 of EPSO/AD/427/26 contains: verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning, the timings and pass marks, why verbal ranks you, the November dates and how to prepare.5 min read
- DatesEPSO AD5 invitation and test date: your slot and the TAO checkAD5 Part 1 invitations went out on 19 October 2026. Where your exact test date and time are, what the two dates on the platform mean, and how to get the one-off technical check right.5 min read
- DatesEPSO AD5 test dates 2026: letters, prerequisite test, test weekThe AD5 Part 1 calendar from EPSO: invitation letters on 19 October, the prerequisite window from 20 October to 6 November, and the tests from 9 to 13 November 2026.4 min read
- Test dayEPSO online test day: a checklist so nothing ends your sessionWhat to do the day before, an hour before and during your AD5 online test on TAO: the ordinary actions that can end a session, and what to do if something breaks.4 min read
- PracticePractise the EPSO AD5 test format as well as the questionsWhy the AD5 format costs marks when it is new: the traps on EPSO’s screen, a checklist for any practice tool and a three-week routine for candidates sitting Part 1 in November.6 min read
- PracticeEPSO AD5 practice tests compared (2026): prices, languages, free testsThe main practice sites for the AD5 reasoning tests side by side, as of 19 October 2026: price, renewal, the languages of the questions, what is free and whether answers are explained.5 min read
- Verbal reasoningEPSO verbal reasoning test: format, timing and the nine trapsHow the AD5 verbal reasoning test works: 20 passages in 35 minutes, one correct statement in four, the traps in the wrong options, a worked example and a method that saves time.6 min read
- Numerical reasoningEPSO numerical reasoning test: tables, the calculator and common mistakesHow the AD5 numerical reasoning test works: 10 data questions in 20 minutes with an on-screen calculator, the calculations that come up, the mistakes wrong options use and a worked example.5 min read
- Abstract reasoningEPSO abstract reasoning test: the rules behind the figure seriesHow the AD5 abstract reasoning test works: 10 figure series in 10 minutes, the rules that drive them, how to find the next figure inside a minute and the pass mark it shares with numerical.5 min read
- ScoringEPSO AD5 pass marks and ranking: how Part 1 is scoredThe AD5 Part 1 pass marks, how the shared numerical and abstract pass mark works, why only verbal is ranked, and what the 40% and 35% weights mean for your chances.3 min read
- Test dayEPSO TAO platform: rules, tools and the prerequisite testHow the remote AD5 test works on TAO with Proctorio: computer requirements, the clean-desk rules, what ends a session, the on-screen tools and the one-shot prerequisite test.4 min read
- PreparationHow to prepare for EPSO AD5 Part 1 in three weeksA week-by-week plan for the time between the AD5 invitation letters and your test: a diagnostic, verbal first, timed mocks on three clocks, the prerequisite test and the last two days.3 min read
- PracticeEPSO’s free sample test against the real AD5 Part 1: what differsEPSO’s free sample test runs on the real platform and is worth taking. How it differs from AD5 Part 1: half the length, one clock instead of three, and details that matter on the day.3 min read
- CASTEPSO CAST reasoning tests: format, pass marks and 2026 to 2027 datesCAST Permanent candidates sit the same verbal, numerical and abstract block as AD5, as a pass or fail gate. The format, pass marks, platform, retake rules and the next session dates.2 min read
- Test dayEPSO TAO prerequisite check: blurry ID, room scan and a closed sessionWhat to do if your ID card comes out blurry in Proctorio, how to film the room without pulling a cable, and what to do if the session closes. The check closes on 6 November 2026.8 min read
- The TAO platformBookmarking questions on TAO: what the button does and how to use the overviewWhat the bookmark button at the bottom right of EPSO’s TAO platform does, why a bookmark does not answer a question, and how to use the overview to review with the clock running.4 min read
- Test dayProof of attendance for an EPSO test: the TAO certificate for your employerWhere to download the certificate of attendance for your EPSO AD5 test, when it appears on TAO, what it shows, and what to do if it is missing or your employer needs proof beforehand.3 min read
- The TAO platformAnswer elimination on TAO: how to cross out options in the EPSO testWhere to switch on answer elimination on EPSO’s TAO platform, how crossing out and answer masking work, why you must switch it on again on test day, and how to use it.4 min read
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A full-length Part 1, 40 questions in 65 minutes on three clocks, with your marks and a worked answer for every question at the end. No card needed.