European Parliament - Translation traineeships for university graduates

European Parliament translation traineeship

You will be offered a post as paid five-month traineeship in the European Parliament’s Translation Service, with a monthly salary of approximately 1,214 EUR. The exact amount depends on your place of employment: Brussels (Belgium), Luxembourg, Strasbourg (France) or an EU liaison office in a Member State. The salary is exempt from EU tax, and part of your travel expenses from your place of residence to your place of employment will be reimbursed. This is one of the Parliament’s Schuman traineeships, under which around 1,000 trainees from a wide range of fields are recruited each year.

Who can apply

• Degree: You must hold a full university degree requiring at least three years of study. You must have obtained your degree at least three months before the start of the placement. A number of places are available to holders of a vocational qualification from the EU.
• Languages: This is the selection criterion. Your mother tongue is one of the official languages of the EU, and you have a good command of at least two other languages. You must be able to translate from at least two other EU languages into your mother tongue.
• Nationality: You are a national of an EU Member State. A very limited number of places may be available to non-EU citizens.
• Age: You must be at least 18 years old at the start of the work placement. There is no upper age limit.
• No prior EU experience: You have not worked or undertaken any training at an EU institution, body or agency for more than two consecutive months.
• Clean record: You may submit a certificate of good conduct issued within the last six months.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the Parliament’s internship portal. Select up to three offers per round and upload a Europass CV and a one-page cover letter for each offer. There are two rounds per year: apply by 31 May for a start in October, or by 31 October for a start in March, in each case by 23:59 Brussels time. If you are shortlisted, the Parliament will contact you, and you will then have 14 days to upload your documents.

How realistic are your chances?

The Schuman Programme is well known throughout the EU and is open to everyone, so competition is fierce, particularly for the paid translation posts. However, the strict language requirements significantly narrow down the pool of applicants. You need to have a perfect command of one EU language, a sound knowledge of two further languages, and the ability to translate into your own mother tongue. If you clearly meet this language profile and hold the right qualification, your prospects are considerably better than the sheer number of applicants might suggest.