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Traineeship

The ECB's traineeship programme offers you the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge you acquired during your studies and get a better understanding of what working for Europe entails.

As a trainee you will gain an insight into the ECB’s activities and contribute to the ECB’s mission. The tasks performed by you as a trainee are supervised and vary according to the unit you join. Some examples include research, drawing up draft reports, compiling statistical data, performing operational tasks and participating in ad hoc studies.

Meet an ECB trainee


Who can apply

Students, including PhD students, or recent graduates can apply for a traineeship.

Candidates should:

  • be at least 18 years old;
  • be a national of a Member State of the EU or of an acceding country;
  • have completed at least a first cycle qualification (bachelor’s degree);
  • be fluent in English and in another official language of the EU.

Following their most recent qualification candidates should:

  • have a maximum of 12 months’ professional experience;
  • have been a trainee for no more than six months;
  • not have been an ECB trainee or have worked for the ECB previously.

Application process

If you would like to apply for a traineeship at the ECB then you should submit your application via our online recruitment system

Before you apply, make sure you also read the general “How to apply” page.

How to apply

The selection process starts on the closing date of the vacancy notice and usually takes around three months, unless there is a very large number of applications (e.g. for specific traineeship programmes).

Please note: If you have been shortlisted you will receive an email from us with information regarding the next steps. Please make sure that the email address in your application is active and checked regularly.

Interviews for traineeships take place via MS Teams.

When the selection is completed, you will be informed by e-mail of the outcome. You will either:

  • receive a traineeship offer;
  • be notified that you are on a reserve list as you have been assessed as a suitable candidate;
  • be informed that your application has not been successful.

If you did not get an offer or are on a reserve list you may still apply for other traineeship vacancies.

Conditions, duration and trainee grant

Conditions

Trainees registered in this programme are subject to the rules governing the ECB traineeship programme.

Traineeship programme

Duration

Unless differently stated in the vacancy notice, the contract runs for a period of three to six months. It can be prolonged once up to a total of twelve months. The Traineeship Programme is a way of getting to know the ECB and contributing to its tasks. We do not automatically offer contracts to the trainees once their contract ends. However, trainees can still apply for junior positions within the ECB.

Trainee grant

As of 1 December 2023, the trainee grant is the exact amount of €1,170 per month. The trainee grant is increased to €2,120 per month for trainees who have completed at least two years of PhD study and who apply for a traineeship vacancy that requires such a level of qualification.

Accommodation

If the distance from your place of recruitment to the ECB exceeds 50 km and you decide to temporarily relocate, we will pay for your accommodation for the duration of your stay. You can either stay in one of the residences with which the ECB has a special arrangement or receive a lump sum for temporary accommodation and move into your own temporary private accommodation.

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