The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) offers 5-month Cicero traineeships in Brussels, Belgium, paid by a grant of approximately €1,538 per month. Applications for the Autumn Session (16 September to 15 February) run from 6 January to 31 March 2027 at noon, Brussels time. At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed the CoR's official page and set out the calendar, requirements and application steps below.
What Is the Cicero Traineeship?
The Cicero traineeship is the CoR's traineeship programme for people who care about the involvement of local and regional realities at European level and who believe that citizens should be involved in the EU decision-making process. The CoR presents it as a chance to get in touch with a dynamic and human-sized institutional reality.
As a CoR trainee, you will witness first-hand the dynamics of a multilingual and multinational institution. Within a small group of trainees, you will be able to work across a wide range of EU policy aspects and will have the possibility to create an event by yourself.
If you are comparing EU institutions, our guides to the European Commission's Blue Book traineeship and the European Parliament's Schuman traineeship explain two similar five-month programmes.
Cicero Traineeships in a Nutshell
🗓️ Duration: 5 months
🕒 Schedule: Full time, 40 hours per week
📍 Workplace: Brussels, Belgium
💶 Pay: Paid by grant, approximately €1,538 per month
🧭 Placement: Preferred choice between 3 of the CoR's departments
🚆 Travel and mobility allowance
🩺 Health insurance cover: Optional
🛡️ Accident insurance: Included
The YFactor Scheme: Your Own Project at the CoR
Thanks to the YFactor scheme, trainees are invited to carry out project work addressing issues that are relevant for European regions and cities. Whether you decide to work on a conference, a podcast or an eBook, the CoR says your creativity will be challenged and encouraged.
The official page presents three examples of this work:
🏘️ Housing for You[th]: an exhibition highlighting the housing crisis in the EU, amplifying young voices, showcasing best practices and connecting local and regional leadership with lived experiences
🎙️ YEPs on the Ground: a podcast launched by the Spring 2025 trainees, described as the podcast that brings young voices to the heart of Europe
🔦 Passing the torch to new members in the next term of office: a project highlighting CoR members' experiences and achievements through interviews showcasing successes, opinions and priorities
Autumn Session Calendar
📅 Traineeship period: 16 September to 15 February
📝 Application period: 6 January to 31 March 2027 (noon/12:00, Brussels time)
🔎 Pre-selection and interviews: May
✅ Selection: June
Spring Session Calendar
The CoR also runs a Spring Session each year:
📅 Traineeship period: 16 February to 15 July
📝 Application period: 1 July to 1 October (noon/12:00, Brussels time) of the previous year
🔎 Pre-selection and interviews: November
✅ Selection: December
Do Not Wait Until the Last Moment
The CoR recommends that you avoid applying close to the deadline, as high data traffic could mean that your application may not reach it on time. Applications that were not sent on time or not submitted electronically cannot be accepted.
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Who Is the CoR Looking For?
🇪🇺 EU citizens
🌐 Citizens from third countries (including the UK) can also apply and may be selected in exceptional cases, notably if their candidature is of particular interest to the CoR and if they comply with the requirements under national immigration law for residing and working legally in Belgium
🎓 University graduates who have obtained a full undergraduate academic degree, or who have completed at least the third year of higher education (university or equivalent), by the closing date for applications
🗣️ Candidates who are fluent in one EU language and have satisfactory knowledge of English or French
Who Cannot Be Accepted?
Candidates who have already received more than 8 weeks of in-house placement (whether paid or unpaid) in a European institution, body, delegation or representative office, or who have had any form of employment in a European institution or body, shall not be accepted.
How to Apply for the Cicero Traineeship
🏢 Choose your preferred CoR departments (up to 3 possible)
✍️ Fill in the mandatory fields, provide only correct information and check everything before you submit
🔄 You can still make changes to your form before the application deadline
☝️ You may submit only one application per traineeship period
⚠️ False statements will lead to rejection of the application or cancellation of the traineeship
Documents Published by the CoR
The official traineeships page provides these documents in English as PDF downloads:
🏛️ Departments at the Committee of the Regions
❓ Traineeship FAQs
📘 Traineeship rules
🔐 Data protection notice for traineeships
Support for Candidates With Special Needs
The CoR says it is committed to equal opportunities and to a diverse, inclusive and equitable working environment. It endeavours to ensure that candidates and trainees with disabilities, special needs or a medical condition can participate in the selection procedure and the traineeship on an equal basis with others.
Candidates requiring specific adjustments for the selection procedure, including interviews, are invited to contact the CoR's social worker (the address is in the Links section below). Appropriate measures are assessed and implemented case by case, in accordance with the applicable rules and available resources, and all information is treated with strict confidentiality and in compliance with data protection provisions.
What Former Trainees Say
💬 Noemi Signorelli (Directorate E, Human Resources and Finance; Unit E3, Working conditions and talent management) describes the Liaison Trainee role as a way to create connections among the trainees and a reminder that the EU needs young people.
💬 Albert Nicolas Lopez (Directorate IIT; Unit DIT) shows that an engineer can find a place at the EU institutions, describing a project created and managed independently and first-hand learning about the work of a public institution.
💬 Marta Gonzalez Barragan (Directorate E, Human Resources and Finance; Unit EI, Strategic use of resources, smart house) sums up the experience in three words: growth, understanding and involvement.
Other Schemes at the CoR: Study Visits
Besides Cicero traineeships, the CoR welcomes students looking to finalise their work project, or who are curious about how local and regional authorities contribute to EU legislation in fields such as Citizenship, Cohesion, Climate Change, Public Procurement and Security. Study visits have their own application and are separate from the Autumn Session.
To be accepted, applicants must either:
💼 Provide proof of funding from another body, such as a university, a public or private body or NGO, in the form of a scholarship, grant or similar
📖 Or provide proof that the study visit is an integral part of their education, for example if it is required for thesis research or to complete the course of studies
Study visits in a nutshell:
⏳ 1-4 months, extendable up to 6 months depending on the resources available
📆 Starting date agreed with the candidate
🕘 Full time, 40 hours a week
🏙️ Workplace in Brussels, Belgium
🏥 Health insurance cover is not provided
🦺 Accident insurance included
Candidates should be EU citizens, while citizens from third countries (including the UK) may apply and may be selected in exceptional cases under the same conditions as above. They need at least a Bachelor's degree, or half of a Bachelor's degree deemed relevant to the CoR's work, and must be fluent in one EU language with satisfactory knowledge of French or English.
Upon request you will need to provide:
🪪 A legible copy of your passport or identity card
🧾 Proof of obligatory health insurance cover for the whole study visit
📜 A copy of your Bachelor's diploma, or a certificate attesting that you have successfully completed, at the start of the study visit, at least half of the training cycle related to a Bachelor's degree deemed relevant to CoR activities
🗃️ Copies of proof of professional experiences mentioned in your application
Other Schemes at the CoR: Study Visits for Government Officials
This scheme is open to staff or trainees from a national, regional or local public authority of an EU Member State. It may give both the CoR and the official's employing institution the opportunity to enhance collaboration and networking, and officials may gain insights into the work of the CoR while developing their skills, competencies and knowledge.
🗓️ 2-6 months; the Director in charge of Human Resources may authorise an extension for a total period of twelve months
📆 Starting date agreed with the candidate
🕘 Full time, 40 hours
🏙️ Workplace in Brussels, Belgium
🚫 Unpaid, with all expenses covered by the participant or their sending authority
🦺 Accident insurance covered by the CoR
Citizens from third countries (including the UK) may apply and may be selected in exceptional cases under the same conditions as above. Candidates need at least a Bachelor's degree (or half the cycle of a Bachelor's degree deemed relevant to the CoR's work), must work in a position at a level and with content corresponding to the duties performed by EU staff within the CoR, and need excellent knowledge of French or English.
Upon request you will need to provide confirmation of employment by the sending authority and its agreement to a study visit, proof of obligatory health insurance cover for the whole period, copies of relevant diplomas and/or official certificates, and copies of proof of professional experiences mentioned in your application. Applicants choose up to 3 preferred CoR departments, and each person may submit only one application for each traineeship scheme.
Find more traineeships like this one in the Internship category on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Cicero traineeship pay?
The traineeship is paid by a grant of approximately €1,538 per month. Trainees also receive a travel and mobility allowance, and accident insurance is included.
When does the Autumn Session take place?
The Autumn Session runs from 16 September to 15 February, for 5 months, full time at 40 hours per week in Brussels, Belgium.
When can I apply for the Autumn Session?
The application period runs from 6 January to 31 March 2027, closing at noon, Brussels time. The CoR recommends not applying close to the deadline because of high data traffic.
Can non-EU citizens apply?
Yes. Citizens from third countries, including the UK, can apply and may be selected in exceptional cases, notably if their candidature is of particular interest to the CoR and if they meet national immigration requirements for residing and working legally in Belgium.
What education do I need?
You need a full undergraduate academic degree, or to have completed at least the third year of higher education (university or equivalent), by the closing date for applications.
Which languages are required?
You must be fluent in one EU language and have satisfactory knowledge of English or French.
Can I apply if I have already worked at an EU institution?
Not if you have had more than 8 weeks of in-house placement, paid or unpaid, in a European institution, body, delegation or representative office, or any form of employment in a European institution or body.
Can I change my application after submitting it?
Yes, you can still make changes to your form before the application deadline. You may submit only one application per traineeship period, and false statements lead to rejection or cancellation of the traineeship.
What is the YFactor scheme?
YFactor invites CoR trainees to carry out project work on issues relevant to European regions and cities, such as a conference, a podcast or an eBook. Past examples include an exhibition on housing and the YEPs on the Ground podcast.
When will I know if I was selected for the Autumn Session?
Pre-selection and interviews take place in May, and selection takes place in June.
Deadline
⏳ 31 March 2027
Links
📝 Cicero traineeship application forms: https://candform.cor.europa.eu/
🏛️ Official CoR traineeships page: https://www.cor.europa.eu/en/about/work-us/traineeships
📧 Traineeship contact: trainee@cor.europa.eu
🤝 CoR social worker for specific adjustments: Social-Service-CoR@cor.europa.eu
