Public official: how to prepare for a competition?

Verified 01 August 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

You can benefit from training in preparation for the tests of the professional competitions and examinations of the public service. The conditions of access to these courses vary depending on whether you belong to the State Public Service (FPE), Territorial Public Service (FPT) or Hospital Public Service (FPH).

EPF

They can be of 2 types:

  • Competitions or examinations for access to body of the State civil service, or if you are a civil servant grades of progress
  • Competitions or examinations for access to territorial employment frameworks or to hospital bodies or to jobs of the institutions of the.

Training can take place in person, by mail or online.

They can take place in whole or in part on your working time.

If the training takes place during working hours, you make a request for absence.

Your request for absence cannot be refused if the duration of the training is less than or equal to 5 days of full-time work per year.

However, the request for absence may be postponed a maximum of 2 times if the service requirements impose it.

You can:

Training courses can be organized by your employer administration or by external training organizations approved by your administration.

Yes, you have priority access to training courses to prepare for competitions and professional exams in one of the following situations:

  • You belong to a body or hold a category C job and you do not have a bachelor's degree
  • You are a disabled person benefiting from theemployment obligation
  • It is noted, after consulting the occupational physician, that you are particularly exposed, given your individual professional situation, to a risk of professional wear and tear.

If the training is insured by your employer, you benefit automatically.

If several courses correspond to your request, your employer may decide to have you follow the training provided by him.

If the training is not not insured by your employer, the conditions for such priority access shall be specified by ministerial order. This order may provide for funding ceilings.

FPT

They can be of 2 types:

  • Competitions or examinations for access to job executives of the territorial civil service, or if you are a civil servant grades of progress
  • Competitions or examinations for access to State or hospital staff or to jobs of the institutions of the.

Training can take place in person or remotely.

She can take place on your working time.

When you have received training in preparation for the tests of a professional competition or examination during your working time, you may not benefit from this training until at least 12 months (one year) after the end of your 1re training.

This period is reduced to 6 months if 2 conditions are met:

  • The duration of your 1re training was less than 8 working days, split or not
  • And the cumulative duration of the 2 training courses does not exceed 8 working days over a period of 12 months.

FYI  

These periods of 6 or 12 months do not apply if you not could follow fully your 1re training due to service requirements.

The preparation for competitive examinations and professional examinations of the territorial civil service is organized in particular by the CNFPT: titleContent.

You have priority access to training courses to prepare for professional competitions and exams if you are in one of the following situations:

  • You belong to a employment framework or hold a category C job and you do not have a bachelor's degree
  • You are a disabled person benefiting from theemployment obligation
  • It is noted, after consulting the occupational physician, that you are particularly exposed, given your individual professional situation, to a risk of professional wear and tear

When the training requested is insured by your employer or CNFPT, you benefit automatically.

If several courses correspond to your request, your employer may decide to have you take the training provided by him.

If the requested training is not not insured by your employer or CNFPT, the conditions for implementing your priority access shall be specified by your employer. Your employer community may have funding caps.

FPH

The competitions and examinations concerned may be competitions or examinations for access to body of the hospital public service, or, if you are a public servant grades of progress.

It can also be competitions or examinations for access to territorial employment frameworks or to State body or to jobs of the institutions of the.

Training can take place:

  • By mail or online
  • In whole or in part, during your working time, when the nature of the preparation warrants it or outside working hours
  • Outside of working time.

There are several methods of access.

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Training Plan

Training in preparation for the tests of a competition or a professional examination registered in the training plan you are obligatorily granted when you have not benefited from such training for 3 years.

However, your employer may postpone your training start by up to one year due to the service requirements after the opinion of the CAP: titleContent if you are a civil servant, or CCP: titleContent if you are a contractor.

Your employer institution may not refuse you 2 successive refusals to a training course to prepare for competitions and professional examinations only after consulting the CAP or the CCP.

Authorization for absence

When training takes place during working hours, you may be granted leave of absence to complete all or part of the training.

These absence authorizations are obligatorily granted to you when they are less than or equal to 5 days of full-time work per year.

Your employer may, however, delay your leave of absence due to service requirements, unless you request it for the 3e times.

Personal Training Account (CPF)

You can use your acquired training rights on your personal training account.

Vocational Training Leave (CFPS)

You can apply to benefit from vocational training leave to prepare for a competition or examination.

FYI  

If you have been granted leave of absence for the preparation of a competition, you may not be granted leave for vocational training until at least 12 months (one year) after the completion of this preparation.

The preparation for the professional examinations and examinations of the hospital public service is organized in particular by the National Association for the Continuing Education of Hospital Staff (ANFH).

You have priority access to training courses to prepare for professional competitions and exams if you are in one of the following situations:

  • You belong to a body or hold a category C job and you do not have a bachelor's degree
  • You are a disabled person benefiting from theemployment obligation
  • It is noted, after consulting the occupational physician, that you are particularly exposed, given your individual professional situation, to a risk of professional wear and tear.

When the training requested is insured by your employer, you benefit automatically..

If more than one training course corresponds to your request, your employer may decide to have you take the training provided by him/her.

If the requested training is not not insured by your employer, the conditions for implementing your priority access shall be specified by your employer. Your employer institution may have funding caps.