The Europass CV is a standardised format created by the European Commission. It is free to generate, works in every EU language, and is accepted by most European employers. It is also controversial - here is when it helps Nigerian applicants and when it hurts.
When to use Europass
- Applications to EU institutions (European Commission, Parliament, EU agencies).
- Academic positions in European universities.
- Public sector roles in continental Europe where the format is mandatory.
- Erasmus+ and other EU-funded fellowships, scholarships and grants.
When NOT to use Europass
- Private sector roles in Western Europe (France, Germany, Netherlands, Nordic countries). Companies there want a modern one-to-two page CV, not the Europass template.
- UK employers. The UK dropped Europass entirely after Brexit. Use a standard UK CV instead.
- Tech startups anywhere. Europass reads as bureaucratic.
- US applications. Americans use resumes, not Europass.
The Europass structure
- Personal information (name, address, phone, email, nationality, date of birth, sex)
- Work experience
- Education and training
- Language skills (self-assessed via the CEFR scale: A1 to C2)
- Digital skills (self-assessed on a five-level scale)
- Other skills
- Driving licence
The language-skills section
This is Europass's biggest strength. The CEFR scale (A1 beginner through C2 near-native) is universally understood in Europe. For most Nigerians applying to EU roles the entry is:
- English: C2 (near-native, as a Nigerian English speaker)
- French / German / Spanish: your actual level if any
- Yoruba / Igbo / Hausa: C1 or C2 as native/near-native
Listing native-language proficiency in Yoruba/Igbo/Hausa signals cultural competence - include it.
How to generate one
Go to europa.eu/europass. Create an account, fill in each section through the web form, export as PDF. Takes about 90 minutes end-to-end for a mid-career professional.
Browse Europe-friendly openings on Openings - filter by location to see roles explicitly open to international applicants.