NOVA University Lisbon is part of the Pan-European Seal Network, jointly managed by Europe’s largest Intellectual Property (IP) organizations – the European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
About the Programme
This traineeship program provides young graduates and high-performance university students, in their final year of studies (Bachelor, Master or Ph.D.), with access to at least 12-month paid traineeships at the EPO (Munich, Germany/ Vienna, Austria / the Hague,Netherlands) or at the EUIPO (Alicante, Spain) contributing to their insertion in the competitive world of IP through an enriching multicultural professional experience, advanced training and teamwork.
Who can apply?
Each organization has its own eligibility criteria:
EPO:
- Nationals of any of the EPO member states;
- Already in hold of diploma degree (Bachelor/Master/Ph.D.).
- In case of 5-year Master programmes – submitting an attestation from university confirming the bachelor level of so far completed studies (including the number of completed ECTS).
- Candidates who don’t have diploma yet but are in the last year of their Bachelor/Master/Ph.D. studies and expect to receive the diploma at the latest upon the start of the programme (September 2026), the application shall contain information on the expected date of completing the studies.
- Have completed the indicated EPO e-learning courses (additional information will follow only to selected candidates)
- Have knowledge of at least one of EPO’s three working languages (German, English or French) at a minimum proficiency level of B1.
EUIPO:
- Trainees shall be selected from nationals of the member states of the European Union. A limited number of vacancies (10%) are available from candidates from non-EU countries.
- Candidates graduated up to the previous two calender years.
- In hold of diploma degree (Bachelor/Master/Ph.D.) by the start of the programme;
- In case of 5-year Master programmes – submitting an attestation from university confirming the bachelor level of so far completed studies (including the number of completed ECTS).
- Candidates who don’t have diploma yet but are in the last year of their Bachelor/Master/Ph.D. studies and expect to receive the diploma at the latest upon the start of the programme (September 2026), the application shall contain information on the expected date of completing the studies.
- To complete the EUIPO online courses (additional information will follow only to selected candidates that will integrate the NOVA’s shortlist);
- Have B2 knowledge of English and proficiency in another EU language.
- Full list of eligibility criteria at the EUIPO here.
How to apply?
The NOVA Impact Office, in articulation with NOVA’s Organic Units, will select the candidates who will integrate the shortlist to send to the EUIPO. For the EPO, confirmation will take place after all student applications have been received and screened by the EPO.
Application Process
For the EPO:
Vacancies open online on February 16, 2026 in this page, and the deadline for student application submission is March 9, 2026. NOVA will review and confirm applicants from its institution after the EPO screens the applications (deadline for university review is March 23, 2026).
For the EUIPO:
NOVA submits its shortlist of candidates. Therefore, you should start by filing the form by February 23rd, 2026. Shortlisted candidates will then submit their online application via the EUIPO Online Recruitment Tool between March 1-31, 2026.
Post-Shortlisting Requirements
Candidates can only apply to one of the institutions (EPO or EUIPO).
Selected candidates will have to submit their online application and complete the following e-courses (or similar preparatory work) required by the institution to which they apply:
- EPO Required E-courses (Post-Selection):
- Introduction to the European patent system
- Using CPC in classification
- The EPO as a PCT authority
- EUIPO Recommended Courses (for application submission):
- EUTM in a Nutshell
- EU Design in a Nutshell
Learn more about these e-courses at the EPO and EUIPO websites.
Candidates appointed by NOVA must commit to undertake the traineeship if they are subsequently selected by EPO or EUIPO.
Timeline
European Patent Office (EPO) – Young Professionals Programme
- EPO Vacancies Open Online: February 16, 2026 – March 9, 2026.
- Communication of Results to Candidates by EPO: June 2026.
- Programme Start Date at the EPO: September 15, 2026
European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) – Traineeship Programme
- Internal Application Submission to NOVA: February, 23rd, 2026
- Shortlisted Candidates Submit Online Applications to EUIPO: March 01 – 31, 2026.
- Candidate Interviews and Selection by the EUIPO: May to July 2026.
- Communication of Results to PES Universities (First State of Play): By the end of July 2026.
- Programme Start Date at the EUIPO: September 16, 2026.
- Expiration Date of Non-selected Candidates Waiting List: December 31, 2026
Allowance
- For candidates allocated to EPO:
- First year: 2.300€/month
- Second and third years: 3.300€/month
- For candidates allocated to EUIPO: 1.300€/month.
Additional Information
The information available on this site does not exempt you from consulting the EPO’s and EUIPO’s webpages:
Please consult the following documentation:
EPO:
EUIPO:
For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact the NOVA Impact office.
