Gendarmerie: 2,800 positions offered in non-commissioned officer competitive exams

The Ministry of the Interior has set the number of positions offered for the gendarmerie non-commissioned officer recruitment competitions for the September 2026 session at 2,800. This decision was published by the decree of September 11, 2026 (NOR INTJ2622251A), appearing in the Official Journal of the French Republic No. 0215 on September 15, 2026.

The text divides the positions between two distinct competition tracks, open under different access conditions, and constitutes a major recruitment opportunity for candidates seeking to enlist in the National Gendarmerie.

Two competitions, two candidate pools

The decree, issued in application of Article 13-1 of the decree governing the recruitment of gendarmerie non-commissioned officers, determines the maximum number of positions offered for each competition of the September 2026 session:

• 2,200 positions for the competitive examination, open to candidates holding a baccalaureate or a diploma or title registered and classified at least at level 4 according to the national directory of professional certifications;
• 600 positions for the internal competition, reserved for personnel already enlisted in the forces.

The internal competition, a bridge for enlistees

The internal competition is aimed at four categories of candidates who already have experience within the armed or security forces:

• volunteers serving in the National Gendarmerie, holding the assistant gendarme diploma, on active duty and with at least one year of service in this capacity as of January 1st of the competition year;
• active assistant police officers of the National Police, with at least one year of service in this capacity;
• military personnel from the armed forces other than the National Gendarmerie serving under contract, on active duty or seconded, with at least four years of service;
• reservists of the National Gendarmerie.

An official publication

In accordance with Article 2, the decree is published in the Official Journal of the French Republic. It was signed on September 11, 2026, and entered into force upon its publication on September 15, 2026.

For candidates, this September 2026 session represents a significant entry point into the gendarmerie non-commissioned officer corps, with a high volume of positions and an internal track that values experience already acquired within the forces. Interested parties are invited to contact the recruitment services of the National Gendarmerie to learn about registration procedures and examination dates.

Source: Decree of September 11, 2026, setting the number of positions offered for the recruitment of gendarmerie non-commissioned officers (September 2026 session), NOR INTJ2622251A, published in the Official Journal of the French Republic No. 0215 on September 15, 2026.