1. University of Luxembourg (Université du Luxembourg)

Medical, Clinical, and Research Fellowship Programs – Full, Detailed Overview

The University of Luxembourg is the country’s only university and has rapidly developed internationally recognized programs in biomedical research, digital health, translational medicine, and neuroscience, but does not operate a conventional medical faculty with hospital-based clinical residency/fellowship training.
Instead, the country’s medical education is structured around pre-clinical and first years of medical education (Bachelor in Medicine), followed by mandatory clinical training abroad (France, Belgium, Germany, etc.) for the full MD, specialization, and fellowships.

1. Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education

• Bachelor in Medicine:
  • The University offers a 3-year Bachelor in Medicine, focused on basic medical sciences and pre-clinical training, taught in French, German, and English.
  • No full medical degree (MD) is awarded in Luxembourg.
• Clinical Rotations and Specialization:
  • Students complete their clinical years (clerkships), internships, and all specialist/clinical fellowships at teaching hospitals in France, Belgium, or Germany, via bilateral agreements.
  • MDs who graduate and return to Luxembourg often have European diplomas.

1. Postgraduate/Clinical Fellowships

There are currently NO classical clinical residency or “fellowship” programs for medical specialties in Luxembourg.

• How Luxembourgish doctors train:
  • They obtain their MD and complete all postgraduate specialist (residency/fellowship) training abroad.
  • After foreign training, they may return and work in Luxembourg, and their specialty is recognized by the Ministry of Health via European professional mobility agreements.

1. Research Fellowships and Biomedical Postdoctoral Programs

The University of Luxembourg is strong in biomedical and clinical research, particularly:

• Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB)
• Department of Life Sciences and Medicine
• Integrated Biobank of Luxembourg (IBBL)
• Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH)
• Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)
• Collaboration with Luxembourg’s main hospitals (Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg/CHL, etc.)

Research Opportunities:

• PhD Programs:
  • 4 years, salaried (~€2,300–€2,800/month).
  • Offered in systems biomedicine, neuroscience, cancer biology, computational health, epidemiology, health data science, digital health.
  • Open to MDs/PhDs with research interests; English is the working language.
• Postdoctoral Fellowships:
  • 2–4 years, with strong emphasis on international collaboration (many co-supervised with hospitals in EU).
  • Funding via Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR), EU Horizon, or institutional funds.
  • Salaries: ~€3,800–€4,500/month.
  • Focus areas: neurodegenerative disease, personalized medicine, immunology, public health, digital therapeutics.

Eligibility:

• PhD: MSc or equivalent (MD, biology, bioinformatics, health sciences).
• Postdoc: PhD or MD-PhD, research record, English fluency; French/German can be helpful for hospital integration.

1. Short-Term Clinical or Research Attachment

• Some limited “observer” or research internships for international MDs, usually 1–6 months, at LCSB, IBBL, or LIH.
  • Research-focused (no hands-on clinical care).
  • Application: Direct to group/PI, with CV and project outline.
  • Funding: Unpaid, or via home institution/external scholarship.

1. Hospital Affiliations and Specialist Recognition

• Main Hospitals:
  • Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL), Hôpital Kirchberg, Centre Hospitalier Emile Mayrisch (CHEM).
• Clinical Staff:
  • All specialists and hospital-based clinicians have received full specialty training and fellowships abroad, mainly in France, Belgium, Germany, or Switzerland.
• Recognition:
  • Luxembourg recognizes all EU/EFTA clinical specialties for licensure/employment; non-EU doctors face more administrative requirements.

1. Language

• Research: English is standard; French and German are also common.
• Clinical:
  • French and German required for hospital work/patient care.

1. Application and Support

• PhD/Postdoc:
  • Apply via University or research institute portal, with research proposal, CV, references.
  • International Office helps with visa, housing, and onboarding.
• No national programs for direct clinical specialty fellowship recruitment.

Expanded Opportunities and Structure

1. Detailed Biomedical Research Fellowships
2. PhD Programs (Doctoral Training)

• Host Centers:
  • Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB): Neurodegeneration, Parkinson’s, computational neuroscience, molecular medicine.
  • Department of Life Sciences and Medicine: Cancer biology, microbiome research, metabolic disease, personalized medicine.
  • Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH): Cancer immunotherapy, infectious disease, epidemiology, digital health, biostatistics.
• Application Process:
  • Competitive international call, with project selection from listed research groups or via open project proposals.
  • Required documents: Academic CV, research statement, references, language proof (English proficiency).
  • Selection: Panel interview, scientific presentation.
• Funding:
  • All doctoral candidates are salaried employees under Luxembourg labor law (not a student stipend):
    • Typical salary: €2,300–2,800/month (net, after tax), with full social security.
    • Contract: 36–48 months (3–4 years).
    • Tuition is free.
• Duties/Expectations:
  • Full-time research, progress reporting, publications, scientific conferences.
  • Optional teaching, often required by host group.

2. Postdoctoral Fellowships

• Host Centers:
  • LCSB, LIH, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), and some University Hospital research labs.
• Themes:
  • Molecular neurobiology, computational medicine, digital health (AI/ML in diagnostics), personalized oncology, public health data analytics, multiomics, translational biomarker discovery.
• Eligibility:
  • Recent PhD or MD/PhD; research publications required.
  • International candidates welcome.
• Funding:
  • Salary: €3,800–4,500/month (gross, varies by experience and grant).
  • Funding sources: Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR), ERC, Horizon Europe.
• Benefits:
  • Full social security, generous annual leave, family/maternity leave.
• Language:
  • Research in English; French/German for some teaching/clinical interface.
• Mobility/Exchange:
  • Short-term international secondments (Paris, Brussels, Heidelberg, etc.) are common and encouraged.

1. Observerships and Clinical Attachments
2. Research/Clinical Observerships

• Structure:
  • Shadowing research teams or participating in specific research projects; may include attending grand rounds, seminars, or research presentations at Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL) or affiliated clinics.
  • No patient contact or hands-on clinical activity.
• Duration:
  • Typically 1–6 months, flexible.
• Eligibility:
  • MDs, PhDs, advanced medical students.
  • Letter of motivation, CV, proof of background required.
• Funding:
  • Usually unpaid, but eligible for Erasmus+, Marie Curie, or home-institution grants.
• Certificate:
  • Issued upon completion, describing activities and learning outcomes.

1. Specialist Training Pathway for Luxembourgish Doctors
2. Standard Path

• Medical students complete 3-year pre-clinical training in Luxembourg, then transfer to a partner university in France, Belgium, or Germany for the clinical years and MD award.
• Residency/Specialization (“Internat”/“Residency”/“Facharztweiterbildung”):
  • Conducted entirely abroad in EU countries.
  • Luxembourg Ministry of Health automatically recognizes EU clinical specialties; upon return, the doctor is registered and may practice in public or private hospitals.

2. Foreign Doctors

• Non-EU specialists must have their qualifications assessed by the Luxembourg Ministry of Health.
• Requirements:
  • Proof of equivalent MD/specialty, valid registration in home country, language proficiency (French and/or German, B2–C1), and sometimes a period of supervised adaptation in local hospitals.
• Direct access to clinical hands-on fellowship is not offered in Luxembourg itself.

1. Hospital-Based Research and Collaboration
2. Hospitals and Institutes

• Main University hospital: Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL).
• Affiliations: Hôpital Kirchberg, Centre Hospitalier du Nord, Centre Hospitalier Emile Mayrisch (CHEM).
• Clinical trials and translational research:
  • Conducted in partnership with LIH, LCSB, and IBBL.
  • Examples: Oncology clinical trials, rare disease cohort studies, digital therapeutics pilots.

2. International Networks

• Greater Region Medical Mobility:
  • MDs and researchers in Luxembourg often have dual appointments or exchange fellowships with institutions in Paris, Brussels, Liège, or Heidelberg.
  • Participation in EIT Health, ERN (European Reference Networks), and international registries is common.

1. Language and Integration

• Research:
  • English is standard in all biomedical labs.
  • French/German are used in hospital and for administrative/clinical interface.
• International Office:
  • Helps with visa, social security, housing, and family relocation.
• Welcome Center:
  • Dedicated orientation for all new researchers/fellows; provides support for residency registration, health insurance, and legal affairs.

1. Application Tips & Contacts

• PhD/Postdoc:
  • Apply via University of Luxembourg or research institute job boards, or directly to the PI.
  • Check open calls at Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR).
• Observerships:
  • Email the host lab or hospital research department with CV and a short proposal.
• Language courses:
  • Subsidized French, German, and Luxembourgish courses are available for researchers and their families.