Becoming a PhD candidate

Conducting your PhD research and finalizing your thesis with peer-reviewed articles will take at least 4 years. Therefore, besides being in a PhD program that fits your scientific interests, it is important to have a good match with your thesis advisor and the people in your research group. It is important to know that you cannot obtain a PhD in isolation. PhD trajectories at the LUMC are almost always embedded within a larger team and research theme – you and your team shape the research at the LUMC.

At the LUMC, researchers from different fields of expertise work together around 10 Themes for Innovation. Find out more about our Themes and feel free to contact one of our researchers for more information. You could also talk to the PhD candidates in a specific research group.

Excited to start your journey to become an independent scientist? The LUMC offers people opportunities to discover, develop and use their talents for the continuous improvement of healthcare. PhD candidates become our colleagues that actively help shape the research at the LUMC, there is no central admission procedure to express your general interest. Instead, take a look at our PhD vacancies. You need a Master of Science (MSc) degree from the Netherlands, or equivalent degree, to be able to pursuit a PhD in the Netherlands.

Leiden University has several scholarships available for PhD candidates who wish to study in Leiden.

Have you found a PhD position at the LUMC? Welcome! We look forward to meeting you.

Moving to a new country for work can be challenging. You will probably have questions about your visa application, living in the Netherlands, housing in or near Leiden and the Dutch regulations.

Study in Holland also provides information about scholarships and offers practical information about studying here.