Luxembourg in short. No licensing exam exists for any of the six professions. The Ministry of Health grants the authorisation to practise (autorisation d'exercer), after checking the diploma, and doctors are also under the Collège médical.
The country has no full medical school, so most doctors, dentists and pharmacists are trained in Belgium, France, Germany or elsewhere. EU graduates apply with a recognised diploma.
The decisive requirement is language: French, German or Luxembourgish is needed to practise. Non-EU qualifications go through recognition by the Ministry.
Medical and health education in Luxembourg
Luxembourg is the one country on this list that sends nearly all its future doctors abroad. The University of Luxembourg has begun to offer the early years of medical study, with the clinical years completed at partner universities. Verify the current structure on the University's site, because the programme is new and the arrangements have been changing. Dentistry and pharmacy are studied abroad in the same way.
Nursing is taught in Luxembourg itself, at the University of Luxembourg and at the Lycée Technique pour Professions de Santé (LTPS), which trains nurses and other health professionals. Midwives and physiotherapists mostly train in neighbouring countries.
The link between graduation and registration therefore runs through recognition. A graduate returns with a Belgian, French, German or other diploma, applies to the Ministry, and receives an authorisation. There is no entry exam, but the foreign diploma has to meet the recognition rules.
International students are not a feature of the Luxembourg system in the way they are in Bulgaria or Lithuania. But Luxembourg is a destination for health professionals from across Europe and beyond, because of its high salaries and open labour market. A non-EU graduate holding a foreign diploma applies through the recognition procedure and also needs to show language ability.
No exam listed for this selection yet. We add exams only once we can verify them with the regulator.
A multilingual workplace is the real exam
In most countries on this list, a language is a condition. In Luxembourg it is the gate. Hospitals and clinics work in French and German, and Luxembourgish is the everyday language of many patients. A doctor who can write notes in French but cannot talk to a German-speaking patient will find the working day difficult, and the Ministry expects professional language ability.
The Ministry's pages say a language requirement applies, and they do not set a single certificate. Ask for the current wording, and a sensible working target is a CEFR certificate at B2 or higher in at least one of the three languages, with a second language added once you are in post.
Who needs what
| Profession | Licensing exam | Authority | Where most train |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctor | None | Ministry of Health; Collège médical | Belgium, France, Germany and others |
| Dentist | None | Ministry of Health | Abroad |
| Pharmacist | None | Ministry of Health | Abroad |
| Nurse | None | Ministry of Health | Luxembourg (Uni.lu, LTPS) and abroad |
| Midwife | None | Ministry of Health | Mostly abroad |
| Physiotherapist | None | Ministry of Health | Mostly abroad |
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Cross-border staff and why the system looks the way it does
Luxembourg is small and surrounded by larger systems. A large part of its health workforce lives in France, Belgium or Germany and commutes across the border, and many residents are foreign nationals. The authorisation system was built for that reality: it recognises foreign training readily and puts its weight on language and ethics instead of examination.
The practical result is that a Belgian, French or German graduate can move quickly, while a candidate from further afield spends time on the file. If you are in the second group, the most useful step is to get your diploma and training records assessed early and to ask the Ministry what else it needs.
Documents the Ministry is likely to ask for
- Diploma and, where available, the diploma supplement.
- Transcript or a description of the training, including clinical placements.
- Proof of identity and nationality.
- Certificate of good standing from the previous regulator, with a recent date.
- Evidence of language ability in French, German or Luxembourgish.
- Translations by a sworn translator, where documents are not in one of the three languages.
The exact list depends on your profession and nationality. Confirm it with the Ministry before you order certified copies, since each costs time and money.
Doctors: authorisation and the Collège médical
- Obtain a recognised diploma. Complete medical training in a country whose degree the Ministry recognises.
- Apply to the Ministry. Submit the diploma, identity documents and certificates.
- Show language ability. Provide evidence in French, German or Luxembourgish.
- Receive the authorisation. The Ministry grants the right to practise.
- Join the Collège médical. Doctors are supervised by this body.
Non-EU doctors have their qualification recognised through the ministry, which may set conditions.
Other professions
Nurses, midwives, pharmacists, dentists and physiotherapists also receive an authorisation from the Ministry on the basis of qualification, with a language requirement. We have not verified every profession's detailed rules, so check the Ministry's pages for the profession.
Language and recognition routes
EU, EEA and Swiss graduates use Directive 2005/36/EC. Doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and midwives benefit from automatic recognition where the training meets the directive's standards, and physiotherapists are recognised under the general system. Non-EU graduates apply to the Ministry for recognition and may be asked for evidence of training, practice and language.
Because there is no exam, an exam-prep course will not lead to registration in Luxembourg. For clinical exams you might need elsewhere, for instance on the way to or from your training country, use the relevant country hub.
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Planning a career in Luxembourg
Ask the Ministry how long a complete file currently takes to process at the moment, and whether a provisional start is possible while it is open. Also ask which of the three languages the Ministry will accept for your profession, since hospitals and the Ministry may differ in practice.
Choose your training country with Luxembourg in mind. A degree from Belgium, France or Germany gives you the language environment and the recognition record the Ministry knows well. If you train elsewhere, expect more paperwork. In every case, begin work on language and documents long before graduation. Employers hire on the basis of a valid authorisation, and the Ministry's processing time determines your start date.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a licensing exam in Luxembourg?
No. The Ministry of Health grants an authorisation to practise after assessing the diploma.
Where do Luxembourg doctors train?
Mostly in Belgium, France, Germany and other countries. The University of Luxembourg offers early medical study, with the rest abroad; check the current structure.
Which languages are needed?
French, German or Luxembourgish. The Ministry sets a language requirement, so ask for the current certificate level.
How do non-EU graduates register?
They apply to the Ministry for recognition of the qualification, which may set conditions.
What is the Collège médical?
The body that supervises doctors in Luxembourg alongside the Ministry's authorisation.
Is a Luxembourg authorisation valid elsewhere?
It is a national authorisation, so other countries assess your qualification and registration under their own rules, or under Directive 2005/36/EC for EU nationals.
Last reviewed October 2026