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Practical information for new PhD students

Welcome to the Faculty of Medicine and to Lund University!

Getting settled at Lund University

Below you will find information to assist in preparing for and securing a smooth start as an international doctoral candidate. There are a number of practical and administrative tasks to take care of in order to get settled in as a resident in Lund or Malmö and as a student at the Faculty of Medicine at Lund University.

You can prepare by going through the information in the first two links below:

External scholarship

The information above applies for doctoral candidates that are formally employed at Lund University. For doctoral candidates funded by an external scholarship, please see the following:

Before and during your stay

Below is a link to a guide helping you understand and take the necessary steps towards securing your legal migration status in Sweden:

Migration issues (Lund University Staff Pages)

Via the link below you will find information about being a public employee, salary and benefits, annual leave, intellectual property rights and much more: 

Working conditions (Lund University Staff Pages)

Before you arrive in Lund or Malmö, you are highly recommended to secure housing. Initially, your host department should assist you in finding accommodation. Later, we expect that you manage most of this by yourself.

The housing market in Lund and Malmö is quite competitive, so it is advised you take the time needed to find a place to live. For links to various accommodation opportunities, take a look at the links below: 

LU Accommodation's website 

Accommodation at International Citizens Hub's website

As an employee of Lund University, you are covered by a number of insurance policies. To learn more and for terms and conditions, please see the following:

Insurance at Lund University (Lund University Staff Pages)

Insurance at Lund University for scholarship holders (Lund University Staff Pages)

You and your family should register at a local healthcare centre (Vårdcentral). There are a number of centres to choose from, but they are largely similar in terms of fees and booking procedures.

You will need to fill in a form and thereby officially choose your healthcare provider. Please note: For young children there are separate clinics (“Barnavårdcentral, BVC”), often located within the healthcare centre.

A complete list of healthcare centres (in Swedish, 1177's website)

Lund University offers Swedish language courses for employees, with rapid progression. Depending on your previous knowledge of Swedish, you can take courses at five different levels.

Learn more about courses in Swedish (Lund University Staff Pages)

Specific information for PhD's at the Faculty of Medicine

In the Handbook for new PhD students, you will find much of what you initially need during your time at the Faculty of Medicine:

Handbook for PhD students at the Faculty of Medicine (PDF 1,21 MB, new tab)

For more detailed information on the rules, requirements and regulations governing the PhD programme, please see:

PhD studies

First and foremost, make sure you get a Lucat ID. Lucat is Lund University's directory of staff and departments, owned by the University, run mainly by the university's central IT office (LDC. Registration in Lucat generates your student email address,and student  identity and password, which are necessary to access services and functions at the University. Contact the personnel officer of your research department to obtain your Lucat ID.

You will need an electronic keycard to access the non-public parts of the buildings you will be working in. There is a key card that is used throughout the university as well as separate key cards issued by each institute/building (BMC, CRC, etc.). For all of these passes, you need a Lucat ID that has been activated for at least 24 hours.

For the electronic keycard used throughout the whole university, there are a few locations in Lund where you can get one. Check the link below for office locations and opening hours for these cards. 

LU access card

The Medical Doctoral Student Council

The Medical Doctoral Student Council (MDR) is the part of the wider Lund's Doctoral Student Union and represents the interests of PhD students as members on several boards and committees at the Faculty of Medicine. Their website includes contact information for the chairperson and other members:

The Medical Doctoral Student Council (MDR)