UMCG Groningen Careers, Salaries & Jobs

The University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) is the university medical centre of the University of Groningen.

Its careers site describes it as the largest employer in the north of the Netherlands and the largest university medical centre in the north, with 13,000 colleagues.

Research at UMCG focuses on healthy and active ageing. The careers site says around 1,500 students do a placement, clinical rotation or research project there each year, and that UMCG offers all CZO-recognised further training programmes for nurses.

For international applicants, UMCG is a Dutch-language employer. Its careers site, including the English-labelled pages, is largely in Dutch, and clinical roles for doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, physiotherapists and other BIG-registered professionals need BIG registration and Dutch at the BIG register's levels, such as B1 for nurses and B2+ for doctors. Research vacancies for scientists are listed separately and link to UMCG Research.

Pay follows the Cao umc. UMCG's page for residents says A(N)IOS start in scale 11a, step 0, with a higher step for relevant experience, work an average of 46 hours a week, and receive 8% holiday pay in May and an 8.3% year-end bonus in November.

Run by

University Medical Center Groningen, the university medical centre of the University of Groningen

• Healthy and active ageing

  The focus of UMCG research, aimed at adding healthy years of life.

• Nursing specialisation

  UMCG offers all CZO-recognised further training programmes for nurses, according to its careers site.

• Neurosurgery, ENT and ophthalmology nursing

  Nursing teams on combined wards are featured on the careers site.

• Metabolic diseases

  UMCG nurses describe working in care for metabolic diseases as a field with a lot of development.

• Medical training

  A large training hospital for residents (aios) and non-training doctors (anios) across specialties.

• We did not find information on recruiting from abroad, relocation or visa support on UMCG's public careers site when we checked in October 2026. The site is largely in Dutch, including the English-labelled pages, and questions go to its recruitment team through the contact page.
• UMCG Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen is listed in the IND public register of recognised sponsors for labour and highly skilled migrants (checked 21 October 2026), so it can apply for a highly skilled migrant permit.
• In practice, internationally trained nurses and doctors reach UMCG through the national route: BIG recognition with the BI-test and Dutch first, then a direct application to vacancies. Research staff apply through vacancies linked to UMCG Research.

• BIG registration. To work at UMCG as a doctor, nurse, physician assistant, pharmacist, midwife, physiotherapist or in another profession listed in Article 3 of the BIG Act, you must be in the BIG register. With a diploma from outside the EEA and Switzerland you first need a certificate of professional competence, assessed by the BIG register on the advice of the CBGV. The BIG register says the whole process takes on average 6 months to 1.5 years from your application, the application and assessment are free, and registration costs €85. Your first registration is conditional: you work for 3 months under supervision before it becomes definitive.

• Dutch at the level the BIG register sets. You prove Dutch before you apply for recognition: B1 for nursing, B2 for higher vocational professions such as physiotherapy and midwifery, and B2+ (above B2, below C1) for doctors, dentists and pharmacists. The BIG register also asks for proof of English reading skills, and says learning Dutch to the right level takes on average one and a half to two years.

• The BI-test. Doctors, dentists and nurses sit a professional knowledge test (BI-toets) as part of the assessment. The BIG register lists the fee for nurses as €400. For doctors it said, when we checked in October 2026, that there are no test places available at the moment and that it is not known when doctors can be scheduled again.

• A residence permit. Non-EU staff usually come on the IND's highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) permit, which only a recognised sponsor can apply for. UMCG Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen is listed in the IND public register of recognised sponsors for labour and highly skilled migrants (register updated 5 October 2026, checked 21 October 2026). In 2026 the salary must be at least €5,942 gross a month if you are 30 or older, or €4,357 if you are under 30, excluding holiday allowance; the fee is €423 and the IND decides within 90 days.

• BIG registration for the permit. The IND states that if you will practise a profession listed in Article 3 or 36a of the BIG Act, you must be registered (or conditionally registered) in the BIG register. For doctors in specialist training the salary only has to reach the minimum wage, but the training must be recognised by the RGS or another listed committee.

1. 1

   Check your profession and start BIG recognition

   If your job is a BIG profession, use the BIG register's advice wizard and apply for a certificate of professional competence through mijn.bigregister.nl. It is free, but it takes months and may end with extra training, so start well before you apply for jobs.
2. 2

   Get your Dutch to the required level

   Plan for the language certificate the BIG register asks for: B1 for nurses, B2+ for doctors. Certificates must be no more than two years old when you apply.
3. 3

   Find a vacancy at UMCG

   Search the vacancies at werkenbijumcg.nl. Set a job alert if nothing fits yet. Read each advert for the Cao umc scale, the hours and whether BIG registration is required.
4. 4

   Apply online

   Apply through the vacancy with your CV and motivation letter. Mention your BIG status (registered, in progress or not yet started) and your Dutch level, because both decide whether you can start in a clinical role.
5. 5

   Permit and start date

   If you need a permit, UMCG can apply to the IND as a recognised sponsor once you accept. UMCG aims to reply within 2 weeks of the closing date, and some roles include an assessment.
6. 6

   Start under supervision

   If your BIG registration is conditional, you work your first 3 months under the supervision of a BIG-registered colleague in your profession, then send the signed supervision form to the BIG register.

• All general scales (1 to 18)

  €2,744 to €13,171 a month

  Cao umc appendix A, from scale 1 step 0 to the top of scale 18, 1 July 2026.

• Salary scales for nurses (8aM, 8M, 9aM, 9M)

  €3,626 to €5,845 a month

  Cao umc appendix Aa, 1 July 2026. Which scale applies depends on how the nursing job is graded.

• Doctors not yet specialists, including residents (scale 11a)

  €4,642 to €6,393 a month

  Cao umc appendix B, steps 0 to 10, 1 July 2026. Covers aios and anios.

• Medical specialist (MS scale)

  €7,727 to €9,136 a month

  Cao umc appendix C, 1 July 2026.

• University medical specialist (UMS scale)

  €10,032 to €14,265 a month

  Cao umc appendix C, 1 July 2026.

• Holiday allowance

  8% of annual salary

  Cao umc article 4.5.

• Year-end bonus

  8.3% of annual salary

  Cao umc article 4.4.