School

Steps

1. Book an appointment with the Service de l'intégration et de l'accueil scolaires (SIA) of the Ministry of Education: it receives newly arrived families, advises them on the system and follows the pupil for two years (online appointment).
2. Choose the track: standard public school (Luxembourgish in pre-school, literacy in German, French orally in cycle 2 and in writing in cycle 3), reception classes or integrated courses for children who do not speak these languages, or free public international tracks (international or European baccalaureate in French, English or German; some have nursery classes).
3. Fundamental level (3 to 11 years): enrol your child with the commune where you live (it enrols them automatically at your catchment-area school and sends you a form to finalise at the commune's secretariat); the school is organised in 4 cycles (cycle 1 lasts 3 years, its first year, the éducation précoce, is optional; cycles 2 to 4 last 2 years each).
4. Secondary level (from age 12, 7 years of study): enrolment directly with the lycée; two orders, the enseignement secondaire classique (geared to higher education, French predominant in the upper classes) and the enseignement secondaire général (German as a general rule).
5. Care for young children: crèches from 3 months to 4 years, at the parents' choice; free hours of care for children from 1 to 4 years in an education and care service; beyond that, contribution according to the chèque-service accueil scale.

Documents

• Fundamental level (commune): family record book, child's birth certificate and enrolment form sent by the commune (it may ask for other documents).
• Secondary level (lycée): enrolment form, copy of the end-of-cycle 4 assessment, copy of the guidance decision, extended residence certificate in the child's name (to be requested from the commune) and a recent identity photo. For a child who arrived from abroad, ask the SIA for advice (step 1).

Costs and timelines

• Public school and public international tracks: free, with no enrolment fees.
• School meals: free for all fundamental-level pupils during school weeks, whatever the income.
• Maisons relais and school care centres: free from Monday to Friday from 7:00 to 19:00 during school weeks for children subject to compulsory schooling (apart from any overrun billed by the facility); before 7:00, after 19:00 and during the holidays, contribution according to the chèque-service accueil scale.
• Private lycées: 10 private lycées subsidised by the State; fee-paying private international schools (each school sets its fees).
• Holidays 2026-2027: All Saints from 31 October to 8 November 2026; Christmas from 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027; Carnival from 6 to 14 February 2027; Easter from 27 March to 11 April 2027; Whitsun from 29 May to 6 June 2027; summer from 16 July to 14 September 2027.

Common pitfalls

• Enrolling a French-speaking child in the standard curriculum without support. German is the language of literacy there: ask the SIA about reception classes and international tracks (a pilot project also offers optional literacy in French in four schools).
• Thinking that school ends at 16. Schooling is compulsory until 18, or until obtaining a diploma or certificate of secondary education or vocational training completion (Guichet.lu, page updated on 01.09.2026; law passed in July 2023, in force from the 2026 start of the school year). A minor aged at least 16 who enters working life can ask for an exemption for the duration of their employment contract (Ministry of Education press release, 2023).
• Studies done abroad: if your child has completed abroad a level of studies corresponding to primary education, equivalence is obtained from the Minister of Education for a fee of €75 (Guichet.lu, 01.09.2026); for a foreign diploma, the procedures, cost and timeline are specified by the ministry when you apply.
• Intercultural mediators: free, they translate at parent-teacher meetings and help with reception: do not hesitate to ask for them.

What changes by country of origin

• Portuguese and Portuguese-speaking families: integrated courses in Portuguese offered in the public system.
• French-, English- or German-speaking families: reception classes and international tracks in these languages.