International schooling

• Elementary education • Schooling of foreign pupils • Secondary education • Vocational training

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has a long-standing history as home to a varied international community; nearly 48% of the population are not Luxembourg nationals, and they represent some 170 nationalities. In its capacity as an immigration destination, the historic seat of European institutions and the headquarters of numerous banks and international companies, the Grand Duchy has, over the years, made a diversified range of schooling available, in order to meet the needs and desires of families from widely differing backgrounds.

Efforts to diversify the schooling available have increased in recent years, with the aim of providing State education free of charge to all residents, regardless of their social, cultural and linguistic backgrounds. As part of this effort, six State European schools have been set up in the Grand Duchy.

In addition to the regular Luxembourgish system, the State and private schooling available makes it possible to obtain a recognised qualification that disregards State borders.

Elementary (primary) education

State primary education

The École internationale Differdange & Esch-sur-Alzette (EIDE) offers English- and French-speaking sections of European primary education. 

The Lënster Lycée International School in Junglinster (LLIS) offers English- and French-speaking sections of European nursery cycle (maternelle) and primary education. 

The École internationale Edward Steichen-Clervaux (LESC) offers English- and French-speaking sections of European nursery cycle (maternelle) and primary education.

The École internationale Mersch Anne Beffort (EIMAB) offers English-, and French-speaking sections of European primary education. 

The École internationale Gaston Thorn (EIGT) offers English-, German- and French-speaking sections of European primary education.

The International School Michel Lucius (ISML) offers English primary education following the British curriculum accredited by Cambridge University.

Private primary education

A number of private schools offer international schooling at the primary level:

International baccalaureate (IB) - French/English

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a classic baccalaureate (general pathway) offered by 5,000 secondary schools in 150 countries worldwide, in one of three languages: English, French and Spanish. In the Grand Duchy, classes leading to the IB are offered in either French or English.

The curriculum is aimed at both recent arrivals and any pupils wishing to complete their secondary education in either French or English at a demanding level. The final written examinations are mainly assessed externally, relying on a worldwide network of 9,000 trained examiners.

Some schools offer the syllabus starting in the 7e class, while others start in the 6e or 4e class. Pupils should be enrolled with the school directly:

State schools

Private schools

European baccalaureate

The European Baccalaureate certifies that the pupil has completed secondary education at a European School. It is officially recognised as a qualification granting access to higher education in any European Union country and in a number of other countries.

State-run European schools

There are a few State-run European schools leading to the European Baccalaureate in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg; they are free of charge and open to all:

All learning pathways at State-run European schools include learning Luxembourgish, which is compulsory up to the third year of secondary education.

Pupils should be enrolled with the school directly. It is important to note that pre-enrolment opens very early in the year.

European schools (Écoles Européennes de Luxembourg, EEL)

There are two EEL schools (European schools) in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg – one in Kirchberg (EEL I), the other in Bertrange/Mamer (EEL II). They follow the same curriculum and share the same administrative structure. Both schools offer education from nursery to secondary levels. They divide the languages spoken in the European Union between them; only English-, French- and German-speaking sections are present on both sites. Generally, the European schools are intended for the children of staff of the European Institutions, who have priority.

  • EEL I: Bulgarian, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish
  • EEL II: Czech, Danish, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Maltese, Romanian, Slovenian, Slovakian and Croatian

Pupils should be enrolled with the school directly: www.euroschool.lu

A-levels

Classes taught in English at the International School Michel Lucius

All classes are taught in English; pupils choose French and German as their second or third language. The classes prepare pupils for the following diplomas and qualifications:

International GCSEs, which are based on the British school system, enable pupils to continue their secondary education and provide preparation for AS- and A-levels.

The A-level qualification is offered in more than 125 countries worldwide. It certifies that the pupil has completed his/her secondary or pre-university education.

Pupils should be enrolled with the school directly: www.lml.lu

St. George’s International School (private)

Pupils should be enrolled with the school directly: www.st-georges.lu

French diplomas

École privée Notre-Dame Sainte-Sophie (EPND)

EPND offers classes equivalent to 6e, 5e and 4e classes at a French secondary school (collège).

Pupils should be enrolled with the school directly: https://saintesophie.lu

Vauban, École et Lycée français de Luxembourg (private)

The Lycée Vauban follows the curriculum of the French State education system. It comprises a lower school (collège - 6e to 3e classes), leading to the lower secondary school certificate (brevet des collèges) and an upper school (lycée - 2e to terminale classes), which prepares pupils for the French baccalaureate.

Pupils should be enrolled with the school directly: www.vauban.lu

German and Luxembourgish diplomas

The Deutsch-luxemburgisches Schengen-Lyzeum in Perl is for pupils from Germany and the Grand Duchy. The school combines elements from the two school systems.

Most subjects are taught in German.

End-of-studies certificates available:

  • the Hauptschulabschluss (certificate attesting completion of compulsory schooling);
  • the mittlerer Bildungsabschluss, after the 10e class;
  • the Abitur (baccalaureate) and simultaneously the diplôme de fin d'études secondaires (diploma certifying successful completion of secondary education);
  • the administrative and commercial technician's diploma.

The qualifications are recognised by both countries.

Pupils should be enrolled with the school directly: www.schengenlyzeum.eu

Vocational training

As part of the diversification of the schooling available and in addition to the education offered by schools with an international outlook, a number of vocational training courses leading to the technician's diploma (diplôme de technicien, DT) or the vocational aptitude diploma (diplôme d’aptitude professionnelle, DAP) are available in English: for example, DAP courses for international restaurant managers (Restaurateur international), technicians in smart technologies, IT technicians, training courses in mechanics and electronics.

Information available at www.mengschoul.lu

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