Registering a child who has recently arrived in the country in a basic education class

In Luxembourg, Luxembourgish is the language used to communicate. At school, the pupils are taught to read in German. The languages of instruction at the basic educational level are Luxembourgish, German and French.

Recently arrived pupils who do not have the necessary language skills, may temporarily be entitled to take a 'welcome class' (cours d'accueil). The objective of this class is to provide pupils with the necessary language skills so as to be able to follow the course programme in their regular classes, and to help them with their integration into the educational cycle that corresponds to their age.

Who is concerned

This initiative is available to all children between 4 and 11 years of age (independently of their nationality) whose parents have recently moved to Luxembourg.

How to proceed

Enrolling in a welcome class

All information concerning the schooling of children who have newly arrived in the country may be obtained from the Department for the Schooling of Foreign Children ( Service de la scolarisation des enfants étrangers) (phone: (+352) 247-76570); email: secretariat.secam@men.lu).

A pupil joining the basic education programme during the school year and who does not have a sufficient command of Luxembourgish (1st educational level), German or French (2nd, 3rd or 4th levels) to resume school at their grade level, has to take one or more intensive welcome courses each week in addition to their usual class (classe d'attache) in order to learn the language(s) needed for their successful integration.

Pupils must be registered at the education department of the commune where they live, or at the commune's secretariat.

The following items must be presented:

  • an ID document;
  • the family record book or marriage certificate and the childrens' birth certificates;
  • registration certificate (also available from the census office) and, where applicable, a permanent residence permit or residence permit.

Newly arrived children who are entering a basic education programme in the course of the mandatory school year are registered on the decision of the director of basic education, in the school year that corresponds to their age and prior schooling.

Subjects taught and number of lessons

The subjects that may be taught in the welcome courses are:

  • intensive German, followed by an introduction to French;
  • intensive French, followed by an introduction to German;
  • introduction to Luxembourgish;
  • mathematics, taught in French, for pupils without sufficient knowledge of German.

The number of lessons and subjects taught in a welcome course are set according to the academic and language assessment for the pupil, which is determined in conjunction with whoever has parental authority, and according to their individual educational training plan, which is prepared at the time of registration by the regular class teacher, in collaboration with the teacher in charge of the welcome classes and the teaching staff.

The number of lessons in the welcome course is gradually decreased over the course of the level, depending on the pupil's progress and language acquisition. Conversely, pupils take more classes with their form class.

Organisation of the welcome classes

The goal of the welcome classes is to facilitate pupil integration into the regular classes (either partially or completely), by providing them with intensive classes in the languages used by the school. Each pupil is registered in a form class for the level corresponding to their age. To begin with, the pupil is enrolled on a limited number of courses with their peers in their form class. Depending on their progress, the extent of this integration is gradually increased.

Pupils who have newly arrived in the country learn the languages intensively, and depending on the language(s) they already know. At the beginning, teaching is limited to a single language;

1st level

In the 1st level of basic education, the pupil receives an introduction to Luxembourgish in one or more lessons per week, which may be divided.

Pupils who are registered in the 2nd, 3rd or 4th level and who do not have sufficient knowledge of German or French to be able to take the basic education curriculum are also entitled to take a welcome course. This aims to ensure intensive acquisition of either German or French and, where applicable, an introduction to the other of these two languages.

2nd level

In the 2nd level of basic education, a pupil who does not yet know how to read and who does not yet know any school language learns German by taking an intensive course. This is also the case for pupils who only speak French.

An introduction to Luxembourgish may be given when significant progress in German has been made.

A pupil who already knows how to read and who does not know any of the school's languages, or French, attends the 2nd year of the 2nd level of education. Such pupils would take an intensive German course. Where applicable, they begin learning French in their form class. An introduction to Luxembourgish may be given when significant progress in German has been made.

3rd level

In the 3rd level of basic education, a pupil who does not yet know any of the school languages learns German by taking an intensive course. This is also the case for pupils who only speak French.

Subsequently, a pupil who does not know French takes an introduction to French course, once significant progress in German has been made. A pupil who knows German takes an intensive French course. They can began taking the introduction to Luxembourgish course once significant progress in either German or French has been made.

4th level

In the 4th level of basic education, a pupil who does not know any of the school languages takes an intensive French course. A pupil who knows German takes an intensive French course. A pupil who knows French takes an intensive German course. They can begin taking the Introduction to Luxembourgish course once they have made significant progress in either French or German.

Provided the pupil has acquired the basic elements of the corresponding skills base at the end of the 2nd or 3rd level, they are considered fully integrated into a regular basic education class and can take the respective curriculum in the 3rd or 4th level. At the end of the 4th level of basic education, the pupil completes the guidance process which regulates the passage from basic education to post-primary education.

Specialised welcome classes

In the event of special needs that go beyond what the commune is able to provide for, one or more specialised welcome classes may be created.

Pupils in these classes will receive education in the language(s) of the school, along with developmental and learning curricula. In theory, pupils do not stay in a welcome class for more than one year. If necessary, they will receive additional support or welcome classes in the following school year.

At the end of each school trimester, pupils receive an assessment which documents their progress. This supplements the interim assessment, where applicable.

International school offer

Over the years, Luxembourg has developed its international school offer. It is currently possible to take an European Baccalaureate, an International Baccalaureate or to follow the British Curriculum.

Some schools also extend their offer to the primary school level.

Primary school level classes

The International School Differdange & Esch-sur-Alzette offers French, English and German speaking sections in primary education.

The Lënster Lycée offers first year primary classes in the English and German-speaking sections.

The Lycée in Mondorf-les-Bains offers first-year primary classes in the French and English sections.

The International School Michel Lucius offers English classes at the primary level that follow the Cambridge curriculum for basic subjects.

Intercultural mediators

Teachers, parents and school authorities can make free use of an intercultural mediator.

Mediators can be present when pupils and parents arrive, translate information about prior schooling in the country of origin, provide oral or written translations, assist with any medical or psychological care related to school, and occasionally also help in class.

Mediators speak, in addition to the languages ​​common in Luxembourg, one or more of the following languages:

  • Albanian;
  • Arab;
  • Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serb;
  • Bulgarian;
  • Chinese;
  • Korean;
  • Capeverdian Creole;
  • Guinea-Bissau Creole;
  • Spanish;
  • Filipino;
  • Georgian;
  • Greek;
  • Hungarian;
  • Italian;
  • Kurdish;
  • Mankanya;
  • Dutch;
  • Nepalese;
  • Persian;
  • Polish;
  • Portuguese;
  • Romanian;
  • Russian;
  • Slovak;
  • Czech;
  • Thai;
  • Tigrinya;
  • Turkish;
  • Ukranian;
  • Wolof.

Forms / Online services

Authentic sources

Residence certificate

Generate a residence certificate

To complete your application, the information about you collected from this form needs to be processed by the public administration concerned.

That information is kept by the administration in question for as long as it is required to achieve the purpose of the processing operation(s).

Your data will be shared with other public administrations that are necessary for the processing of your application. For details on which departments will have access to the data on this form, please contact the public administration you are filing your application with.

Under the terms of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, you have the right to access, rectify or, where applicable, remove any information relating to you. You are also entitled to withdraw your consent at any time.

Additionally, unless the processing of your personal data is compulsory, you may, with legitimate reasons, oppose the processing of such data.

If you wish to exercise these rights and/or obtain a record of the information held about you, please contact the administration in question using the contact details provided on the form. You are also entitled to file a claim with the National Commission for Data Protection (Commission nationale pour la protection des données), headquartered at 15, boulevard du Jazz L-4370 Belvaux.

By submitting your application, you agree that your personal data may be processed as part of the application process.

Certificat de résidence

Obtenez votre certificat de résidence

Les informations qui vous concernent recueillies sur ce formulaire font l’objet d’un traitement par l’administration concernée afin de mener à bien votre demande.

Ces informations sont conservées pour la durée nécessaire par l’administration à la réalisation de la finalité du traitement

Les destinataires de vos données sont les administrations compétentes dans le cadre du traitement de votre demande. Veuillez-vous adresser à l’administration concernée par votre demande pour connaître les destinataires des données figurant sur ce formulaire. Conformément au règlement (UE) 2016/679 relatif à la protection des personnes physiques à l'égard du traitement des données à caractère personnel et à la libre circulation de ces données, vous bénéficiez d’un droit d’accès, de rectification et le cas échéant d’effacement des informations vous concernant. Vous disposez également du droit de retirer votre consentement à tout moment.

En outre et excepté le cas où le traitement de vos données présente un caractère obligatoire, vous pouvez, pour des motifs légitimes, vous y opposer.

Si vous souhaitez exercer ces droits et/ou obtenir communication de vos informations, veuillez-vous adresser à l’administration concernée suivant les coordonnées indiquées dans le formulaire. Vous avez également la possibilité d’introduire une réclamation auprès de la Commission nationale pour la protection des données ayant son siège à 15, boulevard du Jazz L-4370 Belvaux.

En poursuivant votre démarche, vous acceptez que vos données personnelles soient traitées dans le cadre de votre demande.

Wohnsitzbescheinigung

Erstellen Sie eine Wohnsitzbescheinigung

Ihre in diesem Formular erfassten personenbezogenen Informationen werden von der zuständigen Verwaltungsbehörde verarbeitet, um Ihren Antrag erfolgreich abzuschließen.

Diese Informationen werden von der Behörde für den zur Verarbeitung erforderlichen Zeitraum gespeichert.

Die Empfänger Ihrer Daten sind die im Rahmen Ihres Antrags zuständigen Verwaltungsbehörden. Um die Empfänger der in diesem Formular erfassten Daten zu erfahren, wenden Sie sich bitte an die für Ihren Antrag zuständige Behörde.

Gemäß der Verordnung (EU) 2016/679 zum Schutz natürlicher Personen bei der Verarbeitung personenbezogener Daten und zum freien Datenverkehr haben Sie das Recht auf Zugang, Berichtigung und gegebenenfalls Löschung Ihrer personenbezogenen Informationen. Sie haben zudem das Recht, Ihre erteilte Einwilligung jederzeit zu widerrufen.

Weiterhin können Sie, außer in Fällen, in denen die Verarbeitung Ihrer Daten verpflichtend ist, Widerspruch einlegen, wenn dieser rechtmäßig begründet ist.

Wenn Sie diese Rechte ausüben und/oder Einsicht in Ihre Informationen nehmen möchten, können Sie sich unter den im Formular angegebenen Kontaktdaten an die zuständige Verwaltungsbehörde wenden. Sie haben außerdem die Möglichkeit, bei der Nationalen Kommission für den Datenschutz Beschwerde einzulegen (Commission nationale pour la protection des données, 15, boulevard du Jazz L-4370 Belvaux).

Wenn Sie Ihren Vorgang fortsetzen, akzeptieren Sie damit, dass Ihre personenbezogenen Daten im Rahmen Ihres Antrags verarbeitet werden.

Who to contact

Double click to activate the map
Double click to activate the map

We are interested in your opinion

How would you rate the content of this page?

Last update