Pupils:

• who have completed primary education; and
• for whom the orientation decision (décision d’orientation) for streaming into secondary education has been approved.

Schooling in Luxembourg is compulsory:

• until the age of 18; or
• until one of the following is obtained:
  • a diploma or certificate attesting to the completion of secondary education or vocational training, issued by a Luxembourg public institution or a Luxembourg-government-approved private institution; or
  • another diploma or certificate that has been recognised – either by law, or further to a decision by the Minister of Education – as the equivalent of one the diplomas/certificates mentioned above.

To be able to enrol your child in secondary education, your child must accept the orientation decision (décision d’orientation) which directs them to:

• classic secondary education; or
• general secondary education.

There are several secondary education pathways in Luxembourg, which include:

• classic secondary education (enseignement secondaire classique - ESC);
• general secondary education (enseignement secondaire général - ESG);
• European education;
• international education;
• English-language education (Cambridge);
• German-Luxembourgish education.

If you disagree with your child's class teacher (titulaire de classe) regarding the orientation decision (décision d’orientation), the matter will be raised at a meeting of the orientation commission (commission d’orientation).

If your child has completed a level of education corresponding to primary education abroad, you can have your child's education recognised as equivalent by applying to the Minister of Education. There is a fee of EUR 75 for this procedure.

Applications for admission in most grade-7 (7^e) classes – the first year of secondary school – are open from 1 to 30 June.

Enrolling in a public education establishment

Supporting documents

Your registration file to enrol in a lycée (high school) must contain:

• the duly completed enrolment form (given to your child by their class teacher); and
• a copy of the end-of-cycle-four report; and
• a copy of the orientation decision; and
• an extended certificate of residence (certificat de résidence élargi) in your child's name (which must be requested from the communal administration); and
• a recent passport-size photo of your child.

Enrolling in a private education establishment

You can enrol your child in a private secondary school, but you will be required to pay:

• school fees; or
• special fees.

There are 2 types of private schools:

• 5 state-subsidised private schools that offer the official curricula:
  • École privée Marie-Consolatrice (EPMC);
  • École privée Sainte-Anne (EPSA);
  • École privée Fieldgen (EPF);
  • Lycée privé Emile Metz (LPEM);
  • École privée Notre-Dame (Sainte-Sophie) (EPND).
• 5 private schools that offer another curriculum:
  • Fraï-ëffentlech Waldorfschoul Lëtzebuerg;
  • St. George’s International School;
  • International School of Luxembourg (ISL);
  • Vauban, École et Lycée français de Luxembourg;
  • OTR International School.

The European Schools Luxembourg operate 2 campuses:

• Luxembourg I, in Kirchberg; and
• Luxembourg II, in Mamer.

Alternative education schools

Public, alternative-education secondary schools enjoy a special status due to their innovative approaches to education.

They offer the same curricula and prepare students to sit exams for the same diplomas as traditional secondary schools.

Below is a list of alternative-education schools:

• Lycée Ermesinde in Mersch;
• Schengen-Lycée or 'Deutsch-Luxemburgisches Schengen-Lyzeum'. This binational, cross-border school is located in Perl in Germany, and offers a German-Luxembourgish education.
• 'Sportlycée' or 'sport-études', for students who are high-performing athletes;
• École nationale pour adultes (ENAD), for teens and young adults who have left school without a recognised qualification, or who have failed to find an apprenticeship, but fulfil the conditions to gain access to professional development training.

International Baccalaureate

Several lycées in Luxembourg – both public and private – offer 'international classes' that prepare students to sit exams for the International Baccalaureate. Classes are taught in French or English.

These schools generally cater to children who are able to handle an academically challenging secondary education, and who have:

• recently arrived in Luxembourg; or
• opted for a secondary education in French or English.

As the admission criteria and enrolment conditions vary from school to school, it is advisable to contact schools directly:

• Public schools:
  • International Baccalaureate in French:
    • Lycée technique du centre (LTC);
    • Lycée Mathias Adam (LMA) in Pétange;
    • Lycée technique d’Ettelbruck (LTETT);
  • International Baccalaureate in English
    • Athénée de Luxembourg (AL);
    • Lycée de garçons Esch (LGE);

• Private schools:
  • International Baccalaureate in French, at École Waldorf;
  • International Baccalaureate in English
    • International School of Luxembourg;
    • OTR International School.

European Baccalaureate

Several lycées in Luxembourg – both public and private – offer 'European classes' that prepare students to sit exams for the European Baccalaureate. The European Baccalaureate certifies that the holder has completed their secondary education in a European school. It is officially recognised as a qualification that meets the requirements for access to higher education across all EU countries, as well as in a number of other countries.

All of these lycées have German, English and French sections:

• Public schools:
  • École internationale de Differdange et Esch-sur-Alzette (EIDE);
  • Lënster Lycée International School (LLIS);
  • Lycée Edward Steichen Clervaux (LESC);
  • École internationale de Mondorf-les-Bains (EIMLB);
  • École internationale Mersch Anne Beffort (EIMAB); 
  • École internationale Gaston Thorn (EIGT) in Luxembourg City.
    
    
• European Schools Luxembourg (EEL) (mainly for children of EU personnel and, for others, subject to conditions):
  • Luxembourg I, in Kirchberg (Bulgarian, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish); and
  • Luxembourg II, in Mamer (Czech, Danish, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Maltese, Romanian, Slovenian, Slovak, and Croatian).

A-Levels

International School Michel Lucius (LML) is a public lycée that offers classes in English. All classes are taught in English, and students can choose French or German as a 2^nd or 3^rd language. The classes prepare students to sit exams for the following British qualifications:

• International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), at around 16 years old;
• Advanced Subsidiary Levels (AS-Levels);
• Advanced Levels (A-Levels), at around 18 years old.

International GCSE qualifications – based on British curricula – allow students to continue their secondary education and prepare for AS-level and A-level exams.

A-level curricula are taught in more than 125 countries worldwide. An A-level qualification certifies that the holder has completed secondary or pre-university education.

2 private schools also prepare students for these certificates:

• St. George’s International School;
• OTR International School.

Procedures

Links