All pupils between the ages of 4 and 22 (inclusive) who have recently arrived in Luxembourg.

Organisation

Newly arrived pupils are welcomed into the system as part of a 4-stage process:

• Meeting. To arrange a meeting, please complete the appointment request form, which is available in 12 languages. You can schedule a meeting with the School Integration and Welcoming Service (SIA) online:
  • before arriving in Luxembourg (the meeting will take place over video call); or
  • once you have arrived in Luxembourg (the meeting will take place in person at the SIA offices in Luxembourg City);
• Pupil care: the SIA will put you in touch with an intercultural mediator if needed;
• Guidance: the SIA will help you find a suitable class;
• Follow-up: as a pupil, once enrolled in a mainstream class, you will receive follow-up support for 2 years. This follow-up support takes place on a voluntary basis at the express request of the parties concerned – namely, the persons with parental authority, the student (if they are at least 18 years old) or the teachers responsible for welcoming and integrating newly arrived pupils.

Welcome plan

Creation of a file for every newly arrived pupil

After identifying the pupil's aspirations, needs, knowledge and skills, the SIA will prepare an individual file and supports the young person throughout the integration period.

The objective is as follows:

• to identify educational pathways to match each pupil’s circumstances; and
• to integrate the pupil into a new school environment.

The file includes:

• academic progress, school reports, and documents or work produced by the pupil during their previous schooling;
• an assessment of the pupil’s knowledge, understanding and skills across all areas of learning;
• an assessment of interdisciplinary skills;
• the report on the conversation with the pupil, setting out their ambitions;
• the report on the conversation conducted with the persons with parental responsibility or with the student (if they are at least 18 years old), setting out the student’s life plan.

This file will be forwarded to the school the pupil will be attending in order to prepare the teaching staff and the class for the new pupil's arrival.

Welcome plan in collaboration with the school

In collaboration with the SIA, the primary or secondary school in question prepares a welcome plan to support the newly arrived pupil.

This welcome plan offers:

• personalised support at a personal, social and educational level;
• a deeper focus on learning strategies and techniques;
• support measures or extra intervention in one or more school subjects;
• reception classes;
• support measures or specific measures for pupils with special needs;
• schooling within an integration class;
• regular monitoring of the pupil's situation. This follow-up support takes place on a voluntary basis at the express request of the parties concerned and only once the pupil has been enrolled in a mainstream class.

During transitions (e.g.: change of school, transition from primary to secondary education), the welcome plan is forwarded to and presented at the new school.

Individualised tracking of the student's educational progress

Primary education

The school’s educational staff, which is responsible for integrating and welcoming newly arrived pupils, appoints a coordinator.

This coordinator, who liaises with the SIA, is:

• the contact person for the parents; and
• a trusted and experienced colleague for the other teachers.

Secondary schools

School guidance and integration units in secondary schools are responsible for integrating newly arrived pupils. The unit head coordinates and oversees the support provided to newly arrived pupils in accordance with the welcome plan.

They are the contact person:

• for the SIA;
• for the parents;
• for the pupil, and take care of follow-up support.

Follow-up support over 2 years

The pupil receives follow-up support for 2 years:

• from the date on which the pupil's first language of teaching is taught in a regular class; and
• on a voluntary basis, at the express request of the parties concerned.

For the purposes of this follow-up support, the person responsible assesses:

• the pupil's performance;
• their educational progress;
• observations from the classroom, compared against the initial welcome plan.

These indicators can prompt changes to the welcome plan in order to ensure that the support is tailored to the pupil's actual needs.

Classes available for newly arrived students

Mainstream classes or integration classes

Newly arrived pupils who:

• speak the languages of instruction in Luxembourg (German, French and, depending on level of study, English) are directly integrated into mainstream classes; or
• do not speak or only have a poor command of the languages of instruction in Luxembourg but who have a very good academic level can attend integration classes offering:
  • intensive French classes; or
  • intensive German classes (provided sufficient knowledge of French).

Reception classes (ACCU)

Pupils aged 12 to 15 who are newly arrived and who do not speak either German or French may be admitted to a reception class (ACCU). These classes provide an intensive course in French and introductory courses in Luxembourgish.

Language-specific class (RLS)

Students aged 15 and over who wish to access the upper classes of general secondary education can enter a language-specific class (Classe à régime linguistique spécifique – RLS), provided they have a good level of French or English. The RLS offering also includes English classes, which supplement the French lessons.

In the RLS class:

• subjects are taught in French or English; and
• German is taught as a foreign language.

The curriculum followed in other subjects is otherwise identical to that of other classes. You can view the list of secondary schools that offer RLS classes on the website of the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth (Ministère de l’Éducation nationale, de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse – MENEJ).

Integration classes for young adults (CLIJA)

Young people between 16 and 17 years old can also attend an integration class for young adults (Classe d'insertion pour jeunes adultes – CLIJA). These classes include:

• intensive French classes; and
• basic education.

This grants access to:

• general secondary education; or
• vocational training; or
• working life.

Young people between 18 and 22 years old can attend an integration class for young adults (Classes d'insertion pour jeunes adultes – CLIJAA). These classes offer:

• intensive French or German classes; and
• basic education to prepare the young person to move on to training or a job.

Primary education (ages 4 to 11)

The SIA handles the school enrolment and placement of children ages 4 to 11 who have recently arrived in Luxembourg.

Distribution by school cycle:

• cycle 1 for children aged 4 and 5;
• cycles 2 to 4 for children aged 6 to 11.

Several public international schools and private schools offer primary education and sometimes nursery education.

Further information is available on the primary school offer page.

Classic secondary education and general secondary education (from 12 years old upwards)

The SIA also handles the school enrolment and placement of young people ages 12 and up who have recently arrived in Luxembourg.

To determine the class and level that best match the pupil’s abilities, the SIA assesses their academic achievements and language skills. The following documentation is required at the first meeting with the SIA:

• identity card or passport; and
• report cards for the past 2 school years; and
• copy of residence certificate (available from the communal authorities) or proof of an application for international protection, to the extent possible.

Based on these documents, the SIA will:

• create a school enrolment file; and
• carry out an initial assessment (test) of the pupil.

In this way, the young person can be steered towards the secondary school that best matches their academic and linguistic background.

The pupil does not need to complete this process with the SIA if they wish to:

• enrol in aprivate secondary school; or
• enrol in a public school that offers an international programme

In this case, parents should contact the school directly so that it can review the pupil's file.

Further information is available on the secondary school offer page.

International schools

Over the years, Luxembourg has been expanding its roster of international schools. It is currently possible to:

• study for a European baccalaureate; or
• study for an international baccalaureate; or
• follow the British curriculum.

Some schools also offer an international education from the primary level onwards.

European baccalaureate

The École internationale Differdange & Esch-sur-Alzette (EIDE) offers the following language sections starting in primary school:

• French;
• English;
• German.

the Lënster Lycée International School (LLIS) offers the following language sections starting at the nursery level:

• French;
• English;
• German.

The École internationale Edward Steichen-Clervaux (LESC) offers the following language sections starting at the nursery level:

• French;
• English;
• German.

The École internationale à Mondorf-les-Bains (EIMLB) offers the following language sections:

• French and English, starting in primary school;
• German, starting in secondary school.

The École internationale Mersch Anne Beffort (EIMAB) offers the following language sections starting in secondary school:

• French;
• English;
• German.

École internationale Gaston Thorn (EIGT) offers programmes in the following languages:

• French and English, starting in primary school;
• German, starting in secondary school.

The École internationale de Schifflange is due to open in 2028. This new school will offer:

• the full secondary cycle (from S1 to S7); and
• integration classes and placement classes (classes d'orientation); and
• preparatory classes.

An international school is also due to open in Strassen.

European Schools in Luxembourg (EEL)

There are 2 European schools in Luxembourg:

• the European School Luxembourg I (EEL I in Kirchberg); and
• the European School Luxembourg II (EEL II in Bertrange).

They follow the same curriculum and have the same administrative structure.

Both schools:

• offer classes from nursery level through the end of secondary school; and
• offer a range of language sections, which together cover European Union languages.

Only the English, French and German sections are available at both schools.

Generally, the European schools are mainly intended for the children of employees of the European institutions.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Classes leading to the International Baccalaureate (IB) are available:

• in French at the following schools:
  • Lycée Technique du Centre;
  • Lycée Mathias Adam;
  • Lycée technique d’Ettelbruck; and
• in English at the Athénée du Luxembourg.

British curriculum

The Lycée Michel Lucius offers classes in English that prepare students to sit the following examinations:

• International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE);
• Advanced Subsidiary level (AS-level);
• Advanced level (A-level).

Intercultural mediators

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

The mediators offer support to newly arrived pupils and their parents by:

• being present when pupils and their parents are being welcomed;
• translating or explaining information on previous schooling in the country of origin;
• providing interpreting and translation services;
• accompanying the pupil to any medical or psychological support appointment related to their schooling;
• providing occasional assistance in class to facilitate communication.

In addition to the languages common in Luxembourg, the mediators speak one or more of the following languages:

• Albanian;
• Arabic;
• Armenian;
• Bengali;
• Bosnian;
• Bulgarian;
• Catalan (Spain);
• Chinese (Cantonese);
• Chinese (Mandarin);
• Korean;
• Creole (Cape Verde);
• Creole (Guinea-Bissau);
• Croatian;
• Spanish;
• Farsi;
• Filipino;
• Greek;
• Hindi;
• Hungarian;
• Italian;
• Japanese;
• Kurdish (Kermanji);
• Kurdish (Sorani);
• Mankanya;
• Montenegrin;
• Nepalese;
• Urdu;
• Punjabi;
• Persian/Dari;
• Polish;
• Portuguese;
• Romanian;
• Russian;
• Serbian;
• Slovak;
• Czech;
• Thai;
• Tigrinya;
• Turkish;
• Ukrainian;
• Vietnamese.

Booking an appointment with the SIA

Procedures

Links