Discovering Luxembourg

Page 30

Education

Overview

The Ministère de l'Education is responsible for organizing and overseeing the national

education plan of Luxembourg. Children must be enrolled at the education department

(Service de l'Enseignement) in the commune of their residence and registered at the

citizen’s register of the Bureau de Population. Parents receive an enrollment letter from the

commune where they reside every spring, which must be sent back before 1 April. Starting

at age three (by September 1st), they may enroll in a nursery school.

Parents are strongly encouraged to start the school application process as soon as possible

if your child’s anticipated enrolment date is within one year. Vacancies, particularly in

international (English speaking) schools, are very limited and schools fill-up quickly. Visit the

school’s website for detailed instructions on the application process and tuition rates for

private schools.

Cheque Service

The cheque service is an education allowance that is applied to tuition for children under the

age of 13. Most crèches, preschools, and after school care accept the cheque service as a

form of payment. To apply for this allowance, the parent must apply in-person at the local

commune. The following documents must be provided:



Your most recent payslip, three are preferred.



Birth certificate and the social security number for the applicable child(ren)

The amount that will be deducted from the child’s tuition is dependent on the amount of the

parents’ salary and the number of household dependents. There is no registration fee for this

membership and it is valid for one year. You will receive a letter from Caisse Familial

informing you of renewal requirements.

The cheque service is divided into two categories (households above 3.5 times the minimum

wage and households below 3.5 times the minimum wage) and charged at 60 hours per

week. The billing period is between 4 to 5 weeks. Parents will receive a monthly invoice by

post. This will include the cost of the care provided to the child as well as the cost of the

meals consumed. The meals are charged at a maximum rate of 2€ for 0-4 years and 4.50€

for 4-12 years. Charges depend on the parents’ income and rates appear on the contract.

Crèches/Daycare

Children as young as 6 weeks can enroll in crèches until age four. Luxembourg has crèches

in Luxembourgish, French, German, English and other languages. Many of the crèches have

long waiting lists so it is advised to apply early.

Nursery Schools

Children must be three years-old on September 1 to be eligible for nursery school

(Maternelle and Precoce). Enrolment is not mandatory until the age of four but it is highly

recommended by the school administration. Precoce is the state ran nursery school.