The Luxembourg school system
In Luxembourg, school is compulsory between the ages of 4 and 16. It comprises a minimum of 12 years divided between primary education and post-primary education.
Primary education comprises four cycles including preschool and primary for children aged between 4 and 11.
Post-primary education comprises two streams:
Classical secondary education: studies last for 7 years and lead to a Classical secondary school leaving diploma (Diplôme de fin d'études secondaires classiques - DFESC), which prepare the student for university studies,
- Secondary technical education, which includes different training regimes lasting 6 to 8 years depending on the path chosen:
- General secondary programmes (General Secondary school leaving diploma - Diplôme de fin d'études secondaires générales - DFESG)
- Technician programmes (Technician's diploma - Diplôme de technicien - DT)
- Vocational programmes (Professional Competence Diploma - Diplôme d'aptitude professionnelle - DAP)
- Basic vocational programmes (Certificate of professional competence - Certificat de capacité professionnelle – CCP)
Higher education groups the access to Master Craftsmanship (Brevet de maîtrise), Higher Technician Certificate (Brevet de Technicien Supérieur - BTS) or to a University Diploma (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate).
Vocational training and training for adults are both embedded in the
lifelong-learning framework.
- The goal of vocational training is either to guide
pupils towards a vocational qualification delivered by a technical
college, or to help people already holding a vocational qualification to
adapt or extend this qualification to the needs of changing
developments and the economy.
- Adult training offers education suitable for adult
learners, whether as part of continuing vocational training, general
interest courses or courses to prepare for national diplomas and
certificates.
The Luxemburgish education system is principally defined by its
multilingual tradition, in which language teaching occupies a central
role.