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Luxembourg

National Information Centres

Ministère de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement supérieur
Ministry of Research and Higher Education

18, Montée de la Pétrusse
L-2327
Luxembourg

Phone: +352 247-86 619
Fax: +352 26 29 60 37
E-mail: enic-naric@mesr.etat.lu
Website: http://www.mesr.gouvernement.lu
Head of Centre: Ms Christiane Huberty, Director

Ministère de l’Éducation nationale, de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse
Ministry of Education, Children and Youth

Link(s): French
Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche
Ministry of Higher Education and Research

Link(s): French

Education system in Luxembourg

The link below offers you a general overview of the education system in Luxembourg.

Regarding Higher Education in Luxembourg, the system is fully aligned with the structure provided by the Bologna Process and comprises the short cycle, the Bachelor (1st cycle), the Master (2nd cycle) and the Doctorat (3rd cycle).


Link(s): English, French

University of Luxembourg

The University of Luxembourg was founded by law in 2003 and has ever since been the only public university in Luxembourg. The amended Law of 27 June 2018 has replaced the founding law of 12 August 2003.

It is fully aligned with the Bologna Process and is the only higher education institution in Luxembourg that is entitled to award doctoral degrees.

First cycle
Bachelor programmes provide students with an adequate command of general scientific methods and contents as well as with specific professional skills.
The general access requirement is a Luxembourgish secondary school leaving qualification awarded after completing 13 years of education and passing the relevant state examination; equivalent foreign qualifications may also be accepted.
Admission may be based on specific course requirements. The studies last 3 or 4 years, according to the programme.
The Bachelor’s degree is awarded to students who have gained 180 or 240 ECTS credits respectively and have satisfied all curricular requirements, including the production of a final written paper or equivalent final project.
A Bachelor’s degree gives access to Master programmes.

The first cycle corresponds to Level 6 of the Luxembourg Qualifications Framework (Level 6 EQF).

Second cycle

Master programmes provide education at an advanced level for the exercise of highly qualified activities in specific areas.
Access is by a Bachelor’s degree or a comparable foreign degree corresponding to Level 6 of the Luxembourg Qualifications Framework; admission is based on specific course requirements determined by the higher education institution. The studies last 1 to 3 years, according to the programme.
The Master’s degree is awarded after completing a study programme of at least 60 and maximum 180 ECTS credits at the given education level, provided that the student has gained at least 300 ECTS credits in total, Bachelor’s degree included.
The Master’s degree is awarded to students who have satisfied all curricular requirements, including the production and defence of an original dissertation.
A Master’s degree gives access to the Doctorat (PhD programme).
The second cycle corresponds to Level 7 of the Luxembourg Qualifications Framework (Level 7 EQF).

Third cycle

The PhD students enrolled on these programmes acquire methodologies for advanced scientific research, are trained in new technologies and work in research laboratories, if appropriate.
Access is by a Master’s degree or an equivalent foreign degree corresponding to Level 7 of the Luxembourg Qualifications Framework. The studies at the University of Luxembourg last at least 3 years and include the completion and defence of an original research project and a thesis as well as 20 ECTS credits.
The third cycle corresponds to Level 8 of the Luxembourg Qualifications Framework (Level 8 EQF).


Link(s): English, French, German

The website of the Luxembourg Ministry of Higher Education and Research provides a list of all recognised higher education institutions and their recognised programmes.


Link(s): French, English

Framework

An overview of the Luxembourg Qualifications Framework (CLQ) is provided on the website of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.

Link(s): French

Self-Certification

Report on referencing the Luxembourg qualifications framework to the EQF-LL and to the QF-EHEA

Link(s): English, French, German

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg does not have a national quality assurance agency. The Ministry of Higher Education and Research has recourse to foreign agencies and experts.

According to the amended Law of 27 June 2018, the University of Luxembourg is evaluated every four years. The Minister of Higher Education and Research commissions a foreign agency to perform an evaluation reviewing the institution, its research as well as its learning and teaching activities, whereas the institutional level is an integral part of the evaluation and the other areas are being reviewed alternately. The Bachelor, Master and PhD programmes offered by the University of Luxembourg, created by law, are automatically recognised.

The amended Law of 19 June 2009 on the organisation of higher education provides for external quality assurance of foreign private higher education institutions, of their programmes, as well as of the short cycle programmes, which are offered by public secondary schools (for more information, please see below “Post-secondary non-university higher education").

Foreign private higher education institutions and their programmes are evaluated every five years by a foreign EQAR-registered agency commissioned by the Minister of Higher Education and Research.

Short cycle programmes are evaluated every five years by an expert group nominated by the Minister of Higher Education and Research. The expert group is an affiliate of ENQA and composed in equal parts of national and international experts in the field of quality assurance and the professional area of the study programme.

Based on the evaluation, the Minister takes one of the following decisions: accreditation, conditional accreditation or refusal of accreditation.

In both cases (regarding foreign private higher education institutions and their programmes as well as short cycle programmes), if the decision is positive, the accreditation is valid for 5 years.

Concerning foreign private higher education institutions and their programmes as well as short cycle, only accredited programmes and institutions are officially recognised.

Office responsible for the recognition of academic higher education qualifications

Link(s): French
Office responsible for the recognition of professional higher education qualifications

Link(s): French
Law on the recognition of professional qualifications

Link(s): French

Responsible organisation

Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche
Ministry of Higher Education and Research
18, Montée de la Pétrusse
L-2915 Luxembourg
Phone: +352 247-86 619

Link(s): French

Additional information:

It is specified in the corresponding laws that all recognised higher education institutions must issue a Diploma Supplement to their graduates.
As from 2020, all national diplomas must be accompanied by a Diploma Supplement that is based on the national model, which corresponds to the template as it has been revised by the BFUG and adopted by UNESCO, the Council of Europe and the European Commission.

Information on DS (legislation, template, chart, etc)

Law on the organisation of higher education

Link(s): French
Law on the organisation of the University of Luxembourg

Link(s): French

The general access requirement is a Luxembourgish secondary school leaving qualification awarded after completing 13 years of education and passing the relevant state examination; equivalent foreign qualifications may also be accepted. Admission may be based on specific course requirements.

Short cycle higher education

The professionally oriented qualification “Brevet de technicien supérieur” is awarded upon successful completion of studies in one of the following areas: industrial and commercial professions, applied arts, craft trades, service and health professions, and agricultural occupations.

The general access requirement is a Luxembourgish secondary school leaving qualification awarded after completing 13 years of education and passing the relevant state examination; equivalent foreign qualifications may also be accepted.
Admission may be based on specific course requirements.

BTS programmes are offered by public secondary schools and include internships. The programmes are organised in modules, each lasting one semester, which correspond to a certain number of ECTS credits. The studies last 2 or 3 years, according to the programme.

The short cycle diploma is awarded to students who have gained all the ECTS credits allocated to the programme (minimum 120 and maximum 180 ECTS credits) and have satisfied all curricular requirements.

Given it is a similar or the same field of studies, a BTS diploma may give access to Bachelor programmes with full or partial recognition.

The short cycle corresponds to Level 5 of the Luxembourg Qualifications Framework (Level 5 EQF).


Link(s): English, French
First and second cycles (private higher education)
There are also accredited foreign private specialised higher education institutions in Luxembourg, which offer different Bachelor and Master programmes according to the lines of the Bologna Process.

In order to be accredited, the HEI has to successfully undergo institutional and programme accreditation, which is then valid for 5 years, except for conditional accreditations in which case the HEI has 1 year to fulfill the conditions and gain the status of full accreditation.

In Luxembourg, refugees may apply for the registration of their higher education qualifications for the purpose of employment or further studies through the regular procedure set up for qualifications gained abroad.

The office for registering foreign higher education qualifications is located within the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.


Link(s): French

For the verification of Luxembourg higher education qualifications please contact the awarding institution directly. Higher education institutions can be found via the Ministry of Higher Education and Research's website.

For the verification of "Brevet de technicien supérieur" qualifications a request can also be directed to the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (enic-naric@mesr.etat.lu).

Link(s): French, English

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