Financial support for Luxembourg students

Imagine your child full of dreams and ambitions, already picturing themselves walking the halls of a prestigious university abroad. The Netherlands, Spain, and Canada, countries renowned for the quality of their education, are just some of the destinations that welcome them with open arms.

Access to higher education in Luxembourg

But beyond dreams, a crucial question arises: how to finance these studies? Given the tuition fees and cost of living in Luxembourg, the obstacle seems increasingly daunting.

However, the Luxembourg government is aware of the importance of facilitating access to higher education for its citizens, as well as for its foreign residents. Over the years, it has adjusted its student aid policies to reduce their financial burden.

But beyond the figures, this support also has a profound impact on the life choices, academic paths, and horizons of young Luxembourgers of college age.

Growth in financial aid for students

Since 2017 in particular, more and more Luxembourgish and foreign students residing in the Grand Duchy have been receiving higher education grants. This enables them to pursue higher education, including abroad, without incurring heavy debt.

In 2017, 26,100 grants were awarded. In 2021, this figure jumped to 30,808, an increase of 18%. This sustained growth is not just a series of statistics: it tells the story of a country that invests in its youth and believes in its future.

The steady increase in scholarships awarded in Luxembourg demonstrates the authorities' commitment to facilitating access to higher education for young people.

This effort significantly reduces student debt in a country where the poverty rate is lower than elsewhere. Where student loans once dominated, a new approach has gradually taken hold.

Between 2019 and 2020, the government has focused on student grants, preferring to provide non-repayable funds rather than increasing student debt. For students, and often their families, this means fewer sleepless nights worrying about how to repay a loan and more time devoted to their studies.

Luxembourg supports its young people

We all remember 2020, a year when the world came to a standstill, but when educational needs remained more pressing than ever. During this period of uncertainty, many students feared that financial support would dry up. However, in Luxembourg, the response was clear: continue to support its young people, whatever the cost.

As a result, the amount of financial aid granted to students continued to grow despite the pandemic. Scholarships for higher education even saw a more marked increase. This demonstrates not only the resilience of the system, but also Luxembourg's ability and willingness to adjust its priorities in times of crisis.

At the same time, the criteria for obtaining scholarships have been temporarily relaxed, leading to a decrease in rejections in 2020. This flexibility has enabled many students to continue with their academic plans, despite the storm.

Financing studies: a lever for international mobility

France, the top destination for Luxembourg students

The dream of studying abroad might not be as accessible without the support of the Luxembourg government. Every year, Luxembourg residents pack their bags and fly off to increasingly popular destinations.

Between 2017 and 2021, France, Belgium, and Germany ranked in the top three destinations, ahead of Luxembourg, in terms of the number of students residing in Luxembourg who were able to benefit from financial assistance from the Luxembourg government.

The Netherlands: more and more students from Luxembourg

In terms of growth over the five-year period, the Netherlands saw the largest increase, with an 81% rise in the number of Luxembourgish students.

With its vibrant culture and increasingly renowned universities,Spain has attracted 68% more students. Canada, meanwhile, has welcomed 40% more students over the last five years.

In contrast, the United Kingdom has become less attractive to students due to Brexit and the high tuition fees for non-British nationals.

It should be noted that Germany has seen a real decline in interest among Luxembourgish students in recent years, in contrast to its Austrian neighbor.

Paris, Liège, and Nancy: the most attractive cities for students

At the same time, Paris has established itself as the most popular destination for Luxembourg students, with a remarkable increase of 63.53%. A total of 991 Luxembourg students went to study in Paris in 2021.

Vienna has also grown in popularity, with an increase of 39.07%, welcoming 833 students in the same year. Innsbruck, for its part, recorded an increase of 51.12%, although it attracted a more modest number of 473 students.

These figures show that more and more Luxembourg students are turning to destinations that offer diverse and internationally recognized academic programs.

Support for studying abroad, but also in Luxembourg

While many Luxembourg residents choose to study abroad, Luxembourg is not forgetting to develop its own educational infrastructure to attract and retain young talent. The government has invested heavily in expanding and improving the local academic institutions of the University of Luxembourg, which has gained international recognition. In just a few years, it has managed to position itself among the 250 best universities in the world.

In 2021, more than 6,500 students were enrolled at the University of Luxembourg, a large proportion of whom were foreign students. Luxembourg continues to invest in its research infrastructure, multilingual study programs, and international partnerships to make the country even more attractive to its residents.

These efforts aim to reduce the exodus of students by offering a high-quality alternative in Luxembourg.

Thus, although the government strongly supports international mobility, it also wants to make Luxembourg a popular study destination. Its goal is to enable young talent living in Luxembourg to choose to pursue high-level studies without leaving their country.

Increased financial aid for local students also reinforces this vision by making higher education accessible and competitive, both in Luxembourg and abroad.

Scholarship eligibility criteria: when hope meets reality

Obtaining financial aid may seem like child's play when you look at the growing number of students receiving assistance. But the reality is more nuanced.

Each year, a small proportion of applications are rejected. In 2021, 3,632 grants were rejected, although this figure remains stable compared to the number of grants awarded. However, the ratio of grants awarded to rejections has improved, with 8.5 times more grants awarded than rejections. This shows that the eligibility criteria are clear and appropriate enough to offer support to the majority of applicants.

But not everything is perfect. The system can still be optimized, in particular by periodically reviewing the criteria to better reflect students' needs and by improving communication about eligibility requirements. Many students could avoid rejection simply by being better informed.

Support for higher education

In Luxembourg, education is not just a right: it is a promise. A promise of support, opportunities, and endless possibilities. Between 2017 and 2021, this promise was kept thanks to a constantly evolving financial aid system. By increasing scholarships and reducing dependence on loans, the government has eased the financial burden on its students, while promoting their international mobility.

But this story is far from over. To ensure that every student can continue to dream big, the financial aid system will need to continue to adapt and improve, with a particular focus on accessibility and equity. Luxembourg has already laid a solid foundation to ensure that the dream of studying abroad is within reach for everyone, regardless of their circumstances.

Where will your child go to pursue their educational dreams? Make their dream possible with higher education scholarships.