Luxembourg is highly ranked on several important indices for students and residents. Some highlights include:
The University of Luxembourg is the only comprehensive public research University in the country. It is two decades old, and has three Faculties (Science & Technology, Humanities & Social Sciences, Law, Economics & Finance). Half of its students are from outside Luxembourg, and all its courses are taught in English, with some additionally having French or German as the medium of instruction. The University conducts research on several topics with close industry collaboration. For example, its work in cyber security is of particular interest to the country's financial sector. The University of Luxembourg awards Bachelor's, Masters, and Doctoral degrees through all three Faculties.
Other than the University, there are also two private specialized higher education institutions in the country. Lunex University offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in sports science and physiotherapy, but does not award PhD degrees. Luxembourg School of Business offers a full time Master in Management program and a part-time weekend Master of Business Administration degree for business executives.
Two foreign universities have branch campuses in Luxembourg; both are American. Sacred Heart University Luxembourg and Miami University Dolibois European Center offer a small number of diploma courses and facilitate exchange programs for their students in one of Europe's most prominent financial centers.
Professional Schools offer vocational degrees to high school graduates who are looking for practical training before joining the labor market. There are five of these in Luxembourg, and they provide training in areas as diverse as Fine Arts, Technical Skills, and Commerce.
The University of Luxembourg offers several short-term (3 to 6 months), part-time certificate courses, primarily aimed at business executives. Luxembourg School of Business has the one-year Executive MBA program, that runs exclusively on weekends. These certificate programs have less coursework than full-time courses, and focus on innovations and practical applications.
There are two types of undergraduate programs in Luxembourg. The University and private higher education institutions both offer academic Bachelor’s degrees that are very similar to undergraduate programs in other countries. After one year of foundation level courses in the chosen subject area, students specialize in one major field of study and one or more minors. Internships are an important feature of undergraduate studies in Luxembourg, with the strong financial sector providing several job opportunities in different departments. Most graduates of Bachelor’s programs choose to pursue postgraduate studies within the European Union.
There are also professional Bachelor’s programs, known in Luxembourg as BTS degrees. They last two or three years, and are chosen by students who wish to acquire the skills required to immediately enter the job market after graduation. They are offered by specialized Schools.
Master’s degree programs are offered by the University of Luxembourg and private higher education institutions. These degrees take four semesters to complete, and require 120 ECTS credits. Coursework is rigorous, with continuous assessment through weekly assignments and quizzes. The Master’s Thesis is a project that occupies a large portion of the second half of the program. This can either be an intensive survey or research work assisting a doctoral student or a professor. Most Master’s graduates choose to take up a mid-level job in a local company, though a few choose to pursue a PhD degree at the University of Luxembourg.
Only the University of Luxembourg is authorized to provide Doctoral degrees. It conducts research on a wide range of topics: computer science, data security, international relations, technology in the finance sector, European history, and education. PhD students in Luxembourg work towards their degrees for three years, of which the majority is spent conducting original research within a research group. Faculty supervisors play an important role in guiding the direction of doctoral studies, and the award of the degree is based on a Thesis defense before a panel of external advisors. Most projects focus on advanced data simulation and modeling.
The country has various universities that offer approximately all the disciplines of study. Some of the popular disciplines available in Luxembourg are-
International Law | Financial Management | Development Economics |
Security and Risk Management | Applied Sciences | European History |
Pedagogy and Teacher Training | Computer Science & Engineering | Hospitality Management |
Environmental Engineering | Business Administration | Languages and Interpreting |
Mathematics | Tourism Management | Philosophy |
Here are some popular cities that have the most universities in Luxembourg.
The Name of the City | No. of Universities |
Luxembourg | 2 |
Esch-sur-Alzette | 2 |
Tuition fees at the University of Luxembourg are relatively low, with most Bachelor’s programs associated with annual fees of 400 Euros. However, certain programs - for example, the Master of Business Administration - have annual fees that exceed 10,000 Euros. Private universities have much higher average annual tuition fees, because they receive no funding from the Government. Scholarships are available on a competitive basis for a small number of international students based on academic achievement.
Luxembourg is associated with a very high cost of living. Even student dormitories have monthly rents of almost 500 Euros, and private housing options can exceed 1,000 Euros per month. Most students spend 300 to 400 Euros per month on food. Other costs include travel passes, shopping for personal items, telephone, internet, and entertainment; these add up to 100 to 200 Euros per month.
Just after arriving in Luxembourg, international students should be prepared to incur several one-time costs, including Residence Permit fees, purchase of a local emergency insurance package, housing deposit (equal to one month’s rent), and University registration fees.
Students who have been offered a place in a degree program lasting longer than 90 days must apply for a long term student visa through the nearest Luxembourg Embassy or Consulate in their home country.
The candidate should also carry the originals of all documents for verification at the Embassy. After submission, the visa decision can take between 4 and 6 weeks. Successful students may travel to Luxembourg using their newly issued visas. Upon arrival, they must present themselves at the nearest police station in order to apply for a Residence Permit valid for the expected duration of their degree program. Using this document, students can travel freely within the European Economic Area, and apply for part time employment.