Today we’re going to talk about Luxembourg, which is known as one of, if not the, richest country in Europe. Currently, there’s a lot of interest in moving to Luxembourg, with many people looking at studying there as a pathway, among other options. We’ll look at the processes as we go along. But for now, we’re looking at the study pathway because it’s one of the cheapest and simplest ways to move to Luxembourg. So, we’ll basically look at how to study in Luxembourg.
In Luxembourg, there’s just one public university, which we’ll look into. In this discussion, I’ll share the benefits and some drawbacks based on my experiences. This is to help you get a clearer picture when you are applying to move and study in Luxembourg.
So, let’s not delay any further. Now, let’s get to the heart of the matter. We’re focusing on the University of Luxembourg, what it’s like to study there, the process of moving to Luxembourg, and general life in Luxembourg.
How to Apply and Study in Luxembourg
As mentioned, Luxembourg has a single public university, the University of Luxembourg. It’s a highly competitive institution offering a range of master’s programs in English. If you consider applying to the University of Luxembourg, they offer both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Tuition fees depend, generally ranging from around €400 to €1,000, or up to €2,500, depending on the program. But many courses seem to hover around the €400 mark per semester.
For Bachelor’s Degree
So, if you are applying for a bachelor’s degree in Luxembourg, the first step is to go through a recognition process. Basically, you need to get your documents authenticated. You can do this at any relevant ministry in your country, like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, or Ministry of Education.
After getting your documents authenticated, you’ll need to upload them along with your CV and a passport photo of the data page. You send all of this to a specified email and pay an application fee for the recognition process. This process can take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. If they need any additional documents from you, they’ll reach out via email.
Once your documents are recognized and it’s confirmed that your high school degree or any other qualifications you have are equivalent to those in Luxembourg, you’re all set to apply for the bachelor’s degree program in Luxembourg. If you have a diploma or any other national certificate, you can submit those for recognition at the same time to find out their Luxembourg equivalent.
Masters Degree
For a master’s degree, you gather all the necessary documents, including your transcript, your degree, and, very importantly, your motivation letter. You also need a certificate of proficiency in English, like the IELTS, or if you have a TOEFL or any similar certification, you can use that to apply. But, as I mentioned, the focus is really on the motivation letter and your CV. The application process is simple; you just pay $50 for the application fee.
How to Apply to Study in Luxembourg
Now, let’s talk about getting a visa. You can apply through the Belgium Embassy or VFS if the Luxembourg embassy is not available in your country, such as in Nigeria and many other African countries. So, it looks like the Belgium Embassy or VFS is the way to go for this.
Let’s get right into the university’s website quickly. I’ll guide you through the application process, introduce you to some of the courses available, and explain how to get your qualifications recognized. We’ll start with applying for a bachelor’s degree in Luxembourg.
1. Secure an Admission
But first, you need to secure admission. Once you’ve got that, the visa process starts. They’ll send you a file, and you can always talk to the school about how to handle it.
2. Authenticate Your High School Transcript and Diploma
First off, you need to get your qualifications recognized. This means taking your high school transcript and diploma and getting them officially authenticated by your country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Education.
3. Obtain an Eligibility Letter for English Proficiency
At the Ministry of Education, you can obtain an eligibility letter for English proficiency. Just ask for the English eligibility letter, and they’ll provide it for you.
After you have done this in your country, remember that the specific ministry might be called the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or the Ministry of Education. Know which institution in your country is responsible for authenticating documents.
4. Complete Your Diploma Recognition
Next, you’ll visit the ministry’s website. It belongs to the ministry responsible for diploma recognition requests. Here, you can review the preconditions to understand which ones apply to non-students or non-EU applicants.
This section explains the process for individuals from third countries, often referred to as third-world countries. You can find more details on that here.
5. Gather Your Documents
You’ll need a document, known as a WR, where you write a request to submit your file. This is to recognize your diploma, which should state the country your diploma is from, along with your CV. Instructions on where to download the CV template are provided. The CV should include information such as your educational background, date of birth, and so on. Also, you’ll need a copy of your passport’s data page, a copy of your certificate and diploma, and proof that you’ve paid the required tax.
The tax payment is part of the application, and it’s typically around 125€, which seems to be an application fee for this specific recognition process. Once you have all these documents ready, you can either email them to this email address reconnaissance@men.lu or upload them using this online form.
There’s also another form that both EU and non-EU applicants need to check out. This form is available online and is referred to as the service form. You can find it by following the provided instructions in the online and service form section. Scroll down on the website I provided and click on the link that says “Request for recognition of level of studies, diplomas (baccalaureate/maturity), and professional qualifications”.
So, you’ll need to download two forms. First, there’s a Request for recognition of a baccalaureate/maturity diploma form you need to download and fill out for the recognition of your certificate. You have to fill it out as a written request. Then, you also need to download the Europass CV. This is where you’ll put all your personal information.
6. Upload the Forms
After you have everything downloaded and filled out, you’ll need to upload them. You can send it via email or submit it through an online form. The process for them to recognize your credentials takes about four to 6 weeks.
7. Pay the Application Fee
There’s also an application fee you need to pay. They mention a cost, so you’ll have to pay about 125€, either by transferring it to their bank account or paying online.
So, that’s the process for getting your certificate recognized, especially for those heading into bachelor’s programs.
Now, for master’s programs, the University of Luxembourg’s website doesn’t give specific details.
However, there’s a note about the language of instruction certificate. If you are from an English-speaking country and your bachelor’s degree was taught in English, you’ll need to get an English eligibility letter from the Ministry of Education. This is mandatory, so make sure you get it.
How to Apply for Masters in Luxembourg
So for those interested in the master’s degree programs, visit the University of Luxembourg study programme overview. You will see the part that mentions “meet us at event fair,” there’s a link you can click to attend their online event. This is a great opportunity to ask any questions you might have about the application process, how to make your application stand out, and more.
1. Review the Courses and Check for Your Eligibility
Firstly, you’ll have the chance to review your courses; we’ll look into that. Secondly, you can check your eligibility; we’ll cover that too. Thirdly, and this is important, you need to know about the documents required. All documents must be in PDF, JPG, or PNG format. Make sure to read through this section carefully.
There are specific requirements for both bachelor’s and master’s programs. For instance, certain recognitions are compulsory for bachelor’s degrees but not for master’s, at least not until you’ve completed your university degree. Once you have completed the admission process, you can proceed with the online recognition.
The document requirements differ between bachelor’s and master’s degrees. For bachelor’s degrees, you need to have certain documents ready before applying. For master’s degrees, however, some documents can be submitted after you’ve received your admission. This typically includes uploading an enrollment letter from the university.
So, for both master’s and bachelor’s degrees, you are going to need a few things. First off, a motivation letter. Really focus on that. You’ll also need a detailed CV. The Europass format is recommended for this. You should also have the full contact details of two people who can vouch for you. These can be from your Bachelor’s studies, your work experience, or both. Just make sure they are relevant to your application. You’ll also need to include a letter of recommendation.
2. Apply Online
When it comes to applying, you’ll head to the online platform which I have mentioned earlier. There, you can pick up to three programs to apply for, and it’ll cost you about 50 bucks for the application process.
These steps are specifically for applying to the University of Luxembourg. It’s all laid out pretty clearly, so just follow each step one at a time. Now, about the courses – I’ve looked into some of them. It turns out, different courses have different tuition fees.
3. Review the Programs
You can go through them as much as you want. You can look into their bachelor’s program. Also, you’ll be able to choose between English or French, English or French.
If you see options for English and French, it means the program is offered in both languages. But when you see English or French, like in Portugal, the course was listed as English, then followed by Portuguese. This indicates that there are classes in Portuguese for Portuguese speakers and classes in English for English speakers.
Now, let’s look at the bachelor’s in psychology to see if it’s the same. If you select the bachelor’s in psychology, you’ll see that the University of Luxembourg offers it in German, French, and English. You see? That shows a difference. Now, you can also scroll down to the master’s programs and check them out as much as you want.
They offer a bunch of master’s programs, including some new ones like technopreneurship and sustainable production technology. There are plenty of new courses available. For example, there’s this course on sustainable product creation, taught in English, costing €200 per semester. That’s something to note.
3. Check the Eligibility Requirements
When you click on the admission tab, you’ll find all the necessary details, including the requirements and who’s eligible to apply. It’s interesting because even if the course name might not suggest it when you check the admission section, you’ll see a wide range of bachelor’s degrees are accepted, like electrical engineering, among others. This opens up many options for choosing which course to apply for.
So, you really need to go through everything carefully, including the course overview, programs, potential career paths, teaching staff, and so on. You need this information for writing a strong motivation letter, which can influence your application.
4. Apply
When you arrive at the admission section, you can scroll down to find the “apply now” button, or you can look at the application admission procedure to understand the step-by-step process of applying. It’s the same as what we discussed earlier.
What I Don’t Like About Luxembourg
You can’t move with your family
Now, let me quickly share what I don’t particularly like about Luxembourg. First, you can’t move there with your family, and second, what I do appreciate is that they don’t have an age limit for applications, whether for bachelor’s or master’s degrees, which I think is great.
Luxembourg is not very cheap
Another thing that bothers me is the situation in Luxembourg. Despite being a wealthy country, it’s also quite expensive. Students are allowed to work up to 15 hours a week, which makes me wonder how they manage to get by. Sure, there’s no tuition fee for public universities, but those attending private ones have to fend for themselves unless the institution assists them in finding employment. I’d like to think that with smaller class sizes, private universities would indeed help their students find jobs.
As for public universities, they seem to offer some support by providing jobs within the school itself. A person we know shared that he found work through his school, which also paid him. However, it’s noticeable that many who come to Luxembourg for their studies end up leaving the country after graduation. They often look for employment in France or other European countries, possibly because the limited work hours, often spent on basic jobs like dishwashing, make it tough to transition to a work visa. The ease of this transition likely varies depending on one’s skills.
For a bachelor’s program, it could be simpler since you have around 3 years to decide what you want to pursue. However, for a master’s program, it could be a bit more difficult. Moreover, the visa process could also be somewhat time-consuming and require a lot of effort and processes for you to successfully obtain the study visa and move to Luxembourg.
Conclusion
So, that’s it on what you need to know to apply and study in Luxembourg. However, there are a couple of things I’m not too pleased about. Firstly, the working hours are quite limited, and secondly, you can’t bring your family along. But aside from these points, Luxembourg is a very good student destination. You can make a good amount of money, and there’s free transportation, meaning you don’t have to pay anything to get around, and did I mention you can earn well? Good luck with your application.
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