Literacy rates in Luxembourg are 100%. Education in Luxembourg is compulsory for a total of 11 years; from age 4-6 (2 years pre-school) and continues for another 9 years (primary education). With the completion of secondary school, students graduate with a Luxembourgish School Leaving Certificate (Diploma). Most children attend state schools; as there are limited private schools that offer the same level of education standard as the State schools.

The main point to note when deciding on which school to attend is how competent your children are in the language of instruction. If your children are young (aged 4-6 years), it would not be difficult for your child to pick up Luxembourgish, which is the language of instruction for pre-school. From grades 1-6 of primary school (aged between 6 to 12 years), the language of instruction is German. From the second grade, French is taught as an additional subject.

If your children are aged between 12 and 17 years, there are a few choices available to you, if you would like to consider a State school. During the 6th year of education (aged between 12 to 17 years), there are two main choices – classical or technical education for the subsequent 5 years. Children aged between 12 and 15 who have had a good education standard from their country of origin but are not competent in French, German and Luxembourgish attend Technical secondary education. This consists of initiation classes, with emphasis on learning the French language. The lower levels of technical secondary education are taught in either French or German, depending on their language competency. From grade 7 onwards, all children are expected to learn the French language to a high level of competency, as most higher level technical secondary school courses are taught in French. The difference between technical secondary education and classical education is that children attending classical education must be competent in both German and French. English is taught as part of the language syllabus.

The IB program is offered to children who are opting for a secondary education in French or English. The IB program is taught in either French (from age 15) or English (from age 14). The International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma is widely acknowledged in place of the Luxembourgish School Leaving Certificate. The IB program is taught in the Athenee de Luxembourg (Tel: (+352) 2604 6116). The school just started in 2007 and is applying to be an IB World School so that it can offer the IB program. For more information about the IB program offered in Luxembourg, click here. The IB program is also offered by other international schools in Luxembourg. (There is a separate paragraph on International Schools offering the IB program in Luxembourg city in this section.)

The Ministry of Education of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has published a helpful publication on up-to-date information for foreign parents and students. The booklet is available for download in pdf format here. For more information about the schooling of foreign students in Luxembourg, you can contact the Service de la scolarisation des enfants etrangers at Tel: (+352) 247 85207. Their office is located at 29, rue Aldringen L-1118 Luxembourg. For queries on the recognition of certifications such as the IB and other health / education professions, call (+352) 247 85210. For newly arrived foreign students, contact CASNA (Cellule d'accueil scolaire pour eleves nouveaux arrivants at (+352) 247 85277. Their office is also located at 29, rue Aldringen. More contact details are available here (page 15 onwards).

For expatriates who prefer to send their children to be instructed in English, there are some international schools available in Luxembourg city. These schools offer the IB program.

The International School of Luxembourg (ISL) is a non-profit independent school located in Luxembourg city. ISL accepts children as young as age 3 (Lower School), and there are programs up to high school level. French and German language classes are offered, alongside Japanese, Swedish and Norwegian. Students come from many countries, with a majority from Europe (54%), North America (23%) and Asia (16%). The school term starts in early September and ends in late June each year. The Geesseknaeppchen Campus is located at 36, Boulevard Pierre Dupong, L-1430 Luxembourg (Tel: +352 26 0440).

The St. George's International school is based on the UK school curriculum, but they offer French language classes as part of their education in recognition of the linguistic diversity in Luxembourg and Europe as a whole. The school accepts children as young as 2 years 9 months up to age 16 years. Students come from many countries, with UK nationals making up 50% of the total school population, and the rest from 18 other nationalities. For 2008/9, there are 3 terms, each marked with a break of around 2 weeks. The autumn term starts in September and ends in December. The winter term starts in January and ends in April, and the summer term starts in April and ends in July. The school's new campus is located outside Luxembourg city in Hamm (11 rue des Peupliers L-2328 Luxembourg). Tel: (+352) 42 32 24.

The Ecole Europeenne (The European School) is a school managed by the governments of the Member states of the EU offering a multilingual, multicultural and multidenominational education throughout Europe for children (from nursery up to secondary level). They are usually regarded as "public" schools. There are 13 schools located throughout EU, and the school in Luxembourg is not exactly located in Luxembourg city but in the Kirchberg quarter at 1, rue Richard-Coudenhove-Kalergi (off the main road, Avenue John F Kennedy that leads directly into the city center). Contact persons Mme Carine Sommen (Secretariat de direction) Tel: (+352) 26 285 901 or Mme Yolanda Michaud (Directrice adjointe) at Tel: (+352) 26 285 931. The school terms for 2008/9 start in September and ends in July 2009.

For a list of crèches operating in the City, try this website. Contact numbers to the various crèches are provided.