The new Act of 6 July 2026 and its implementing regulation have been published in the Official Journal. Since 1 August, they replace the framework introduced in 2014. The scheme continues to combine grants, state-guaranteed loans and interest subsidies, but the eligibility criteria, the duration of support and the documents required are now defined more precisely.

The financial support comprises four grants: a basic grant, a mobility grant, a means-tested grant and a family grant. Their amounts are set at index 100 and then adjusted in line with the sliding scale of salaries.

Based on the current index of 992.24, the basic grant amounts to €1,289 per semester. The mobility grant amounts to €1,686 and the social grant can be up to €2,500 per semester. These amounts are rounded down to the nearest euro. The index of 992.24 has been in force since 1 June 2026.

The family grant is awarded when several children dependent on the same parents are simultaneously undertaking eligible higher education studies. At the current rate, it amounts to €307 per semester. The amounts for the winter and summer semesters are paid together during the summer semester, amounting to up to €614 for a full academic year.

The social grant is based on the student’s annual taxable income and, depending on their circumstances, that of their parents, spouse or partner. It is reduced in stages and ceases altogether when the relevant income exceeds four and a half times the annual social minimum wage for an unskilled worker. Income from part-time work undertaken alongside studies is excluded from the calculation.

A loan of €3,250 per semester

The basic loan remains set at €3,250 per semester. It may be taken out in full or in part from a bank that has signed an agreement with the State. Where a student does not receive the maximum amount of the means-tested grant, the loan may be increased by the corresponding difference.

The percentage of the loan that the student is required to repay may not exceed 1.8%. The various instalments are consolidated into a single loan two years after the student has completed or discontinued their studies. Repayment must, in principle, be made over a maximum of ten years, with the possibility of an extension in certain circumstances.

A minimum of two months’ hire for transport purposes

The mobility grant is available only to students enrolled on a programme outside the country in which they usually reside and who rent accommodation abroad in order to be closer to their place of study.

The tenancy must cover at least two months during the relevant semester. The accommodation must not be owned by a family member of the student up to the second degree of kinship. To receive the grant, you must provide a tenancy agreement, a subletting agreement, a flat-sharing agreement or a university hall of residence contract, as well as recent proof of rent payment.

Up to €3,800 towards study-related expenses

Enrolment and tuition fees may result in an increase in financial support of up to €3,800 per academic year. Half of this amount will be paid as a grant and the other half added to the loan.

The new law extends the range of expenses that may be covered. In particular, it includes the costs of applying for recognition of a secondary school leaving certificate, language tests, the translation of qualifications, the conversion of marking systems, and application fees for study programmes.

Expenses must be supported by official documents and proof of payment. The application for an increase must be submitted by 31 July of the relevant academic year at the latest.

A specific scheme for part-time study

The reform introduces a comprehensive framework for part-time study. A full-time student must be enrolled for at least 30 ECTS credits per semester. For a part-time student, the minimum will be 15 credits.

Part-time students will receive half the grants, loans and top-ups awarded to full-time students. However, they will be eligible for financial support for twice as long. The academic progress requirements will also be halved.

When switching from one mode of study to another, a semester funded on a part-time basis will count as half a full-time semester. Conversely, a semester funded on a full-time basis will be equivalent to two part-time semesters.

Progress is monitored

The grant is awarded for the standard duration of the study programme. After four semesters of a short-cycle, bachelor’s or single-cycle programme, the student must have earned at least 60 ECTS credits in the programme for which they are applying for continued support.

For a Master’s degree, the assessment will take place after two semesters. By that point, students must have earned at least 30 ECTS credits.

If a student changes course no later than the end of the first two semesters, they must have earned at least 30 credits during the first two semesters of their new programme. Alternatively, they must have earned at least 60 credits on the new course.

Semesters already funded under a discontinued programme will be taken into account when calculating the remaining duration of support under the new programme.

Additional semesters, subject to certain conditions

Once a student has reached the standard duration of their course, they may be eligible for two further semesters of grants and loans provided they have successfully completed at least half the credits they would have been able to earn had they progressed at a normal rate.

After these two semesters, they will still be eligible for a maximum of two further semesters of financial support, but only in the form of a loan. They must have no more than 60 ECTS credits remaining to be completed, or be enrolled in the final year of their programme.

These additional opportunities are granted only once during the entire course of higher education, regardless of the number of programmes undertaken.

Accommodations for people with disabilities or health issues

The Act sets out the rights of students whose progress is permanently hindered by a physical, sensory, mental, cognitive or psychological impairment, a multiple disability or a disabling health condition.

Once they have used up the extra semesters allowed under the standard scheme, they will be able to receive up to two additional semesters per programme and up to four for a single cycle. Their progress review may also be deferred by up to two semesters.

A change of course on medical grounds may be authorised where a contraindication relating to the original programme arises from the third semester onwards. This option may only be used once and must be approved by the Minister following the advice of an advisory committee.

Rules to check for cross-border families

The child of a non-resident worker may be eligible for support if the parent continues to contribute to the child’s maintenance and meets one of the conditions laid down by law.

In particular, the parent may have worked in Luxembourg for at least five years in total during the ten years preceding the application deadline, or for at least ten years in total.

Students may also become eligible after five years of cumulative study at certain institutions in Luxembourg, at the Deutsch-Luxemburgisches Schengen-Lyzeum in Perl, at the University of Luxembourg or on other recognised Luxembourg programmes. Another option is to have spent a cumulative total of five years in Luxembourg under one of the statuses provided for resident beneficiaries.

Where the student and the worker do not live in the same household, evidence of bank transfers covering the six months prior to the application must be provided to demonstrate the parent’s contribution to the student’s maintenance. A recent certificate of registration with Social Security and a household composition statement must also be submitted.

Applications for foreign aid must be made first

Luxembourg financial assistance cannot be combined with equivalent assistance or benefits linked to student status granted in the country of habitual residence.

The student must therefore complete the necessary procedures in that country and submit a certificate stating the amount awarded or the reason for the refusal. Any sums awarded abroad will be deducted in full, semester by semester, from the Luxembourg grant. A refusal on administrative grounds will not be accepted.

Merit-based scholarships and grants from international programmes designed to encourage mobility are not subject to this rule.

Please note the student’s own income

A student whose average monthly taxable income exceeds 80% of the minimum social wage for an unskilled worker will only be eligible for financial assistance in the form of a loan.

He will be completely excluded from the scheme if his average personal income exceeds three and a half times the minimum social wage. Under certain conditions, this exclusion also applies to recipients of the social inclusion allowance, a pension or unemployment benefit who have not been authorised by the Adem to undertake higher education.

Two deadlines to bear in mind

Applications must be submitted via a secure government platform by 30 November at the latest for the winter term and by 31 May for the summer term.

An application may be supplemented after it has been submitted if certain supporting documents are missing. Following notification from the authorities, the student will have three months to provide them; otherwise, the application will lapse.

This deadline may be extended if circumstances beyond the student’s control prevent them from providing the documents. The eligibility criteria must, however, be met by 30 November or 31 May at the latest, depending on the semester in question.

The basic documents include the certificate of permanent enrolment, bank details and academic transcripts from previous semesters. Depending on the circumstances, the administration may also request residence documents, membership certificates, proof of income, a tenancy agreement or decisions relating to foreign financial aid.

A success bonus of €250

A grant of €250 may be claimed upon successful completion of a study programme for which the student has received financial support under the new law.

The application will not be processed automatically. It must be submitted by 31 December of the academic year following the completion of the programme at the latest. The student must provide their degree certificate or a certificate confirming final successful completion of the programme, together with their bank details and, where necessary, a copy of their identity document.

PhD students are exempt from the new rules

Postgraduate studies are no longer included in the programmes covered by the new general scheme.

PhD students who had already received financial aid before 1 August 2026 will continue to receive it under the provisions of the previous Act. Financial aid awarded before the new legislation enters into force will also count towards the maximum period of support available under the new scheme.