Luxembourg student visa: Complete guide 2026

What Is the Luxembourg Student Visa?

The Luxembourg Student Visa refers to a sequence of three separate applications, not a single document. Each one is decided independently. Before entering the country, you apply for a temporary authorization to stay (AST), decided by the General Department of Immigration. If your nationality requires a visa to enter the Schengen area, you then submit a separate application for a Type D visa, decided independently by the Luxembourg Consulate.

Once you have entered Luxembourg, you apply for the residence permit, decided by the General Department of Immigration. It is what lets you remain and study. Your arrival declaration, combined with your AST, serves as valid authorization to stay while this application is being decided.

Who Is It For?

• Nationality: Non-EU/EEA nationals.

  
  

• Study program: Full-time enrollment at a Luxembourg higher education institution, leading to a qualification. Doctoral researchers also qualify.

  
  

• Financial means: At least EUR 1,555.52 a month, equal to 80 percent of Luxembourg's guaranteed minimum income, currently EUR 1,944.40 a month for a single person.

What the Visa Allows

• Residency: The residence permit is valid for 1 year at a time, or for the remainder of your study cycle if that is shorter, and is renewable while you continue to meet the permit requirements. Validity runs from the date of your arrival declaration.

  
  

• Work: You can work up to 15 hours a week, averaged over a one-month period, outside your study time. No separate work permit is required. Your employer must notify the General Department of Immigration in writing within 3 working days of your start date.

  
  

• Family: Your spouse and children can join you, but the sponsor's income must have reached Luxembourg's full minimum social wage, EUR 2,771.33 a month, over the preceding 12 months.

  
  

• Travel: The permit allows you to travel within the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

  
  

• After graduation: If you completed a Master's degree or successfully defended a doctoral thesis in Luxembourg, you can apply for a residence permit for "job search or business creation," valid for up to 12 months. The employment or business must relate to your field of study. Graduates of Bachelor's programs are not eligible for this permit. You must apply at least 30 days before your student permit expires, and it costs EUR 80.

Documents You'll Need to Prepare

Documents not in French, German, or English need a certified translation. Documents issued abroad may need to be legalized or apostilled if their authenticity is in doubt.

• Passport: A complete copy of your passport. If your nationality requires a visa, it must remain valid for at least 6 months when you apply for it.

  
  

• Application form (for the AST): The temporary authorization to stay application form.

  
  

• Proof of admission (for the AST): Confirmation of full-time admission to a higher education institution in Luxembourg.

  
  

• Criminal record certificate (for the AST): An extract from your criminal record, or a sworn affidavit, issued in your country of residence.

  
  

• Proof of financial means (for the AST): There are four ways to prove this. First, a scholarship or student loan letter stating the amount and duration. Second, if self-funded, a certificate from your bank confirming your account, plus your last 6 months of bank statements. Third, if your parents support you, the same certificate and statements from them, plus proof they can cover at least 1 year of costs. Fourth, a sponsorship declaration from a guarantor who is a Luxembourg national or legal resident.

  
  

• Approved AST (for the visa): The original authorization letter, sent to you by post.

  
  

• Application form (for the permit): The residence permit application form.

  
  

• Proof of enrollment (for the permit): Your definitive student registration card, issued by your university once you finalize your enrollment.

  
  

• Arrival declaration copy (for the permit): The receipt from your commune, confirming you reported your address within 3 days of entry.

  
  

• Proof of fee payment (for the permit): Confirmation of the EUR 80 bank transfer.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Step 1: Secure admission

Apply to a Luxembourg higher education institution and obtain confirmation of your acceptance.

Step 2: Apply for your temporary authorization to stay

Submit your application to the General Department of Immigration from your country of origin, either by post or through a Luxembourg diplomatic or consular representation. It must be approved before you enter Luxembourg.

Step 3: Wait for the decision

The General Department of Immigration's decision takes up to 60 days. If approved, your temporary authorization to stay is valid for 90 days from the date of issue.

Step 4: Obtain your visa, if required

If your nationality requires a visa to enter the Schengen area, apply for a Type D visa using your approved authorization. Processing generally takes 15 days, extendable up to 45 days if additional documents are requested. This visa is valid for a maximum of 3 months. If you are visa-exempt, skip this step and travel directly.

Step 5: Travel to Luxembourg and register your address

Enter Luxembourg. Within 3 days of arrival, report to the commune where you will live and make your declaration of arrival, presenting proof of your address such as a lease or utility bill. You receive a copy of this declaration as a receipt.

Step 6: Complete your university enrollment

Present the temporary authorization to stay to your university's admissions office to finalize enrollment and receive a definitive registration card. You must also show proof of health insurance at this point. If you do not already have coverage, the university affiliates you with Luxembourg's joint social security center. You then pay ongoing contributions calculated using the minimum social wage.

Step 7: Complete your medical examination

Undergo a medical exam with a Luxembourg-based doctor and a tuberculosis screening. The doctor has up to 1 month to transmit your certificate to the health authorities, and the General Department of Immigration cannot process your residence permit application until it receives this certificate.

Step 8: Apply for your residence permit

Submit your application within 3 months of arrival to the General Department of Immigration, either online through Luxembourg's MyGuichet government portal or by post. Pay the EUR 80 fee by bank transfer using the reference specified on the form.

Step 9: Attend your biometric appointment

Once your residence permit application is approved, you are invited to book an appointment at the General Department of Immigration for biometric data capture, including a photo and fingerprints.

Step 10: Collect your residence permit card

A few days after your biometric appointment, collect your card in person at the General Department of Immigration, at a separate appointment.

Costs and Fees

The temporary authorization to stay has no fee. The residence permit costs EUR 80, paid by bank transfer. If you need a Type D visa to enter, this costs an additional EUR 50.

Good to Know

Health insurance is arranged through your university: Unlike most countries, Luxembourg does not ask for proof of health insurance as part of the AST or residence permit application. If you are not already covered, your university affiliates you with Luxembourg's joint social security center (Centre commun de la sécurité sociale), and you pay ongoing contributions calculated using Luxembourg's minimum social wage.

Your AST window can run out before you even travel: The AST is valid for 90 days, but visa processing alone can take up to 45 days. Apply for your visa as soon as your AST is approved, to give yourself enough time to actually enter Luxembourg before the AST expires.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a visa in addition to the authorization to stay?

It depends on your nationality. If you are subject to the Schengen visa requirement, you apply for a Type D visa after your authorization to stay is approved. If you are visa-exempt, you travel directly once approved.

How many hours can I work as a student?

Up to 15 hours a week, averaged over a one-month period, outside your study time. No separate work permit is required.

What happens after I graduate?

If you completed a Master's degree or doctoral thesis in Luxembourg, you can apply for a residence permit for "job search or business creation." The employment or business must relate to your field of study, and the permit is valid for up to 12 months. Graduates of Bachelor's programs are not eligible.

Does my study time count toward long-term residence?

No. Time spent on a student permit does not count toward Luxembourg's 5-year long-term resident status at all.