Study in Luxembourg: Language & Culture

Luxembourg is a trilingual state in every sense of the word. A plurality of Luxembourgers speak Luxembourgish at home, but all three languages of its official languages are used in education. Elementary education is in French, middle school in Luxembourgish and high school in German. 

All three languages are also used in the judicial and administrative divisions of government. A bill is debated in French, amended in Luxembourgish and then the final vote takes place in German. Luxembourgers regularly shift between all three languages, often in the same sentence. English and Portuguese are also widely spoken. 

Before Portugal’s transition to democracy, many Portuguese people left for other countries. At the time, Luxembourg was particularly welcoming of migrants from other Catholic-majority countries. That is why, today, Portuguese and those of Portuguese descent, make up about a sixth of the population. 

Luxembourg is a Catholic country, but, like Spain or Ireland, is more culturally-Catholic these days. Luxembourg is secular at the constitutional level, so religion plays no role in the day-to-day running of the country. 

Luxembourg is also one of the most socially-liberal countries in the world, on a par with Scandinavia. Luxembourgers are extremely open-minded on a range of social topics - in particular, LGBT rights. Same-sex couples have had the right to marry since 2015 and Luxembourgers overwhelmingly support this. 

As for crime, the rate is extremely low in Luxembourg. Violent crime is rare, with petty theft and purse snatchings also being unusual. Luxembourg also has no recent history of terrorism. As such, it’s one of the safest countries in the world. 

Luxembourg is a founding member of the border control-free Schengen Area, meaning that you can enjoy short trips to Brussels, Leuven, Paris, Frankfurt and beyond without needing your passport!