Arrival Checklist for Students in Luxembourg: The First Weeks

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

The first weeks in Luxembourg are a sequence of deadlines, and some of them depend on each other. A commune needs your address, the residence permit needs the commune, and enrolment needs insurance. This checklist follows the order in which the official pages set the steps. It is written for degree students, and non-EU students have more to do than EU students.

Before you travel

• Secure a place to live. No residence permit can be issued without a valid legal address, and the permit file asks for proof of appropriate housing, such as a lease. University housing is not guaranteed, see the housing guide.
• Hold your admission letter and, if you are non-EU, the type D visa. See the student visa guide.
• Request a criminal record extract early if you are non-EU. The university advises asking for it no later than the beginning of April, even before the admission decision.
• Plan cash for the start. The university advises initial expenses of at least 2,700 euros.

In the first days

1. Declare your arrival at the commune. For non-EU students with a visa, the deadline is 3 days from arrival. Bring your passport with the valid visa and, if you have it, proof of address such as a lease. The date of this declaration normally sets the start of your permit.
2. Do the same in the commune if you are an EU, EEA or Swiss student. You declare your arrival, and you must file the registration form within 3 months. Bring your ID or passport, proof of enrolment, proof of enough resources and proof of health insurance. For students any proof of resources is accepted, and an oral declaration is allowed.
3. Book the medical check-up as soon as possible if you are non-EU. It consists of an examination by a general practitioner or a specialist in internal medicine, and a tuberculosis screening at a medical laboratory or at the Ligue médico-sociale. The health inspectorate then issues a certificate for the immigration authority.

Residence permit and enrolment

• Apply for the residence permit through MyGuichet.lu or by post, with your passport, the arrival declaration and proof of housing. The page sets the application no later than 3 months before the visa expires, and the visa is valid for 6 months.
• Pay the 80 euro fee when the ministry approves, and book the appointment for photograph and fingerprints.
• Present yourself to the University Admission Office to finalise enrolment. For non-EU students, the final admission letter is issued after you show your authorisation to stay, and no later than 15 November of the academic year. The letter states the fees and health insurance contributions. Non-EU students pay the enrolment and insurance fees in person by card on arrival.
• Missing documents: conditionally admitted students must upload them by 15 November of the first semester.

Insurance, money and daily life

• Health insurance must cover at least the semester. Read health insurance for students in Luxembourg.
• Home insurance: university housing requires proof of home insurance with an insurer registered in Luxembourg before the keys are handed over.
• A bank account. The university names BCEE, BGL BNP Paribas, BIL and the post office current account. Take your identity documents, address and the university's student status certificate. Ask about under-26 conditions.
• Public transport is free in second class for domestic journeys. First class and cross-border journeys are charged.
• A mobile subscription: the university's budget assumes about 40 euros a month.

Two things people forget

• Tell the university about changes. Report in writing to the Admission Office any change of address, a student job or the end of your studies, because the health insurance depends on your status.
• Keep dates in view. The visa is valid for 6 months, the commune declaration comes first, and the permit application deadline is counted from the visa expiry. If the medical check or the housing proof is late, the permit file stalls.

If you want to work

Non-EU students may work up to 15 hours a week on average per month, and the employer files a declaration with the immigration authority. Details are in scholarships and student jobs.

Official sources

• Guichet.lu: first residence permit after arrival
• Guichet.lu: EU citizens staying more than 90 days
• Guichet.lu: using public transport
• University of Luxembourg: admission for non-EU applicants
• University of Luxembourg: financial support and bank account

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.