FAQ - Frequently asked questions

• The AideFi is offered by the Luxembourg government to anyone enrolled on an accredited higher education course offered by an accredited institution and meeting all the criteria.
• It comprises several grants and a student loan.
• It is paid in semi-annual instalments (per academic year).

The AideFi may be granted for:

•  an eligible higher education programme (see 'Eligible study courses’ for more information)
•  vocational training, provided that you have been authorised by the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth (Ministère de l’Education Nationale, de l’Enfance et de la Jeunesse) to complete your vocational training abroad (apply for this authorisation in writing through the Department of Vocational Training (Service de la Formation Professionnelle of men.lu).

To receive a favorable opinion from the Department of Vocational Training (Service de la formation professionnelle - SFP) on the awarding of a student grant, the following criteria must be met:

• the vocational training must not be offered in Luxembourg;
• the course must be a full-time course offered at the school;
• the candidate must go 'abroad', where the term 'abroad' is considered with reference to their place of residence.

An official application, along with proof of enrolment and the training programme, must be sent by post to Mr Eric Bosseler, Deputy Director of Vocational Training, 29, rue Aldringen L-2926 Luxembourg.

• be a Luxembourg national or a family member of a Luxembourg national residing in Luxembourg; or
• be a national of another Member State of the European Union (EU), or a national of one of the States party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA), or a national of the Swiss Confederation, and:
  • reside in Luxembourg as a worker (including self-employed workers and pensioners), or be a family member of a person referred to above; or
  • have been granted the right of permanent residence; or
• have been granted political refugee status in Luxembourg; or
• be a third-country national or stateless, and:
  • have resided in Luxembourg for at least 5 years (or have been granted long-term resident status prior to submitting the first application); and
  • have a Luxembourgish secondary school-leaving diploma or certificate, or a diploma or certificate recognised as being equivalent to the Luxembourgish diploma.
• Comments:
• Students residing in Luxembourg for their studies and whose total annual income does not exceed the minimum social wage for unskilled workers will be treated as non-resident students.
• As regulated internships are not paid employment, but rather activities that are mainly educational in nature, they do not confer entitlement to the AideFi.

For non-resident students, the AideFi is a substitute form of support. Before submitting their application, these students must have completed all of the procedures required in their country of residence to obtain financial support for their studies.

Note: students must meet the application deadlines in their country of residence.

The official response for the current academic year, whether positive or negative, must be attached to the application for the AideFi in Luxembourg, or must be provided at a later stage. Certificates bearing an endorsement specifying administrative reasons for refusal will not be accepted. Certificates must mention the academic year in question and must be renewed annually.

In the absence of an official response from the competent authorities of the applicant's country of residence, the AideFi can't be granted.

Competent authorities for neighbouring countries:

• Germany:
  • BAFöG;
• Belgium:
  • Allocations d'études (French-speaking community);
  • Studietoelagen (Flemish-speaking community);
    
  • Studienbeihilfen Ostbelgienbildung (German-speaking community);
• France:
  • Crous;
  • Conseil régional (for health and social sector courses).

Deadlines must be strictly observed.

Application received after the prescribed deadlines will be refused.

Applications for the AideFi must be submitted for each semester, even if the student has enrolled with the educational institution for a full year.

Applications must be submitted:

• by 30 November for the winter semester: the application form will be available from the first working day in August;
• by 30 April for the summer semester: the application form will be available from the first working day in January.

Apply online

The online application process is accessible to all! You can now apply online with or without a LuxTrust product (Smartcard, Token, Signing-Stick) or electronic identity card (eID).

Using the new MyGuichet.lu mobile application allows you to quickly and easily upload required documents to your current procedures directly via your smartphone or tablet.

Download MyGuichet.lu mobile app here

Procedure without authentication (apply here)

Use this procedure if you are not in possession of a LuxTrust or eID product.

Procedure with LuxTrust product or eID (apply here)

The procedure with authentication has many advantages that are not available when using the non-authentication procedure:

The procedure can be temporarily saved.

You have access to your private MyGuichet space allowing you to:

• automatically fill out your application using the stored data already present in your private MyGuichet space
• follow your application status online and view any emails sent by the administration directly on your personal dashboard
• consult your past AideFi applications history

How to obtain a LuxTrust product?

Your online procedure follow-up with or without authentication

• you can submit your application without having all the required documents beforehand (which you can attach later).

• check your inbox after submitting your application! You will receive an automatic message from MyGuichet once the application has been successfully submitted and after any change of status to your application (e.g.: application submitted, to be completed, grant in payment process, etc.)  If you do not receive an email after submitting your application, please check your spam folder or get in touch with the Financial Aid Department.

Are you experiencing technical problems?

• If you are unable to complete the online procedure, you can contact the Financial Aid Department for assistance.
• For questions regarding the use of the MyGuichet site, please contact the Guichet.lu helpdesk.
• For questions regarding a Luxtrust certificate, please contact the Luxtrust service.

Please visit the “supporting documents” section.

The AideFi may be combined with:

•  grants offered within the context of a mobility programme, such as Erasmus+;
•  merit-based grants/scholarships.

The AideFi may not be combined with:

• equivalent financial aid that a student is offered in their country of residence (grants and student loans, regional grants, municipal grants, etc.);
• financial benefits related to student status and received in the student's country of residence (family benefits, financial aid for student housing).

The basic grant is automatically awarded to students who are eligible for the AideFi. The semi-annual amount consists of 1.050 €.

The grant based on social criteria can consist of a maximum of 1.995 € per academic semester.

The amount depends on the total annual taxable income of the household to which the student belongs (“household” includes parents, parent and spouse/partner, student and spouse/partner).

If the student loan has been requested, the difference between the 1.995 € maximum grant and the total amount granted is automatically added to the student loan.

If the student loan has been requested without the grant based on social criteria, the entire amount is added to the student loan.

Family grants are offered to students who belong to a household in which one or more children are eligible for the AideFi.

The family grant amounts to 262 € per semester and is paid in a single instalment during the summer semester.  Please note that students who do not submit an application for the summer semester may request a reassessment of the winter semester by sending an email to their dedicated case manager.

• The student loan is optional. Students may receive grants without taking out the student loan.
• The student loan is not granted automatically, but only at the request of the student.
• The student loan is composed of a basic loan of 3.250 € and, depending on your situation, an additional increase based on social criteria and tuition fees.
• The student loan can be taken out at one of the banks contracted with the Luxembourg state (listed below).
• The student loan is a state-backed loan with a maximum interest rate of 2%.
• The repayment of the student loan must start no later than 2 years after having finished or stopped studying.
• The maximum repayment term is 10 years.
• If the applicant applied for the student loan, the notification of approval issued by the Financial Aid Department will be accompanied by a certificate for the bank printed on yellow security paper. This certificate should be kept in a safe place. The Financial Aid Department does not issue copies of the certificate.
• The certificate contains a QR code that may be used to take out the student loan; this will be the standard procedure as of the beginning of the 2022–2023 academic year.

Contracted banks:

• Banque BCP ;
• Banque de Luxembourg ;
• Banque Internationale à Luxembourg (BIL);
• Banque Raiffeisen ;
• BGL BNP Paribas ;
• Fortuna Banque ;
• ING ;
• Spuerkeess.

Comments:

• Students experiencing difficulties in repaying the loan can request an extension or a dispensation from repayment by explaining their situation using the standard form made available by their bank and attaching all required documents.

The amount of the AideFi is supplemented by the amount of the enrolment fees up to a maximum of 3.700 € after deducting 100 €:

• 50 % in the form of a grant;
• 50 % in the form of a student loan (if a loan has been applied for).

The student's income does not affect the weighting between the grant and the loan as far as the enrolment fees component are concerned.

Examples:

• for 800 € in enrolment fees, 700 € is added to the AideFi: 350 € as a grant and EUR 350 € as a loan;
• for 9,000 € in enrolment fees, 3,700 € is added to the AideFi: 1,850 € as a grant and EUR 1,850 € as a loan.

Comments:

If students submit an application:

• for the winter semester and have not yet paid their enrolment fees in full, or do not yet have all the proof of payment: they must attach all the relevant documents when submitting their application for the summer semester;
• for the summer semester and have not yet paid their enrolment fees in full, or do not yet have all the proof of payment: they must attach all the relevant documents after their application for the summer semester has been processed. To do so, they should complete the 'Add enrolment fees' procedure, which is available from 1 May to 31 July of the current academic year.

• Income from student jobs limited to a maximum of 10 hours per week and student jobs during school holidays are not taken into account for the calculation of the grant based on social criteria.
• Any other type of income available to the student during the current academic year is added to the total income of the household and may have an impact on the amount of the grant based on social criteria.
• Students whose total annual income exceeds the social minimum wage for unskilled workers may only receive the AideFi in the form of a loan.
• Students whose total annual income exceeds 3.5 times the social minimum wage for unskilled workers are not eligible for the AideFi.

The grants and loans are granted for the scheduled number of years to complete the study cycle in which the student is enrolled, plus 2 extra semesters (so-called 'bonus' semesters). This means that students can change to another study programme during the initial semesters, or repeat 1 or 2 semesters without losing their AideFi. If a student has made use of 2 'bonus' semesters in the 1^st cycle, they will not be entitled to any 'bonus' semesters in the 2^nd cycle. However, the student may make use of 1 'bonus' semester in the 1^st cycle and 1 in the 2^nd cycle.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, special measures have been taken to accommodate students who were enrolled in a higher-education study cycle eligible for the AideFi during the 2019–2020 summer semester or the 2020–2021 academic year. These measures are outlined below (see 'What measures has the State taken in regard of the COVID-19 pandemic which has affected my studies?).

Examples:

• for a 1^st cycle of higher education studies (BTS, Bachelor's degree, licence, etc.), the AideFi may be granted for the scheduled length of the cycle + 2 'bonus' semesters. The 'bonus' semesters are granted if the student changed to another study programme after the 1^st year of study, or if they are repeating a year of study;

• for a single cycle of higher education studies (Staatsexamen, Diplomstudium, etc.), the AideFi may be granted for the scheduled length of the cycle + 2 'bonus' semesters. The 'bonus' semesters are granted if the student changed to another study programme after the 1^st year of study, or if they are repeating a year of study;

• for the 2^nd cycle of higher education studies (Master's degree, postgraduate, etc.), the AideFi may be granted for the scheduled length of the cycle. The period may be extended:
  • by 2 'bonus' semesters if the student did not use the 'bonus' semesters during the 1^st cycle; or
  • by 1 'bonus' semester if the student used 1 'bonus' semester during the 1^st cycle;
• for the 3^rd cycle of higher education studies (doctorate, PhD), the aid may be granted for a maximum of 8 semesters.

The AideFi may be refused if the student does not show any progress in their studies. The main check is carried out after the 2^nd year of studies.

Students may be required to provide proof that they have attended class lectures and practical or directed courses on a regular basis, participated in mandatory internships, and taken any exams required as part of their study programme.

To receive the AideFi for the 3^rd year, students must satisfy one of the following 3 conditions:

• have obtained at least 60 ECTS credits during the first 2 years in the study programme in which they are enrolled; or
• have obtained at least 30 ECTS credits after the 2^nd year of studies, if the student changed to another study programme after the 1^st year of studies at the latest; or
• have been allowed to enter the 2^nd year of a study cycle that is defined in terms of content and duration but does not carry ECTS credits.

Note: If after the 3^rd year of studies, the student is still enrolled in the 1^st year of a higher-education programme, the AideFi will be refused, regardless of their academic results.

Students with a disability who wish to extend the additional duration of entitlement to the AideFi must attach a medical certificate attesting to a substantial, long-lasting or permanent impairment of one or more physical, mental, sensory, cognitive or psychological functions which impedes the normal progression of their studies.

The progress of students with disabilities who were enrolled in a higher-education cycle eligible for the AideFi during the 2019–2020 or 2020–2021 academic year is checked 4 years after their first-cycle studies at the latest.

Students who wish to complete an unfinished cycle can receive the entire AideFi in the form of a loan for 2 additional semesters at most. To do so, they must:

• be enrolled in the last year of the study cycle to be completed;
• add to the form a written request for an 'exclusive loan extension' (prolongation prêt uniquement) on plain paper.

Yes, after having completed your study programme, you can enrol in a new programme and may receive the AideFi a second time for first- and second cycle studies.

Students may submit their application without having all the required documents in advance. They may complete their application at a later stage.

After receipt and processing of your incomplete application, the Financial Aid Department (Service Aides financières) will contact you to update the missing supporting documents on MyGuichet.lu.

If you submit an application "without authentication" (application without LuxTrust-product or eID), you will receive an email via MyGuichet.lu with a link to update the missing supporting documents.

Students who do not receive an email after submitting their application should check their spam folder.

If you submit an application with authentication via Luxtrust-product or eID, the missing supporting documents must be updated in your eSpace on MyGuichet.lu.

Please use the following link: Appeal procedure

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, special measures have been taken to accommodate students who were enrolled in a higher-education study cycle eligible for the AideFi during the 2019–2021 summer semester or the 2020–2021 academic year.

These measures introduce one additional so-called 'COVID bonus' semester for all the students specified above, and postpone the check of their results scheduled to take place after 2 years of study.

Note that students may make use of only one 'COVID bonus' semester during their higher-education studies, and only if they have not made use of a similar measure in their country of study, such as an extension of the scheduled time to complete their higher-education programme.

Thus, students enrolled:

• in the 1^st cycle may receive grants and loans for a number of semesters of study exceeding the official duration for the completion of the study cycle in which they are enrolled by a maximum of 3 units;
• in the 2^nd cycle may receive grants and loans for the number of semesters of study officially scheduled for the completion of the study cycle in which they are enrolled. This number is increased:
  • by 3 units, if the student has completed the 1^st study cycle within the time officially scheduled for the completion of this study cycle; or
    
  • by 2 units, if the student has exceeded the time officially scheduled for the completion of the 1^st study cycle by 1 unit; or
    
  • by 1 unit, if the student has exceeded the duration officially scheduled for the completion of the 1^st study cycle by 2 units;
• in a single cycle, may receive grants and loans for a number of semesters of study exceeding the official duration for the completion of the study cycle in which they are enrolled by 3 units;

• in the research training cycle, may receive grants and loans for a maximum duration of 9 semesters.

When students who have made use of the so-called 'COVID bonus' semester – or a similar measure in their country of study – would like to complete their 1^st cycle, their 2^nd cycle or their single study cycle that is unfinished, they may receive all of the AideFi in the form of a loan for an additional semester.

Regarding the postponement of the check of results, students who were enrolled in a higher-education study cycle eligible for the AideFi during the 2019–2020 or 2020–2021 academic year and who did not change to another study programme after the 2020–2021 academic year, must satisfy one of the following criteria to receive the AideFi in the 4^th year of their 1^st cycle:

• have obtained at least 60 ECTS credits during the first 3 years of study in the same higher-education programme;
• have obtained at least 30 ECTS credits after the 3^rd year of studies, at the latest, provided that they changed to another study programme after the first enrolment in a higher-education programme;
• be enrolled in the 2^nd year of the higher-education program, which is defined in terms of length of study.

The effects of these measures are applied automatically to the students concerned, who must file an application for the AideFi by the stipulated deadline.