Luxembourg · Luxembourg City
ISL offers English-medium day schooling for ages 3–18, with most pupils taking the IB Diploma in Grades 11–12. French and additional-language requirements deserve close attention. The published fees already reflect state subsidy; compulsory extras and withdrawal terms also affect the budget.
The International School of Luxembourg, or ISL, offers English-medium day schooling for ages 3–18 in the Geesseknäppchen school area in south-west Luxembourg City. Most pupils in Grades 11–12 follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. Boarding is not advertised.
ISL is worth considering if you want an English-medium international education with French and other languages alongside it. The decision depends on the child’s English and support needs, a confirmed place in the relevant grade and a budget that includes compulsory extras and withdrawal liabilities.
The school’s postal address is 36 boulevard Pierre Dupong, L-1430. Its campus information warns that the postal address may not identify the visitor entrance on a map. Confirm the entrance with admissions and test the journey from your proposed home. Community pages describe a 60-year history, but present-day programme and support arrangements matter more to this choice.
Previously published age rules set 31 August as the cut-off: children should be three for Foundations and four for Pre-Kindergarten. The dated 2025–26 guidance scheduled three-year-olds’ interviews close to or after their third birthday. Confirm the rule for your intended intake. Early Years starters generally join on a Wednesday; Grade 1 starters generally join on a Monday.
The school describes an international programme, including the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) for younger pupils and the Diploma Programme (DP) in the final two years. Its grade labels belong to its own structure; compare them with your child’s current year before applying.
English is the teaching language. The language page says all pupils in Grades 6–10 study French, except in exceptional circumstances. It distinguishes Language A and B courses; ask which level and course fits the child.
Most pupils also study German in Grades 6–10, or Spanish in Grades 6–7 only, with exceptions for pupils in the school’s English-language support route, labelled ELB, or Learning Support.
In Grades 6–8, the normal arrangement is two languages in addition to English. If the school judges that too demanding, it assigns Teacher Assisted Study Class (TASC)—supervised study with teacher support—instead of German or Spanish and informs parents. Pupils choose their IB languages in Grade 10.
For a younger child or an arrival during the year, ask about French hours, grouping and English support at that specific grade. Luxembourgish Language and Culture has appeared in campus descriptions as a middle-school option; confirm whether it is on the child’s timetable, particularly in Grade 6.
ISL identifies strong demand for Grades 8, 9 and 11. This does not establish current availability or a waiting time. Grade 12 applicants should contact admissions directly. Older admissions text describes a limited number of academic, means-tested scholarships, subject to availability; confirm whether applications are open for the relevant year before relying on one.
Begin an application within one year of the intended enrolment date. The online form provides the document checklist. A campus tour or online admissions conversation can help resolve grade placement and support questions first.
The published decision timetable distinguishes entry during the current school year from entry in the next:
| Application | First decisions or response period |
|---|---|
| Entry during the current school year | Within 10 school days after the admissions interview |
| Next year’s Foundations and Pre-K | From mid-February, for applicants ready for a decision |
| Next year’s Kindergarten–Grade 11 | First decisions on the Friday before spring break, usually late March/early April; subsequently within 10 school days after interview |
| Grade 12 | Contact admissions for individual guidance |
An offer includes an enrolment agreement and a non-refundable registration fee. The signed agreement confirms enrolment and triggers the registration invoice and payment obligation. The offer-response period is one week for current-year entry and two weeks for the following year. The fee brochure separately requires the registration payment within two weeks of a placement offer. Follow the actual offer and invoice together.
Do not assume an offered place includes every service your child needs. Provide current reports and ask what the school can deliver, at what frequency and cost. The fee brochure says special additional support may be charged according to the individual case.
Archived 2019 regulations mention a non-refundable English as an Additional Language (EAL) entry fee. They also say that a family returning after two years pays it again if support is still required. The main 2026–27 fee table does not list that charge. Ask whether it still applies and obtain the current amount; the archived rule is not a current quotation.
The official fee brochure separates entry charges from annual fees.
| One-time entry charge, per child | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application, all applicants | €300 |
| Registration | €3,000 |
Both entry charges are non-refundable.
| Stage | Growth Fund | Stability Reserve | Tuition | Annual total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundations–Grade 1 | €350 | €1,434 | €18,696 | €20,480 |
| Grades 2–5 | €350 | €1,548 | €20,220 | €22,118 |
| Grades 6–8 | €350 | €1,680 | €21,975 | €24,005 |
| Grades 9–12 | €350 | €1,696 | €22,180 | €24,226 |
The Growth Fund, also supported by registration fees, finances building improvements. The Stability Reserve protects the school’s finances against changes in subsidy, enrolment and economic conditions. Tuition supports its annual operating costs.
For returning pupils, the Stability Reserve acts as the non-refundable payment securing the next year’s place. It is already included in the annual total above. Signing the enrolment acceptance commits the family to the annual fees, subject to the withdrawal provisions below.
The brochure says its prices already reflect Luxembourg’s private-school subsidy, averaging approximately €12,755 per child. It says tuition would rise by a similar amount without that subsidy. Parents should not deduct that amount from the published fees or expect it as a cash payment.
Calculated first-year Grade 6 example: €300 application + €3,000 registration + €24,005 annual fees = €27,305, before the compulsory trip, relevant equipment, meals and any additional support.
The brochure includes IB examination fees and the school’s MAP, CAT4 and PASS assessments in tuition. These are assessment tools covering attainment, reasoning and pupils’ attitudes to school.
For Grades 1–5, the healthy-snack programme costs €340 annually and is compulsory. An exemption requires both a doctor’s Personal Allergy Plan lodged with the nurse and confirmation that the caterer cannot accommodate it. Class funds, billed in October, are €20 for Foundations–Grade 1 and €10 for Grades 2–5.
Residential trips are compulsory in Grades 2–10. The brochure gives estimates that may change:
| Grade | Destination | Estimated charge |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Luxembourg | €190–290 |
| 3 | Luxembourg | €190–290 |
| 4 | Luxembourg | €300–400 |
| 5 | Switzerland | €750–850 |
| 6 | Germany | €650–750 |
| 7 | Germany | €450–550 |
| 8 | Germany | €650–750 |
| 9 | Luxembourg | €340–450 |
| 10 | Switzerland | €1,200–1,300 |
PE clothing is required from Grade 3. Upper School pupils need a laptop meeting school specifications. From Grade 7, a TI-Nspire calculator without a computer algebra system (non-CAS) is required; the brochure lists purchase through SchoolsBuddy at €151. Lost books are charged.
Meals are additional: Lower School uses MyLunch, while the Upper School cafeteria uses a prepaid card with a €25 daily spending limit. Stay’n Play childcare, team kit, instrument rental and parent-arranged tutoring are optional or parent-funded. Optional external online courses, including Pamoja and Global Online Academy, may also be charged.
Use the official school-fees page for payment instructions. The brochure offers two schedules:
For a midyear start, tuition falls by 10% for each full calendar month not registered, according to this table. This is a tuition adjustment, not a reduction of every fee.
| Start month | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual tuition payable | 100% | 100% | 90% | 80% | 70% | 60% | 50% | 40% | 30% | 20% | 10% |
If an employer pays, complete the third-party authorisation. The parents remain the contracting party and are invoiced if the third party does not pay on time.
Notice must use the specified process: the online form, registered letter, a scanned formal notice to the finance office, or hand-delivery against a receipt. An informal email conversation is insufficient.
For notice on or before 30 June, the Stability Reserve remains due for returning pupils and entry fees remain due for new pupils. After 30 June, Growth Fund and Stability Reserve are payable in full, plus 50%, 75% or 100% of tuition, depending on both notification month and departure month in the brochure’s grid.
From a January notification onwards, that grid requires 100% tuition, whatever departure month is shown. A March departure should therefore not be budgeted as simply paying for the months attended.
The payment obligation starts with signature, even before an invoice is received or attendance begins. Fees are not refunded if the school closes for reasons outside its control. Unpaid balances can delay entry, lead to withheld records, incur interest or proceed to collection.
Compare St George’s for a British curriculum, Vauban for the French national route, and the European School Luxembourg I if your eligibility and language allocation fit the European Schools system. The Athénée is a comparison for families seeking a public IB route.
Official pages and documents we read. If a figure matters to your budget or your application, open the link and confirm it is still current.
Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.
The Athénée is a state secondary school with a seven-year English-medium route towards the IB Diploma. It is attractive on cost, but admission is selective and French remains important. The published 2026 second round was only for Grades 10 and 11.
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Luxembourg CityLuxembourg I offers a multilingual route to the European Baccalaureate on Kirchberg. Language and residence rules determine placement between the two European Schools. Category I is exempt from tuition, while Category III families need confirmation of available places and conflicting 2026–27 fee information.
Luxembourg CityLycée Michel Lucius, also called Lycée | International School Michel Lucius, is a state-funded day school in Luxembourg City. Its English-medium international stream offers primary education followed by Cambridge IGCSE, AS and A-Levels. The lycée also has a separate Luxembourg general-secondary stream. It has no boarding.
Compare private English and French schools with public international and European routes. Eligibility, language section and leaving qualification matter as much as tuition.
7 minStart with the qualification your child would actually receive. Then check its subjects, language demands, and recognition in the countries where they may study next.
7 minStart with your child and the family's likely plans. Define the non-negotiables, verify the school's claims, compare three realistic options and visit with specific questions.
7 minTuition is only one line of the budget. Separate charges from advance payments, record what each figure includes, and ask the school to confirm your calculation in writing.