Students in Luxembourg are facing a housing shortage

The Association of Student Societies of Luxembourg (ACEL) has rated the government’s performance halfway through the legislative term as ‘satisfactory’. According to the organisation’s president, Mattis Noël, the level of approval for the authorities’ initiatives varies depending on the specific area. The shortage of accommodation remains the most pressing issue. A recent survey, in which more than 300 students from the University of Luxembourg took part, revealed significant difficulties in finding accommodation. In light of this, ACEL is calling for the construction of 1,600 new student accommodation places by 2030. At the same time, the union emphasises that the projects must be approved by 2028 so that their implementation remains the responsibility of the current government and is not passed on to the next cabinet.

At the same time, the association points to systemic obstacles posed by local authorities: due to differences in planning regulations, some local authorities are blocking developers’ initiatives. To address this problem, ACEL is calling for a national law on student accommodation to be passed by 2028, setting out uniform construction standards across the country, and has expressed its willingness to participate in its drafting. In addition to the housing issue, transport accessibility has also come under criticism. Free public transport does not meet all students’ needs due to long journey times and inconvenient connections. As an alternative, students propose introducing flexible, on-demand transport services in rural areas and increasing the number of park-and-ride facilities.

Furthermore, ACEL has expressed concern about the progress of the review of legislation on work placements. Despite the introduction of a requirement to pay for placements lasting more than four weeks, many employers and students remain unaware of the new rules. The situation is exacerbated by confusion surrounding the payment of grants: as the financial burden falls on the ministry rather than the host company, students often miss out on career opportunities. There have also been cases of social insurance contributions being calculated incorrectly, where trainees are required to pay contributions based on the full minimum wage, even if their actual income is significantly lower.

In contrast to the situation regarding work placements, the reform of the student financial support system (AideFi) has been widely praised. Representatives of ACEL emphasised that they had been involved in drafting the changes from the very beginning. Key achievements of the reform included a reduction in interest rates on student loans, an increase in mobility grants and the provision of financial support to part-time students. The organisation regards these measures as concrete progress in safeguarding students’ interests.