Cedies is Luxembourg’s financial aid scheme for students, which children of residents and cross-border workers can benefit from under certain conditions. Money is paid out in a mix of loans and grants, with €128.6m paid in grants last year and €216.9m in loans.

The loans have an interest rate of a maximum of 2% and are repayable over ten years, starting two years after students have graduated.

More than 18,500 students from Luxembourg received financial support, compared to 12,269 children of cross-border workers, data presented by higher education minister Claude Meisch in parliament this week showed.

The amount paid by the government on the scheme has risen steadily, from €316.5m in 2017/2018 to €328.9m last year. The numbers for the 2020/2021 academic year are not yet available.