DFESG - General Secondary School Leaving Diploma (Diplôme de fin d'études secondaires générales)

General information

Adults who wish to complete their general secondary education or start studying again can obtain the General Secondary School Leaving Diploma (DFESG) in the administrative and commercial division, management section. Note that in the healthcare and social professions division it is possible to obtain the Diploma for social education workers (éducateur) via on-the-job training.

Adults who wish to enhance their professional development may follow the courses of the 4e and 3e classes in the healthcare and social professions division, and potentially continue their school education until they obtain the General Secondary School Leaving Diploma.

Divisions accessible through continuing training

People who have not successfully completed the 5e class can attend in the evening or during the day 5e classes of the general secondary education in different language schemes allowing them to go on to 4e classes.

Validation of non-formal and informal learning (Validation des acquis de l’expérience - VAE) also enables those concerned to obtain all or part of a General Secondary School Leaving Diploma.

More information about VAE.

DFESG awarded in the management section of the administrative and commercial division

Applicants interested in obtaining a General Secondary School Leaving Diploma in the management section of the administrative and commercial division must:

• be at least 18 years old,
• have the prerequisites for the class in question.

Structure of classes

• 4e GCM to 3e GCM classes and 2e GCG to 1re GCG - evening classes

These classes, organised at the ECG, follow the syllabuses for the standard teaching for classes in the management section of the administrative and commercial division (2e and 1re).

In the final year, students take the examination for the General Secondary School Leaving Diploma.

• 3e G and 2e G Young adult classes - daytime classes

The project "Young adult classes - CJA" aims to give students who have failed or who wish to reorient themselves, a last chance to gain the General Secondary School Leaving Diploma within a reasonable amount of time and or prevent social exclusion. Admission to young adult classes at the ECG is based on the application.

Classes for young adults are organised at the level of the 3e G and 2e G in the administrative and commercial division. The teaching is adapted in terms of timetable, methods and content. Young adults are admitted conditionally on the basis of an application and they must sign an agreement governing the commitments of the school and the students.

DFESG awarded in the healthcare and social professions division

Sandwich course for social education workers

The sandwich course for social education workers is a training course organised by the National School for Adults (École nationale pour adultes - ENAD) for people who are in employment.

This training route, which is part of the offer of training for adults, enables adults to obtain a recognised diploma by an alternative route. The aim is to offer on-the-job training tailored to the Luxembourg professional sector. The course is aimed at adults with no recognised professional qualifications as a social education worker but who are already active in the childcare or social field.

This sandwich course for social education workers includes general and technical aspects of educational and social sciences and the methodology is geared towards adult educational methods adapted to the specific needs of the target group.

The sandwich course for social education workers includes on the one hand the studies leading to the General Secondary School Leaving Diploma, with a normal duration of two years of training, and on the other hand the studies leading to the social education worker diploma, with a normal duration of one year of training.

• Admission requirements
• be at least 21 years old
• hold an employment contract in the socio-educational sector for at least 16 hours work per week for the previous 12 months at least, or an employment contract as a social education worker in training under the CCT-SAS scheme (collective employment agreement for employees in the assistance and care sector and in the social sector) for at least 16 hours work per week and having left initial training more than 12 months ago,
• have successfully completed one of the following:
• a 3e class (fifth year) of classical secondary education
• a 3e class (fifth year) of general secondary education
• training for carers (DAP).

Applicants for the course who have not successfully completed one of the classes listed above will be required to sit admission tests.

• Structure of the training

The training takes the form of:

• theory classes during term time: 16 hours per week, on Thursdays and Fridays,
• independent learning,
• professional activity accompanied by consideration of related educational theory.

The training comprises:

• core modules: Educational theory; Psychology; Languages: French, German, English; Professional activity and methodology.
• other modules: Sociology; Philosophy; Biology; Mathematics; Media and communication; Arts and culture; Educational theory in relation to physical activities and sports; Supervised personal work.

Continuous assessment and final examination for each module.

4e G and 3e G classes - evening classes

Applicants interested in attending 4e G and 3e G classes in the form of evening classes must:

• be at least 18 years old,
• have successfully completed a 5e class or equivalent training,
• meet the criteria for continuation to the 4e G class.

These classes provide access to the higher cycle of training in healthcare and social professions. Courses are held at the Lycée technique du centre (LTC).

For information

Two DAP and 1 CCP are also available in the healthcare and social professions sector:

• DAP Agent socio-pédagogique (ou DAP Éducation), replacing the DAP Auxiliaire de vie, through adult apprenticeship
• DAP Aide-soignant: through adult apprenticeship ou on-the-job training
• From September 2024/2025 onwards: DAP Inclusion through adult apprenticeship


• CCP Assistant d'accompagnement au quotidien through adult apprenticeship

4e class of the engineering section of the general technical division

This class is the first year of the intermediate cycle. Classes are held at the Lycée Mathias Adam (LMA).