Stefan Lukschy was born in Berlin and grew up in Berlin, Munich and Hamburg. He comes from a family of artists. His mother was a painter, stage designer and interior designer, his father a film and theatre actor and director.
During his school years, he studied piano and conducting. At the same time, he developed an interest in literature, photography and film. After studying German language and literature, journalism, philosophy and musicology, he began studying directing at the dffb (German Film and Television Academy Berlin) in 1972.