Education in Sweden
Encyclopedia
Education in Sweden is mandatory for all child
ren from year 1 to year 9 - generally from the year of the child’s seventh birthday to the year of the child’s 16th
birthday. The school year in Sweden
runs from mid/late August to early/mid June. The Christmas holiday from mid December to early January divides the Swedish school year into two terms
. Homeschooling
is forbidden, unless there are "exceptional circumstances".
From the age of one, children can be admitted to pre-school (förskola). Pre-schools both help provide an environment that stimulates children's development and learning, and enable parents to combine parenthood with work or studies. During the year before children start compulsory school, all children are offered a place in a pre-school class (förskoleklass), which combines the pedagogical methods of the pre-school with those of compulsory school. Between ages 6/7 and 15/16, children attend compulsory comprehensive school (grundskola), divided in three stages. The vast majority of schools in Sweden are municipally run, but there are also autonomous and publicly funded schools, known as "free schools". The education in free schools has many objectives in common with the municipal school, but it can have an orientation that differs from that of the municipal schools. A handful of boarding school
s, known as "private schools", are funded by privately paid tuition.
In 2008, statistics showed that of all Swedes aged 25–64, 15% have completed only compulsory education (as the highest level of attainment), 46% only upper secondary education, 14% only post-secondary education of less than 3 years, and 22% post-secondary education of 3 years or more. Women are more educated than men (26% of women vs 19% of men have post-secondary education of 3 years or more). The level of education is highest among those aged 25–34, and it decreases with age. Both upper secondary school and university studies are financed by taxes. Some Swedes go straight to work after secondary school. Along with several other European countries, the government used to subsidize tuition of international students pursuing a degree at Swedish institutions, but in 2010 they started charging international students 80,000-100,000 SEK per year . Swedish 15-years-old pupils have the 22nd highest average score in the PISA
assessments, being neither significantly higher nor lower than the OECD average. Only Canada
, the United States
, and Japan
have higher levels of tertiary degree holders.
. Grundskola is the 1-9 grade primary school. Gymnasieskola (literally "gymnasium school") is the three-year secondary school
. Högskola (literally "high school") is a tertiary school (formally translated to university college
, less formally to university
) and universitet (always translated to university) is a tertiary school with postgraduate education
.
Historical terms include småskola ("small school") and folkskola ("people's school") for primary school and läroverk ("learning institute") for secondary school. Formerly, högskola usually meant a one-faculty school – usually professionally oriented – while universitet contained many faculties.
All students between 12–15 years old take math, English, Swedish, foreign language, NO (physics, chemistry, biology, technology), SO (social studies, history, religion, geography), physical education, art, music, carpentry or sewing and a course in home economics.
After students graduate from the nine-year compulsory school, the selection of education, both private and state owned, becomes much broader. As all education is publicly funded, all students have a large selection of choices, which are quite different from some other western nations, where some education costs more money than others, thus limiting the choice for those with a less fortunate background.
The Swedish School Plan also highly encourages an individualistic education in which each student has their specific means met. The students are also encouraged not only to participate in student councils, but also to actually form the education they desire together with their teachers, choosing what books to read and how to balance practice with theory depending on which the individual students find most enjoyable to learn from.
, or "Grundskola" with mandatory attendance. Following this comes an elective three year secondary school
, or "Gymnasieskola" which is divided in two instances where you either prepare for higher education
or receive vocational education
. The preparatory instance allows for specialization in either natural sciences or social sciences.
The pupil's total score, which is used for application to gymnasium, the secondary schools, is calculated by taking the pupil's 16 best subjects and numerically adding them together, with G = 10, VG = 15 and MVG = 20, yielding a maximum possible score of 320. It is normal for a pupil to have 17 or more grades, as most study a third language - traditionally German or French, but in recent years Spanish has increased in popularity.
The 16 subjects used to calculate the total must include the three core subjects - English, Swedish and Mathematics. If the pupil fails any of the core subjects, she or he lacks qualification to attend secondary school. However, the student can still attend the secondary school individual program (individuellt program (IV)), either to gain competence in the core subjects and start a secondary school program or to complete the individual program and satisfy the requirements for a student degree (see below).
However, from fall 2011, a new grading system has been introduced into the Swedish schoolsystem: A, B, C, D, E as passing grades and F as Failing. B and D works as filling grades, for when you haven't reached all objectives for C or A, but most of them. If the student can't be graded, ie extensive truancy, the student will receive a dash instead of an F. If a student is given an F they will receive a written review of how to improve themselves.
The programs are divided into two general categories, preparatory and vocational. All programs give basic qualification to attend university, but preparatory programs typically satisfy more of the various special qualifications that are required to attend some university courses and programs.
Just over half of upper secondary students follow one of the 13 vocationally oriented programs. these programmes must include at least 15 weeks of workplace training over the three year program.
The courses that a student takes depending on program and orientation can be divided into four levels: Core subjects, program-specific subjects, orientation subjects and individually selected courses. Core courses are courses that everyone, regardless of programme, have to study to satisfy the requirements for a student degree. Program-specific courses are the additional courses that a student is required to take to fulfill the program requirements. If a student for some reason does not fulfill the requirements, for example by electing to replace a program-specific course with another course, the student is considered to have attended a specially designed program – this has no bearing except for what's printed on the school leaving certificate. Orientation subjects are the courses that a student elects to take by selecting an orientation. Normally these courses take place in the 2nd and 3rd year, although in a few cases the courses start earlier. Finally, individually selected courses are courses which the student freely selects for herself/himself in the 2nd and 3rd year. For this specific slots have been set aside in the curriculum and the schedule.
s in Sweden, mostly tuition-funded boarding school
s, catering primarily for children of Swedish diplomats assigned abroad. In 1992, however, the government decided that independent school
s offering primary or secondary education could receive public funding for each student, at a level similar to what public schools receive. This change saw the birth of the Swedish "free schools", and in 2008 there were around 900 of them.
The "free schools", similar to charter school
s in the United States or academies in the United Kingdom, are funded with public money from the local municipality, based on the number of pupils they have enrolled, in the same way Swedish public schools are. Consequently, they are not allowed to discriminate or require admission examinations, nor are they not allowed to charge the students any additional fees. They are, however, allowed to accept private donations. Regional economic differences directly affect how much money each municipality can provide per pupil, by as much as SEK 50,000 (around USD 7,700 or GBP 4,700).
Anyone can start an independent for-profit school
, or a chain of such schools, in Sweden. Many of them offer an alternate pedagogy (such as Montessori), or a foreign/international, religious or special needs (such as hearing-impaired) profile. There are also several secondary schools with an elite sports profile. Internationella Engelska Skolan
and Kunskapsskolan
(“Knowledge Schools”) are the two largest "free school" chains. In 2008, more than 10% of Swedish pupils were enrolled in "free schools".
A handful of the old tuition-funded boarding school
s still remain, whereof Sigtunaskolan
and Lundsbergs skola
are the most well known.
, County Governor of Stockholm and former Conservative Minister of Education, in 2009 summarised the advantages of the Swedish system in an opinion piece produced by the Libertarian
think tank
Pacific Research Institute
: "Education is so important that you can’t just leave it to one producer. Because we know from monopoly systems that they do not fulfill all wishes".
Completing secondary school on a vocational program with full classes on a three year curriculum does provide a basic qualification for further studies. However many times tertiary education
is required before being admitted at university or university college. Post-secondary education is provided by Municipal
"KomVux" schools (short for KOMmunal VUXenutbildning, lit. "Municipal Adult Education"), and independent boarding schools named Folkhögskolor
(or People's High Schools in English).
Instead of opting for higher education, a student from a vocational program in secondary school is able to apply for what is called Qualified Vocational Education or "Kvalificerad Yrkesutbildning" (KY). This form combines education and practical experience from business or industry in the chosen field. The level of education is essentially post-secondary but can also contain courses that meet the requirements of tertiary education.
For post-secondary education, the KomVux and the Qualified Vocational Education in some ways correspond to what is offered by community college
s in the United States.
. General academic degree
s are offered by public universities
and university college
s that tend to attract students on a regional basis. Besides general academic degrees, the higher education system in Sweden also provides a number of professional and vocational degrees in fields such as engineering, law and medicine.
As of autumn semester 2011, higher education is free of charge only for Swedish, EU/EEA, and Swiss citizens.
On 1 July 2007, a new higher education system came into effect in Sweden. Higher education became divided into three levels: basic level (grundnivå), advanced level (avancerad nivå), and doctoral level (forskarnivå). The new changes also included removing several professional / vocational degrees (yrkesexamina) as well as redefining other pre-existing degrees.
Both degrees require completing a thesis.
The Degree of Master (Two years), masterexamen, is a new degree that is intended to be closely linked to continuing education at the graduate level.
Postgraduate academic titles are docent (associate professor) and professor (professor). Each department has an administrative officer, the prefekt, who often is a docent.
Three sets of grades exist in Swedish universities and university colleges. Some universities have introduces a seven-grade scale (A-F, Fx), that similar to the ECTS scale, but with a criterion-referenced grading instead of relative grading. The most common scale is a three-grade scale that consists of U (Underkänd in Swedish, fail), G (Godkänd, pass) and VG (Väl godkänd, pass with distinction). In this set VG is the highest. The other grade set consists of (U, 3, 4, 5) where 5 is the highest. This grade set is normally given in courses within technical professional degrees. Finally there are some courses, within two systems of grading, in which you can only get G (pass) or U (fail). For instance, for a one semester thesis (specialized level) in Computer Science
for a Master's degree
at some institutions one can only get the grade G (pass) or fail, while for an equivalent thesis at other institutions one can also receive the grade VG.
, or Test in Swedish for University Studies, is an international exam that can be taken to demonstrate proficiency in Swedish. For those whose native language is not English, international applicants can demonstrate proficiency in English by obtaining a minimum score of 173 points on the TOEFL
or a minimum grade of B on the Cambridge First Certificate in English
exam. Exchange students may have different language requirements.
(CSN) for studying. Every student is entitled to 12 semesters of allowances and loans, totaling 1,841 SEK
per week (July 2007: 200 EUR
, 474 USD, 127 GBP) for full-time studies (after 1 July 2006). Allowances are usually 632 SEK per week (August 2007: 68 EUR; 94 USD; 46 GBP) with loans covering the rest. The limits for loans and allowances may be substantially increased under certain circumstances.
Such legal basis form regulations for all Swedish public universities. They principally state that:
Complaints about the implementation of legislation on student democracy can be sent to the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education
. Even if there is no fine, universities usually follow the agency's decisions.
While the Swedish educational system is regulated by the Government of Sweden
, the American educational system is regulated at the state level. Furthermore, the definition and duration of primary and secondary school in the US and the names they are called (e.g., elementary school, grade school, middle school, junior high school, high school, senior high school) can vary within a state making comparisons with other countries difficult. To simplify, a typical mainstream American educational system is compared with the mainstream Swedish educational system, where special education is not included in mainstream education.
In the US, children are typically required to attend primary school and secondary school from age 6 to 18. After completing high school, many Americans continue with higher education in a community college, college, or university. In comparison, Swedish children are required to attend grundskola, compulsory school, from age 7 to 16, where grundskola is a combination of primary and secondary school. After grundskola, many Swedes attend the elective gymnasieskolan, upper secondary school, choosing either a university-preparatory program or a vocational program. Students who choose a vocational program normally terminate their education after gymnasieskolan while students who choose a university-preparatory program normally continue with higher education at a university or university college. Students who choose a vocational program can continue with higher education, but may need to take additional courses before being eligible to apply.
In Sweden, grundskola students are required to learn how to swim as a part of their physical education. Since 1 September 2007, students in årskurs 5 must be able to swim 200 meters, with 50 meters on their back.
In the US, many high-school students take a Driver's Education course at their high school, which is often subsidized by the government. Thus, by the age of 18, many Americans have a driving permit
or a driver's license. In contrast, Swedes typically learn how to drive by paying for a course at a private driving school (trafikskola). Since driving school can be quite expensive, many Swedes obtain their driver's license when they are older than 18. The minimum age of obtaining a drivers license in Sweden is 18.
Before 1 July 2007, Sweden had several degrees of undergraduate education, such as candidate of philosophy (fil. kand.) or civilingenjör (m. sc. eng.
). Since 1 July 2007, undergraduate education in Sweden consists of all higher education degrees that are normally obtained in the first 5 years (Master, Bachelor, University Diploma and all professional degrees). In the US, undergraduate education is considered higher education degrees that are normally obtained in the first 4 years (Bachelor and Associate degrees).
Graduate education in the US consists of the Doctorate and Master degrees. Postgraduate education is additional training after being awarded a Doctorate degree. In contrast, postgraduate programmes in Sweden are at the graduate level and consist of the Doctorate and Licentiate degrees. (The Master degree is a part of undergraduate education.)
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren from year 1 to year 9 - generally from the year of the child’s seventh birthday to the year of the child’s 16th
birthday. The school year in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
runs from mid/late August to early/mid June. The Christmas holiday from mid December to early January divides the Swedish school year into two terms
Academic term
An academic term is a division of an academic year, the time during which a school, college or university holds classes. These divisions may be called terms...
. Homeschooling
Homeschooling
Homeschooling or homeschool is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school...
is forbidden, unless there are "exceptional circumstances".
From the age of one, children can be admitted to pre-school (förskola). Pre-schools both help provide an environment that stimulates children's development and learning, and enable parents to combine parenthood with work or studies. During the year before children start compulsory school, all children are offered a place in a pre-school class (förskoleklass), which combines the pedagogical methods of the pre-school with those of compulsory school. Between ages 6/7 and 15/16, children attend compulsory comprehensive school (grundskola), divided in three stages. The vast majority of schools in Sweden are municipally run, but there are also autonomous and publicly funded schools, known as "free schools". The education in free schools has many objectives in common with the municipal school, but it can have an orientation that differs from that of the municipal schools. A handful of boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
s, known as "private schools", are funded by privately paid tuition.
In 2008, statistics showed that of all Swedes aged 25–64, 15% have completed only compulsory education (as the highest level of attainment), 46% only upper secondary education, 14% only post-secondary education of less than 3 years, and 22% post-secondary education of 3 years or more. Women are more educated than men (26% of women vs 19% of men have post-secondary education of 3 years or more). The level of education is highest among those aged 25–34, and it decreases with age. Both upper secondary school and university studies are financed by taxes. Some Swedes go straight to work after secondary school. Along with several other European countries, the government used to subsidize tuition of international students pursuing a degree at Swedish institutions, but in 2010 they started charging international students 80,000-100,000 SEK per year . Swedish 15-years-old pupils have the 22nd highest average score in the PISA
Programme for International Student Assessment
The Programme for International Student Assessment is a worldwide evaluation in OECD member countries of 15-year-old school pupils' scholastic performance, performed first in 2000 and repeated every three years...
assessments, being neither significantly higher nor lower than the OECD average. Only Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
have higher levels of tertiary degree holders.
Diagram
| Type of education | School | Designation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forskarutbildning (forskarnivå) Postgraduate programmes Postgraduate education Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education... (doctoral level) |
Universitet University |
Högskola som har vetenskapsområde University college entitled to conduct research in a particular discipline |
4:e året | |
| 3:e året | ||||
| 2:a året | ||||
| 1:a året | ||||
| Grundläggande högskoleutbildning (grundnivå & avancerad nivå) Higher education Higher education Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology... (undergraduate & graduate/master's level) |
Universitet University 2–5 years |
Högskola University college 2–5 years |
5:an | Årskurs 5 |
| 4:an | Årskurs 4 | |||
| 3:an | Årskurs 3 | |||
| 2:an | Årskurs 2 | |||
| 1:an | Årskurs 1 | |||
| Gymnasieutbildning Upper secondary school Secondary school Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place... (secondary school) |
Gymnasieskola Upper secondary school Gymnasium (school) A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual... Ages 16–19 |
3:an | Årskurs 3 | |
| 2:an | Årskurs 2 | |||
| 1:an | Årskurs 1 | |||
| Grundskoleutbildning Compulsory school (primary school) |
Grundskola Compulsory school Ages 7–16 (compulsory) |
9:an | Årskurs 9 | |
| 8:an | Årskurs 8 | |||
| 7:an | Årskurs 7 | |||
| 6:an | Årskurs 6 | |||
| 5:an | Årskurs 5 | |||
| 4:an | Årskurs 4 | |||
| 3:an | Årskurs 3 | |||
| 2:an | Årskurs 2 | |||
| 1:an | Årskurs 1 | |||
| Förskoleklass Pre-school class (preschool) |
Förskoleklass Preschool class Age 6 |
Årskurs F | ||
| Förskoleverksamheten Preschool activities (preschool) |
Förskola Pre-school Ages 1–5 |
|||
Terminology
Förskola (literally "preschool"), colloquially daghem or dagis, is the kindergartenKindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
. Grundskola is the 1-9 grade primary school. Gymnasieskola (literally "gymnasium school") is the three-year secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
. Högskola (literally "high school") is a tertiary school (formally translated to university college
University college
The term "university college" is used in a number of countries to denote college institutions that provide tertiary education but do not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university...
, less formally to university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
) and universitet (always translated to university) is a tertiary school with postgraduate education
Postgraduate education
Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education...
.
Historical terms include småskola ("small school") and folkskola ("people's school") for primary school and läroverk ("learning institute") for secondary school. Formerly, högskola usually meant a one-faculty school – usually professionally oriented – while universitet contained many faculties.
Choice
Students in Swedish primary schools have very limited choice in their education. For instance, advanced mathematics courses are available only during the fall term of the seventh grade (the year students will turn 13); until then, all students take the same basic mathematics courses. A similar situation applies to most other subjects. This is the result of a concerted effort to streamline education, in the hope that this will favor students from families with lower levels of educational attainment. Critics claim it has lowered results significantly among talented students without raising them within other groups.All students between 12–15 years old take math, English, Swedish, foreign language, NO (physics, chemistry, biology, technology), SO (social studies, history, religion, geography), physical education, art, music, carpentry or sewing and a course in home economics.
After students graduate from the nine-year compulsory school, the selection of education, both private and state owned, becomes much broader. As all education is publicly funded, all students have a large selection of choices, which are quite different from some other western nations, where some education costs more money than others, thus limiting the choice for those with a less fortunate background.
The Swedish School Plan also highly encourages an individualistic education in which each student has their specific means met. The students are also encouraged not only to participate in student councils, but also to actually form the education they desire together with their teachers, choosing what books to read and how to balance practice with theory depending on which the individual students find most enjoyable to learn from.
Primary and Secondary School
The educational system in Sweden is based on a nine year primary schoolPrimary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
, or "Grundskola" with mandatory attendance. Following this comes an elective three year secondary school
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
, or "Gymnasieskola" which is divided in two instances where you either prepare for higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
or receive vocational education
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
. The preparatory instance allows for specialization in either natural sciences or social sciences.
Grading
Three grades were until recently used in elementary school: Pass (godkänd (G)), Pass with distinction (Väl godkänd (VG)) and Pass with special distinction (Mycket väl godkänd (MVG)). The grades are usually referred to by their abbreviation. Note that failed does not exist as a formal grade, but should the student fail to pass a course this is reported as ***, referring to a footnote explaining that the pupil "lacks foundation for a grade", however, many people do consider failed (Icke godkänd (IG)) to be an actual grade and often refer to *** as such. Pupils do not start receiving official grades until the 8th grade, although it's not uncommon that tests are marked with grades prior to that. Compared to course grades, failed tests are often actually marked with IG. This is, however, dependent on the preferences of the teacher and does not make any difference.The pupil's total score, which is used for application to gymnasium, the secondary schools, is calculated by taking the pupil's 16 best subjects and numerically adding them together, with G = 10, VG = 15 and MVG = 20, yielding a maximum possible score of 320. It is normal for a pupil to have 17 or more grades, as most study a third language - traditionally German or French, but in recent years Spanish has increased in popularity.
The 16 subjects used to calculate the total must include the three core subjects - English, Swedish and Mathematics. If the pupil fails any of the core subjects, she or he lacks qualification to attend secondary school. However, the student can still attend the secondary school individual program (individuellt program (IV)), either to gain competence in the core subjects and start a secondary school program or to complete the individual program and satisfy the requirements for a student degree (see below).
However, from fall 2011, a new grading system has been introduced into the Swedish schoolsystem: A, B, C, D, E as passing grades and F as Failing. B and D works as filling grades, for when you haven't reached all objectives for C or A, but most of them. If the student can't be graded, ie extensive truancy, the student will receive a dash instead of an F. If a student is given an F they will receive a written review of how to improve themselves.
Gymnasieskola
Secondary school, called gymnasieskola, lasts for three years (however some students study for four or more years for various reasons) and is formally elective, although most attend it and there are very few prospects for those who do not attend. Secondary school is divided into so called "programs", e.g. different types of choices of educational focus. The two most common "programs" are "social science" (samhällskunskap) and "natural sciences" (naturvetenskap). The "programs" are further divided into orientations. There are currently 17 different national programs – centrally defined program curricula – with between two and four centrally defined orientations. In addition there are local programs and orientations, but most schools use the national programs. As of Autumn 2011, there will be 18 national programs - six college preparatory programs and 12 vocational programs.The programs are divided into two general categories, preparatory and vocational. All programs give basic qualification to attend university, but preparatory programs typically satisfy more of the various special qualifications that are required to attend some university courses and programs.
Just over half of upper secondary students follow one of the 13 vocationally oriented programs. these programmes must include at least 15 weeks of workplace training over the three year program.
The courses that a student takes depending on program and orientation can be divided into four levels: Core subjects, program-specific subjects, orientation subjects and individually selected courses. Core courses are courses that everyone, regardless of programme, have to study to satisfy the requirements for a student degree. Program-specific courses are the additional courses that a student is required to take to fulfill the program requirements. If a student for some reason does not fulfill the requirements, for example by electing to replace a program-specific course with another course, the student is considered to have attended a specially designed program – this has no bearing except for what's printed on the school leaving certificate. Orientation subjects are the courses that a student elects to take by selecting an orientation. Normally these courses take place in the 2nd and 3rd year, although in a few cases the courses start earlier. Finally, individually selected courses are courses which the student freely selects for herself/himself in the 2nd and 3rd year. For this specific slots have been set aside in the curriculum and the schedule.
Admittance
To attend secondary school, the prospective student applies to attend a certain programme at a certain school, competing for entrance based upon his/her elementary school grades. In a few cases, such as the Arts Programme (Estetiska programmet (ES)) at certain schools, the student applies for both programme and orientation. Some programmes, generally the Arts Programme and certain local programmes/orientations, have some form of entrance exam in addition to the elementary school grades.Independent schools in Sweden
Prior to the 1990s, there were only a handful of private schoolPrivate school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s in Sweden, mostly tuition-funded boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
s, catering primarily for children of Swedish diplomats assigned abroad. In 1992, however, the government decided that independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
s offering primary or secondary education could receive public funding for each student, at a level similar to what public schools receive. This change saw the birth of the Swedish "free schools", and in 2008 there were around 900 of them.
The "free schools", similar to charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
s in the United States or academies in the United Kingdom, are funded with public money from the local municipality, based on the number of pupils they have enrolled, in the same way Swedish public schools are. Consequently, they are not allowed to discriminate or require admission examinations, nor are they not allowed to charge the students any additional fees. They are, however, allowed to accept private donations. Regional economic differences directly affect how much money each municipality can provide per pupil, by as much as SEK 50,000 (around USD 7,700 or GBP 4,700).
Anyone can start an independent for-profit school
For-Profit School
For-profit education refers to educational institutions operated by private, profit-seeking businesses....
, or a chain of such schools, in Sweden. Many of them offer an alternate pedagogy (such as Montessori), or a foreign/international, religious or special needs (such as hearing-impaired) profile. There are also several secondary schools with an elite sports profile. Internationella Engelska Skolan
Internationella Engelska Skolan
Internationella Engelska Skolan , or the International English School is a Swedish corporation that consists of several Independent schools . IES was founded in 1993. by Barbara Bergström, an American by origin and a science teacher by profession. She is still the sole owner of the company and its...
and Kunskapsskolan
Kunskapsskolan
Kunskapsskolan is a Swedish school that provides education for students from grades 6 to 9 in elementary school. They also offer a gymnasium schools for grades 10 to 12 in different areas of Sweden...
(“Knowledge Schools”) are the two largest "free school" chains. In 2008, more than 10% of Swedish pupils were enrolled in "free schools".
A handful of the old tuition-funded boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
s still remain, whereof Sigtunaskolan
Sigtunaskolan Humanistiska Läroverket
Sigtunaskolan Humanistiska Läroverket is a Swedish boarding school located in Sigtuna, Sweden. Famous alumni include the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and former Swedish Prime minister Olof Palme.-History:...
and Lundsbergs skola
Lundsbergs skola
Lundsbergs Skola is a Swedish boarding school located north of Kristinehamn in Värmland, Sweden. Lundsberg was founded in 1896 with inspirations from classical English boarding schools, and has around 200 students today...
are the most well known.
Opinions
The "free school" system has divided public opinion in Sweden. During the 2010 election neither political block suggested abandoning the programme. However, a poll carried out this year (2011) by Synovate found that Swedes who want to ban companies from operating schools for profit now outnumber those that don't. The Swedish model has been put forward as a possible model for similar solutions in both the United Kingdom and the United States, where Per UnckelPer Unckel
Per Carl Gustav Unckel was a Swedish former Moderate Party politician and at the time of his death the Governor of Stockholm County....
, County Governor of Stockholm and former Conservative Minister of Education, in 2009 summarised the advantages of the Swedish system in an opinion piece produced by the Libertarian
Libertarianism
Libertarianism, in the strictest sense, is the political philosophy that holds individual liberty as the basic moral principle of society. In the broadest sense, it is any political philosophy which approximates this view...
think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
Pacific Research Institute
Pacific Research Institute
The Pacific Research Institute , or officially the Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy, is a California-based free-market think tank founded in 1979 whose stated vision is the promotion of "the principles of individual freedom and personal responsibility"...
: "Education is so important that you can’t just leave it to one producer. Because we know from monopoly systems that they do not fulfill all wishes".
Tertiary education
| Qualified Vocational Education | KY2 |
| KY1 | |
| KomVux | PS |
| Secondary School (Vocational) Ages 16–19 | S3 |
| S2 | |
| S1 |
Completing secondary school on a vocational program with full classes on a three year curriculum does provide a basic qualification for further studies. However many times tertiary education
Tertiary education
Tertiary education, also referred to as third stage, third level, and post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school, secondary school, university-preparatory school...
is required before being admitted at university or university college. Post-secondary education is provided by Municipal
Municipalities of Sweden
The municipalities of Sweden are the local government entities of Sweden. The current 290 municipalities are organized into 21 counties...
"KomVux" schools (short for KOMmunal VUXenutbildning, lit. "Municipal Adult Education"), and independent boarding schools named Folkhögskolor
Folk high school
Folk high schools are institutions for adult education that generally do not grant academic degrees, though certain courses might exist leading to that goal...
(or People's High Schools in English).
Instead of opting for higher education, a student from a vocational program in secondary school is able to apply for what is called Qualified Vocational Education or "Kvalificerad Yrkesutbildning" (KY). This form combines education and practical experience from business or industry in the chosen field. The level of education is essentially post-secondary but can also contain courses that meet the requirements of tertiary education.
For post-secondary education, the KomVux and the Qualified Vocational Education in some ways correspond to what is offered by community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
s in the United States.
Higher education
After gymnasieskola, students can apply to a university in order to receive a tertiary educationTertiary education
Tertiary education, also referred to as third stage, third level, and post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of a school providing a secondary education, such as a high school, secondary school, university-preparatory school...
. General academic degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
s are offered by public universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
and university college
University college
The term "university college" is used in a number of countries to denote college institutions that provide tertiary education but do not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university...
s that tend to attract students on a regional basis. Besides general academic degrees, the higher education system in Sweden also provides a number of professional and vocational degrees in fields such as engineering, law and medicine.
As of autumn semester 2011, higher education is free of charge only for Swedish, EU/EEA, and Swiss citizens.
On 1 July 2007, a new higher education system came into effect in Sweden. Higher education became divided into three levels: basic level (grundnivå), advanced level (avancerad nivå), and doctoral level (forskarnivå). The new changes also included removing several professional / vocational degrees (yrkesexamina) as well as redefining other pre-existing degrees.
| Type of education | Level | Designation | Degree | Designation | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forskarutbildning Postgraduate programmes |
Forskarnivå Doctoral level |
Doktorsexamen Degree of Doctor (PhD) Doctorate A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder... 240 higher education credits |
4:e året | ||||||
| 3:e året | |||||||||
| Licentiatexamen Degree of Licentiate Licentiate Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to... 120 higher education credits |
2:a året | ||||||||
| 1:a året | |||||||||
| Grundläggande högskoleutbildning Undergraduate education |
Avancerad nivå Advanced level |
2:an | Årskurs 2 | Masterexamen Degree of Master (Two years) Master's degree A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice... 120 higher education credits |
Yrkesexamina Professional Degrees (3–5 years long) |
5:an | Årskurs 5 | ||
| 1:an | Årskurs 1 | Magisterexamen Degree of Master (One year) Master's degree A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice... 60 higher education credits |
4:an | Årskurs 4 | |||||
| Grundnivå Basic level |
3:an | Årskurs 3 | Kandidatexamen Degree of Bachelor Bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world... 180 higher education credits |
3:an | Årskurs 3 | ||||
| 2:an | Årskurs 2 | Högskoleexamen University Diploma 120 higher education credits |
2:an | Årskurs 2 | |||||
| 1:an | Årskurs 1 | 1:an | Årskurs 1 | ||||||
Basic level (grundnivå)
To be admitted to a programme at the basic level, a student must complete an education at the gymnasieskola level or its equivalent. The degrees that can be obtained at the basic level are:- University Diploma (högskoleexamen), 2 years, 120 higher education credits (högskolepoäng)
- Degree of Bachelor (kandidatexamen), 3 years, 180 higher education credits
Advanced level (avancerad nivå)
To be admitted to a programme at the advanced level, a student must have obtained a 3-year Swedish degree at the basic level or a corresponding degree from another country or some corresponding qualification. The degrees that can be obtained at the advanced level are:- Degree of Master (One year) (magisterexamen), 1 year, 60 higher education credits
- Degree of Master (Two years) (masterexamen), 2 years, 120 higher education credits
Both degrees require completing a thesis.
The Degree of Master (Two years), masterexamen, is a new degree that is intended to be closely linked to continuing education at the graduate level.
Doctoral level (forskarnivå)
To be admitted to a programme at the doctoral level, a student must have obtained a Swedish degree at the advanced level or completed at least 4 years of full-time study with at least one year at the advanced level or a corresponding degree from another country or equivalent knowledge. The degrees that can be obtained at the doctoral level are:- Degree of Licentiate (licentiatexamen), 2 years, 120 higher education credits
- Degree of Doctor (PhD, doktorsexamen), 4 years, 240 higher education credits
Postgraduate academic titles are docent (associate professor) and professor (professor). Each department has an administrative officer, the prefekt, who often is a docent.
Grading
- See also academic grading in SwedenAcademic grading in Sweden-Primary school:In the Swedish grundskola , students are currently graded from the eight grade and onward...
and Bologna process, section Sweden
Three sets of grades exist in Swedish universities and university colleges. Some universities have introduces a seven-grade scale (A-F, Fx), that similar to the ECTS scale, but with a criterion-referenced grading instead of relative grading. The most common scale is a three-grade scale that consists of U (Underkänd in Swedish, fail), G (Godkänd, pass) and VG (Väl godkänd, pass with distinction). In this set VG is the highest. The other grade set consists of (U, 3, 4, 5) where 5 is the highest. This grade set is normally given in courses within technical professional degrees. Finally there are some courses, within two systems of grading, in which you can only get G (pass) or U (fail). For instance, for a one semester thesis (specialized level) in Computer Science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
for a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
at some institutions one can only get the grade G (pass) or fail, while for an equivalent thesis at other institutions one can also receive the grade VG.
Language requirements
Before being accepted to a higher education programme in Sweden, all applicants must demonstrate a minimum proficiency in Swedish and English by either taking 2 years of Swedish and English or passing Swedish B and English A. For international applicants, the TISUSTISUS
TISUS is an official exam of proficiency in the Swedish language required for students applying to study at Swedish universities....
, or Test in Swedish for University Studies, is an international exam that can be taken to demonstrate proficiency in Swedish. For those whose native language is not English, international applicants can demonstrate proficiency in English by obtaining a minimum score of 173 points on the TOEFL
TOEFL
The Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL , evaluates the ability of an individual to use and understand English in an academic setting....
or a minimum grade of B on the Cambridge First Certificate in English
First Certificate in English
The First Certificate in English is one of the examinations available from University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations in England. Its possession proves one's adequacy in the English language, and its successful completion means that one is able to interact socially efficiently.- Sections :The test...
exam. Exchange students may have different language requirements.
Student Aid
Swedish students receive economic help from the Swedish National Board of Student AidSwedish National Board of Student Aid
The National Board of Student Aid, or Centrala studiestödsnämnden , is a Swedish government agency under the Ministry of Education and Research. It is in charge of administration of all matters regarding study support in Sweden...
(CSN) for studying. Every student is entitled to 12 semesters of allowances and loans, totaling 1,841 SEK
Swedish krona
The krona has been the currency of Sweden since 1873. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it, but especially in the past, it sometimes preceded the value...
per week (July 2007: 200 EUR
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
, 474 USD, 127 GBP) for full-time studies (after 1 July 2006). Allowances are usually 632 SEK per week (August 2007: 68 EUR; 94 USD; 46 GBP) with loans covering the rest. The limits for loans and allowances may be substantially increased under certain circumstances.
Legislation
Swedish legislation about student democracy is made by:- the Higher Education Act (issued by the ParliamentParliament of SwedenThe Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
) - the Higher Education Ordinance (issued by the government and frequently revised)
Such legal basis form regulations for all Swedish public universities. They principally state that:
- the state provides institutions for higher education
- higher education should be based on researchResearchResearch can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
- higher education institutions should cooperate with the surrounding local communities
- quality efforts on all things are a joint matter for staff and students
- students should take an active part in the work, with further development of the education
- there must be student representatives in all drafting and decision-making bodies
Complaints about the implementation of legislation on student democracy can be sent to the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education
Swedish National Agency for Higher Education
The Swedish National Agency for Higher Education, or Högskoleverket is a Swedish government agency. It is in charge of inspecting and promoting higher education sector activities, through follow-up and evalutation of higher education, quality assessment, initiatives for updating teaching methods...
. Even if there is no fine, universities usually follow the agency's decisions.
Core issues
The main issues about student democracy in Sweden are:- Granting a low threshold in entering universities, by:
- no fees, for Swedish, EU/EEA, and Swiss citizens
- simple rules of admission (no entrance test)
- Widening participation, introducing new groups into higher educations (ethnic minorities, low-income citizens); it is worthy noting that affirmative actionAffirmative actionAffirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
s are not allowed by Swedish legislation, as a form of positive discriminationDiscriminationDiscrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
. - Securing gender equalityGender equalityGender equality is the goal of the equality of the genders, stemming from a belief in the injustice of myriad forms of gender inequality.- Concept :...
for staff, students and perspectives of education - Strengthening the international perspective in all education, in order to help in creating understanding of the international societyInternational SocietyInternational Society may refer to the following:* English school of international relations theory* International Society for Krishna Consciousness* International Society for Contemporary Music* International Society of Automation...
The Equal Treatment Act
In 2001, the Act for Equal Treatment of Students in Higher Education was issued, stating that:- Equal treatment should be granted regardless of sex, ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, disabilities.
- HarassmentHarassmentHarassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour intended to disturb or upset, and it is characteristically repetitive. In the legal sense, it is intentional behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing...
(from staff or students) and discriminationDiscriminationDiscrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
are to be prevented. - An annual plan has to be issued by each university to actively promote equal treatment.
- Weak spots are to be found in cooperation with students.
- In case of reported harassment or discrimination (based on the student's feelings), there's an obligation to investigate and take measures.
Primary school
In 1842, the Swedish parliament introduced a four-year primary school for children in Sweden, "Folkskola". In 1858 grade 1 and 2 became "Småskola" and children started school at the age of seven. In 1882 two grades were added to "folkskola", grade 5 and 6. Some "folkskola" also had grade 7 and 8, called "Fortsättningsskola". Schooling in Sweden became mandatory for 7 years in the 1930s and for 8 years in the 1950s. Since 1972, Swedish children have 9 mandatory years in school - from August the year the child turns 7 to June the year the child turns 16. Parents in some cases also have the option of delaying starting school until age 8 if deemed to be in the childs best interest.Secondary school
After three years in "folkskola", children who enjoyed school and had good grades could choose to switch to a secondary school called "Högre allmänna läroverket". Högre allmänna läroverket was not free, so most students came from well-off families. However, some children with good grades got free education at "högre allmänna läroverket" because their parents could not afford to pay for it. In 1905, "högre allmänna läroverket" was divided into a lower level, 6-year school called "realskola" and a higher level, 4-year school called "gymnasium". In 1971, fackskola merged with gymnasium and yrkesskola to become "gymnasieskola".Grundskola
In the autumn term of 1949, some Swedish schools introduced an experiment with a nine-year school called enhetsskola. The enhetsskola had three stages. The first 3 years were lågstadium (lower stage), the next three years were mellanstadium (middle stage) and the last three years were högstadium (upper stage). In those school districts, småskola became lågstadium, folkskola became mellanstadium and realskola became högstadium. On 26 May 1950 the Swedish parliament decided to introduce the enhetsskola in Sweden. In 1958 the enhetsskola became försöksskola, which in 1962 changed name to grundskola. In 1972, the grundskola was introduced in all parts in Sweden, and the folkskola and högre allmänna läroverket were abolished. From the autumn term of 1994, the official division in three different stages was abolished. In the early 1990s, Sweden also introduced förskoleklass for the children aged 6, a one year long grade which first was called årskurs 0 (Grade 0) or 6-årsgrupp (group for the 6-year-olds). Förskoleklass is not mandatory.Comparison with the American educational system
The Swedish educational system has its own distinctions and, as such, is not directly comparable to the educational system in the United States. There is, however, a need to compare degrees and the educational or academic levels attained through a completed education.While the Swedish educational system is regulated by the Government of Sweden
Government of Sweden
The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden is the supreme executive authority of Sweden. It consists of the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers appointed by the Prime Minister. The Government is responsible for their actions to the Riksdag, which is the legislative assembly...
, the American educational system is regulated at the state level. Furthermore, the definition and duration of primary and secondary school in the US and the names they are called (e.g., elementary school, grade school, middle school, junior high school, high school, senior high school) can vary within a state making comparisons with other countries difficult. To simplify, a typical mainstream American educational system is compared with the mainstream Swedish educational system, where special education is not included in mainstream education.
In the US, children are typically required to attend primary school and secondary school from age 6 to 18. After completing high school, many Americans continue with higher education in a community college, college, or university. In comparison, Swedish children are required to attend grundskola, compulsory school, from age 7 to 16, where grundskola is a combination of primary and secondary school. After grundskola, many Swedes attend the elective gymnasieskolan, upper secondary school, choosing either a university-preparatory program or a vocational program. Students who choose a vocational program normally terminate their education after gymnasieskolan while students who choose a university-preparatory program normally continue with higher education at a university or university college. Students who choose a vocational program can continue with higher education, but may need to take additional courses before being eligible to apply.
In Sweden, grundskola students are required to learn how to swim as a part of their physical education. Since 1 September 2007, students in årskurs 5 must be able to swim 200 meters, with 50 meters on their back.
In the US, many high-school students take a Driver's Education course at their high school, which is often subsidized by the government. Thus, by the age of 18, many Americans have a driving permit
Learner's permit
A driver's permit, learner's permit or learner's license, is a restricted license that is given to a person who is learning to drive, but has not yet satisfied the requirements to obtain a driver's license...
or a driver's license. In contrast, Swedes typically learn how to drive by paying for a course at a private driving school (trafikskola). Since driving school can be quite expensive, many Swedes obtain their driver's license when they are older than 18. The minimum age of obtaining a drivers license in Sweden is 18.
Before 1 July 2007, Sweden had several degrees of undergraduate education, such as candidate of philosophy (fil. kand.) or civilingenjör (m. sc. eng.
Master of Science in Engineering
A Master of Science in Engineering or Master of Science is an academic degree to be differentiated from a Master of Engineering....
). Since 1 July 2007, undergraduate education in Sweden consists of all higher education degrees that are normally obtained in the first 5 years (Master, Bachelor, University Diploma and all professional degrees). In the US, undergraduate education is considered higher education degrees that are normally obtained in the first 4 years (Bachelor and Associate degrees).
Graduate education in the US consists of the Doctorate and Master degrees. Postgraduate education is additional training after being awarded a Doctorate degree. In contrast, postgraduate programmes in Sweden are at the graduate level and consist of the Doctorate and Licentiate degrees. (The Master degree is a part of undergraduate education.)
| Typical Age | Sweden | United States | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School | Designation | School | Designation | |||
| 18 | Gymnasieskola Upper secondary school Ages 16–19 |
3:an | Årskurs 3 | University / College | Freshman | 1st year |
| 17 | 2:an | Årskurs 2 | High School Ages 14–18 (Compulsory) |
Grade 12 | Senior | |
| 16 | 1:an | Årskurs 1 | Grade 11 | Junior | ||
| 15 | Grundskola Compulsory school Ages 7–16 (Compulsory) |
9:an | Årskurs 9 | Grade 10 | Sophomore | |
| 14 | 8:an | Årskurs 8 | Grade 9 | Freshman | ||
| 13 | 7:an | Årskurs 7 | Middle School Ages 11–14 (Compulsory) |
Grade 8 | ||
| 12 | 6:an | Årskurs 6 | Grade 7 | |||
| 11 | 5:an | Årskurs 5 | Grade 6 | |||
| 10 | 4:an | Årskurs 4 | Elementary School Ages 6–11 (Compulsory) |
Grade 5 | ||
| 9 | 3:an | Årskurs 3 | Grade 4 | |||
| 8 | 2:an | Årskurs 2 | Grade 3 | |||
| 7 | 1:an | Årskurs 1 | Grade 2 | |||
| 6 | Förskoleklass Pre-school class Age 6 |
Årskurs F Sometimes called 0:an |
Grade 1 | |||
| 5 | Förskola Pre-school Ages 1–5 |
Kindergarten Ages 5–6 |
K | |||
| ≤ 4 | Pre-Kindergarten Ages < 5 |
Pre-K | ||||
See also
- Education in StockholmEducation in StockholmEducation in Stockholm goes back to 1583, when the small college Collegium Regium Stockholmense was founded in by King John III in Stockholm, Sweden.-History and institutions:...
- Swedish Scholastic Aptitude TestSwedish Scholastic Aptitude TestThe Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test is a standardized test used as one of the means to gain admission to higher education in Sweden. The test itself, which is administered by the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education, is divided into five sections and contains 122 multiple-choice questions...
- List of universities in Sweden
- StudentexamenStudentexamenStudentexamen is the name of the university entrance examination in Sweden from the 17th century until 1968, during the period 1862–1968 taken as a final written and oral exam on graduation from gymnasium...
- National Agency for Education
- National Agency for Higher Education
- Swedish National Union of StudentsSwedish National Union of StudentsThe Swedish National Union of Students , is an umbrella organisation of students' unions at higher education facilities in Sweden. The organisation was founded in 1921...