Your bookmarked countries have an update since your last login. View Bookmarks x

Aug 29, 2024

Many schools are poorly prepared for digital National Exams in Sweden

Many schools do not yet have the technical conditions to conduct digital national tests. During a transition period, they may instead give the tests in paper form. - It is high time for all school principals to start preparing the technology, says Marcello Marrone, project manager at the Swedish National Agency for Education.

Learn more »

Aug 2, 2024

Common to continue studying regardless of upper secondary school grades

The proportion who continue their studies in post-secondary education increases with rising upper secondary school grades. This applies to both those who studied university preparatory programs and vocational programs and regardless of gender.

Learn more »

May 15, 2024

Several national tests were leaked after an hour in Sweden

An hour after the ninth graders wrote their national exams, exam papers in several subjects were out on social media.

Learn more »

Jan 12, 2024

Now even higher correspondence between final grades and results on Sweden national exams within IES

IES students show even greater agreement between the final grades and the results on the national exams in the subjects Swedish, Swedish as a second language, mathematics and English. This is evident from the results of the national examinations for grade nine for the academic year 2022/2023.

Learn more »

Jan 3, 2024

Sweden minister says students get too high grades in mathematics

Swedish students get higher and higher grades at the same time as the Pisa results show their knowledge is declining.

Learn more »

Jan 3, 2024

Sweden National tests become digital - students at Tingberg School in Kungsbacka among the first

About 60 schools are trying to write national tests digitally instead of on paper. This is how students at Tingberg School in Kungsbacka think it works - see when Lilla currently visits the class.

Learn more »

Dec 12, 2023

Agreements for system support ready for the upper secondary school in Sweden

The education administration has signed an agreement with Infomentor and Tietoevry on system support. In the fall of 2024, the city of Stockholm's upper secondary schools will start using the digital supports. It also means that the schools will no longer use certain systems in the school platform, as the agreements for these expire.

Learn more »

Dec 7, 2023

The introduction of centrally corrected national tests is accelerated in Sweden

There are big differences in how different teachers assess the national tests. Therefore, the government wants to make it possible to introduce centrally corrected national tests earlier than planned. The government proposes that SEK 133 million be set aside for 2024 for the work of introducing digital and centrally corrected national tests.

Learn more »

Sep 20, 2023

Soon Sweden national exams will be completely digital

In a couple of years, there will be a requirement for the national tests to be done completely digitally. Already in a year, the new way of working will begin to be introduced and Tranås municipality is preparing.

Learn more »

Sep 11, 2023

Extended right for students in Sweden upper secondary school and adapted upper secondary school to study national minority languages

The bill contains proposals for amendments to the Education Act which relate partly to the upper secondary school, partly to the upper secondary school (from 2 July 2023 called adapted upper secondary school).

Learn more »

Jan 19, 2023

New grading in Sweden - "Positive that overall assessment determines"

Compensatory grading is now being introduced in primary and secondary schools. LR welcomes that the student's worst performance should not define the entire grade. It is very positive that the teacher's overall assessment can decide, says the chairman Åsa Fahlén.

Learn more »

Jul 25, 2022

Mölltorp, Sweden had first digital national tests

While waiting for the National Agency for Education to come out with its own digital platform - it is delayed until, at the moment, in 2024 - the municipality of Karlsborg has taken the opportunity to start training on what will then be mandatory; for example, to conduct digital national tests.

Learn more »

Jun 20, 2022

New digital national tests place great demands on Sweden's school leaders

The introduction will take place gradually starting in 2024 and will affect thousands of schools and hundreds of thousands of students. Some experimental work has been going on, but the final decision has been postponed a couple of times. There is now a plan from the National Agency for Education.

Learn more »

Jun 16, 2022

Sweden phasing out distance education due to the pandemic

The government is now beginning to phase out several of the temporary regulations that have applied to schools during the covid-19 pandemic. On 1 April, both schools' opportunity to conduct distance or distance education and the National Agency for Education's opportunity to cancel the national tests will be removed.

Learn more »

Jun 7, 2022

Sweden 2022 National tests will proceed with no leaks

For the first time since 2011, national tests have not been leaked before the exams. On the other hand, the national tests have been distributed during the test occasions and afterwards. This is stated by Anders Boman at the National Agency for Education.

Learn more »

Jun 6, 2022

In 2018, Sweden national tests were abolished - but it is still used

The government removed a large part of the national tests in upper secondary school to reduce the workload and stress of teachers and students. But a majority of teachers continue to use the non-compulsory national tests that the National Agency for Education produces.

Learn more »

Mar 29, 2022

Many European Universities Are Helping Ukrainian Students – Here’s How

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which caused about 780 fatalities for less than 30 days, about 3.1 million people were forced to flee their home country, leave their loved ones and give up jobs and studies to seek international protection in European countries.

Learn more »

Jun 11, 2021

Sweden schools agency cancels national spring exams

The Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket) has cancelled national tests for the 2021 spring term due to coronavirus-related disruptions to education.

Learn more »

Aug 18, 2020

Sweden set to cancel university entry exam for second time due to coronavirus

Sweden Education Minister announced that a university entry exam, the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (SweSAT), is likely to be canceled again due to the Covid-19 pandemic and will move to spring 2021 instead. The move to cancel the exam comes after consultation with the universities responsible for carrying out the tests, and the body responsible for organising the exams recommending their cancellation.

Learn more »

ARCHIVED COUNTRY STUDY: (PDF)

There is 1 archived country study available. Log in to view them.

Sweden

Overview

Sweden lying in the northern part of Europe is the third largest country in Western Europe, though it is only about the size of the state of California. The capital is Stockholm and the population about 9 million. The official language is Swedish and the Lutheran Church of Sweden is the official State church.

Through the centuries Sweden has been historically intermixed with Norway and Denmark. Boundaries have shifted between the three nations. Sweden was once a great naval power and incorporated some territory from its neighbors. However, after the defeat of Sweden, the country was reduced to its present size. Since 1814, Sweden has not been involved in any war and pursues a foreign policy of nonalignment in peace-time and neutrality in wartime.

Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a parliament government. The King`s role is principally ceremonial. The country is a social welfare state. In addition to many personal benefits, study allowances are provided for students at the university level. Sweden is actively involved in the Nordic Council in cooperation with Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway. This cooperation extends to the education sector and has led to much freer movement to work and to study anywhere within the five countries.

Education

The Swedish educational system has been firmly under government control for many years. Educational laws define all the programs of study. The most recent educational law was in 1993, which affected the whole educational system from primary school through doctoral studies. It made radical changes for many study programs and permitted more independence for institutions as to the number of students and programs offered. The law changed many credential names and required lengths of study. The Ministeriet för utbildning och forskning still approves degree qualifications and the degree titles which can be awarded. Official English translations have been created for all tertiary credentials. There are now a number of private institutions at the tertiary level, but programs and degrees must be approved by the national Ministry.

Sweden also participated actively through a multilateral or bilateral agreement with most European exchange programs and agreements. This participation has led to increases in program requirements in some fields, e.g. nursing. The country, like many in Europe, has also adopted the terms Bachelor or three year degrees and Master for four year degrees.

Primary and Secondary Education

Education is compulsory through grade 9. All areas must provide secondary education through grade 12 to all students who wish to attend. About 50% of secondary school graduates continue into the tertiary sector.

Swedish program requirements are given in points. One year of study equals 40 points. English names of credentials are official Swedish terms, determined by a government agency, which do not always agree with U.S. terminology and equivalency. Most tertiary documents will be presented in English. All tertiary programs require the Avgängsbetyg for admission. Most tertiary credentials give access to further tertiary study.

The letter P in brackets (P) indicates credential is a Professional Degree. This type of degree may be conferred simultaneously with a Kandidatexamen or Magisterexamen.

General Comments on Evaluating Credentials from Sweden

Most documents issued for English-speaking countries by Swedish institutions will be issued in English. The National Agency for Higher Education has established official English translations of all tertiary credentials.

The high school leaving certificate (Avgängsbetyg) is required for admission to all tertiary programs. There is no national entrance examination. For most programs, however, there are additional specific entrance requirements as to the courses taken at the secondary level. Some programs require work experience as well.

Tertiary programs are defined by the number of points required; 40 points generally equals one year of study. The Diploma, which can be awarded by all universities and tertiary institutions, is awarded after an 80-point program (two years of full-time study).

Sweden, like many other European countries, has adopted the terms “Bachelors degree” for programs requiring 120 points or three years of study, and “Masters degree” for one to two additional years. Institutions in the U.S. will need to decide whether to accept the Swedish Bachelors degree (as well as that of many other European countries) as the equivalent of a U.S. four-year Bachelors program or only the equivalent of three years of undergraduate study. The Swedish Bachelors degree programs are strictly oriented toward the subject matter of the major.

Special points to remember: the term examen means “degree,” not “examination.” The official translation as “Bachelor of…” or “Master of…” does not necessarily agree with U.S. evaluation of the degrees.


THE CONTRIBUTORS
headshot of Amardeep Kahlo
Amardeep Kahlon

Assistant Dean Distance Learning & External Relations, Austin Community College

BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION. JOIN THE AACRAO EXCHANGE. JOIN NOW

Upcoming AACRAO Events

On-Demand Learning

Self-Paced | Online

Self-paced courses aligned with our competency and proficiency framework, AACRAO's on-demand training will build your skills and enhance your resume. 

Courses in:

  • Compliance
  • FERPA
  • International
  • and more

Learn More

SEM_2020_1440x400 update

The International Institute

The AACRAO International Institute covers promising practices for the evaluation of international credentials that combines AACRAO’s On-Demand International Series with five, two-hour, virtual instructor-led training sessions.

Learn More
AACRAO International Institute Banner