Overview of Education System
The Swedish education system is highly decentralized. The government defines national goals, while central authorities, municipalities, and various institutions ensure that educational activities are implemented in line with the legislative framework and that the national goals of education are achieved. The Swedish National Agency for Education monitors, evaluates, and supports local development of work quality of preschools, schools, and adult education while the Swedish Schools Inspectorate supervises the schools through controls. The National Agency for Higher Education monitors, evaluates, and supervises higher education institutes. The National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools coordinates support for special needs education.
All mandatory education in Sweden is free of charge.2 There are only a few strictly private national schools. At the compulsory level, 15 percent of students attend grant aided independent schools. These schools are open for all, receive municipal grants, and must be approved by the Swedish Schools Inspectorate. All schools follow the same national curriculum. Preprimary education, which has a national curriculum, is available for children ages 1 to 6. Parents pay a subsidized fee and, from the age of 3, children can attend 15 hours a week for free. In 2015, 83 percent of all children ages 1 to 5 attended preschool. After preschool, most children attend a voluntary preschool class that usually is organized within compulsory schools.3
Compulsory education is carried out in a nine year comprehensive school for children ages 7 to 16. If parents prefer, children may start school at age 6. The compulsory school system comprises compulsory school, Sami school for Sami speaking children (which covers Grades 1 to 6), schools for students with impaired hearing, and schools for children with severe learning disabilities.
Nearly all students who attend compulsory school continue to upper secondary school, which is three years in duration. There are 12 vocational programs and programs that are preparatory for higher education.4
Universities and university colleges are free of charge. Admission is based on grades, a university admission test, or, in some educational programs, interviews and/or tests. There also is post secondary vocational education.