Sweden will teach you its language for free, but two rules changed in 2026. SFI now has a three-year clock, and Swedish citizenship now needs documented Swedish. Here’s how the free routes compare and what each one counts for.
When you need this
You’ve just moved here for work, family or study, and you’ve registered with Skatteverket (or you’re about to; see moving to Sweden for work and first weeks as an exchange student). You’re an EU citizen and someone told you SFI needs a personnummer (personal identity number). You started SFI before 2026 and want to know when your right runs out. Or you’re planning a citizenship application and need to know which certificate proves your Swedish.
SFI: free, but now with a three-year clock
SFI (svenska för invandrare, Swedish for immigrants) is part of komvux (kommunal vuxenutbildning, municipal adult education). The Education Act says it must be free of charge, and no fee may be charged for applying. Your home municipality must offer it and should normally let you start within three months.
New since 1 January 2026: the right to SFI lasts three years from the first time you were admitted. If you have special reasons, the school must extend it, six months at a time, up to three extra years in total. If you started before 2026, your three years run from 1 January 2026. Older guides that call SFI open-ended are out of date.
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Clock starts at first admission | It keeps running if you pause or drop out |
| Extension: 6 months at a time | Only for special reasons, such as illness, parental leave, a break to work or study, or a vocational course alongside SFI |
| Ask before expiry | Once the period has run out, no extension can be granted |
| Appeal | Extension decisions can be appealed to the School Appeals Board |
| Progress matters | The school can end your place if you make no satisfactory progress |
The practical lesson: don’t “try SFI for a week” and drop out. Start when you can attend regularly.
Who can take SFI
You have the right from the second half of the calendar year you turn 16 if you live in Sweden and lack basic Swedish. “Living in Sweden” means being, or being due to be, folkbokförd (registered in the population register).
- EU/EEA and Swiss citizens count as residents through EU free-movement law even before they’re registered. You can study SFI without a personnummer or coordination number. Some municipalities, such as Solna, use a separate registration form for you.
- Finnish cross-border workers who live near the border in Finland and work permanently in a Swedish municipality also qualify, through the municipality where they work.
- Danish and Norwegian speakers whose language makes SFI unnecessary have no right to it.
- Asylum seekers covered by the reception act have no right to municipal adult education, SFI included.
How SFI works in practice
You sign up through your municipality’s adult-education office (vuxenutbildning). Many have an online form where you pick a school and day, evening or distance times. When you’re admitted, your Swedish is assessed to place you on one of three study paths (studieväg):
| Study path | Courses | For |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A–B | Little or no schooling |
| 2 | B–C | Basic schooling, or a slower pace |
| 3 | C–D | Higher education and experience learning languages |
By law SFI averages at least 15 hours a week over four weeks, unless you ask for less, and it must be combinable with paid work. So if you work full time, ask for evening or distance classes. In Solna, for example, the school sends an admission note two to four weeks after you register. Schools, schedules and waiting times differ by municipality.
Aim for a pass in course D. It’s SFI’s final course, and it counts as proof of Swedish for citizenship.
Beyond SFI: folk high school, university and study circles
Folk high schools (folkhögskolor). Sweden has 152 state-funded folk high schools, and many teach svenska som andraspråk (Swedish as a second language). In October 2026 folkhogskola.nu listed 65 such courses for autumn 2026 and spring 2027, at beginner and continuation level. Tuition is free; you pay for books, materials, trips, meals and any on-campus housing. Long courses are for ages 18 and up, and many schools want you to have studied SFI first. Courses start by term, so apply ahead.
University courses. Universities run Swedish courses, from beginner courses for international students to courses that qualify you for study in Swedish. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay no tuition, and neither do people with a permanent residence permit or a residence permit for reasons other than studies. That includes work-permit holders. To study a degree in Swedish you need proof of Swedish, such as Tisus, a test run by Stockholm University twice a year.
Study circles. Sweden’s eight state-funded study associations (studieförbund), including ABF, Folkuniversitetet and Sensus, run small learning groups called studiecirklar. Some charge a fee, others don’t. Stockholm University’s Språkstudion also runs free language cafés.
Apps: useful, but they don’t count
Language apps are good for vocabulary, pronunciation and daily practice between classes. But Migrationsverket’s list of accepted proofs of Swedish names school grades, SFI’s top course, Tisus and, for now, tests such as Swedex. No app streak or online certificate is on it. Use apps alongside a graded course, not instead of one. For daily input, try easy-Swedish news: Radio Sweden på lätt svenska and the newspaper 8 Sidor (see Swedish news in English).
Swedish for citizenship since June 2026
This changed on 6 June 2026. Applicants aged 16 to 66 must now show sufficient Swedish and knowledge of Swedish society. The required level is CEFR B1 for reading and listening and A2 for speaking and writing. Most English guides still say Sweden has no language requirement for citizenship.
| Proof of Swedish | Accepted? |
|---|---|
| Pass in SFI’s highest course (D) | Yes |
| Pass in Swedish or Swedish as a second language from komvux, upper secondary school or folk high school | Yes |
| Pass in Tisus | Yes |
| Another reliable test, such as Swedex | For now; this route disappears when Lag 2026:449 enters into force |
| Pass in Danish or Norwegian from a Nordic school | Replaces the requirement |
| App results, online certificates | No |
The medborgarskapsprov (citizenship test) is run by UHR, the Swedish Council for Higher Education, and is being introduced in stages. The first part, on Swedish society, was held in August 2026: multiple choice, on paper, in Swedish only. The Swedish-language test comes later, and Migrationsverket warns it may be delayed. You can only register after a letter from Migrationsverket, and good grades can replace the test. UHR publishes free study material and says it doesn’t stand behind third-party practice tests.
The requirement doesn’t apply from 67, to Nordic citizens using the notification route, or to stateless people born in Sweden under 21. Exemptions are possible for disability.
Mistakes to avoid
- Thinking SFI is open-ended. It’s been capped at three years from first admission since 1 January 2026.
- Missing the extension deadline. Ask before your period expires; afterwards it’s final.
- Assuming EU citizens are excluded. You qualify with or without a personnummer.
- Paying for a private beginner course first. SFI covers the same ground for free.
- Expecting folk high school to replace SFI. Many schools want SFI first.
- Relying on a transitional test. A grade or Tisus is the safer proof for citizenship.
- Throwing away certificates. Your SFI, komvux and folk high school grades are your proof.
Practical information
| Item | Detail | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| SFI tuition | Free by law; books provided by the school | 2026-10-06 |
| SFI time limit | 3 years from first admission; extensions of 6 months, max 3 years extra | 2026-10-06 |
| SFI hours | At least 15 a week averaged over four weeks, unless you ask for less | 2026-10-06 |
| Folk high school tuition | Free; materials, meals and housing extra, set by each school | 2026-10-06 |
| University tuition | None for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens and non-study residence permits | 2026-10-06 |
| Study circles | Free to fee-based, set by each study association | 2026-10-06 |
| Tisus | Fee charged (check su.se); next tests 20–21 Oct 2026 and 11–12 May 2027 | 2026-10-06 |
| Citizenship test | Civics part first held August 2026; next date and fee to be announced by UHR | 2026-10-06 |
| Citizenship language level | B1 reading and listening, A2 speaking and writing | 2026-10-06 |
FAQ
Is SFI free in Sweden?
Yes. SFI, Swedish for immigrants, is part of municipal adult education, and the Education Act says it must be free of charge, with no fee for applying either. Schools normally provide the books. You only need to live in Sweden, be at least in the second half of the year you turn 16, and lack basic Swedish.
How long can you study SFI?
Since 1 January 2026, the right to SFI lasts three years from the first time you were admitted. Your school must extend it six months at a time if you have special reasons, such as illness or parental leave, and ask before it expires; extensions total three years at most. Students admitted before 2026 got three years from 1 January 2026.
Can EU citizens take SFI without a personnummer?
Yes. The Education Act treats people with a right to education under EU, EEA or Swiss free-movement law as living in Sweden even if they are not yet registered. Contact the adult-education office of the municipality where you live; some, such as Solna, have a separate registration form for EU citizens without a personnummer.
Do I need to speak Swedish to become a Swedish citizen?
Yes, since 6 June 2026, if you are 16 to 66. You must show Swedish at roughly B1 for reading and listening and A2 for speaking and writing, plus knowledge of Swedish society. A pass in SFI course D, a komvux or folk high school grade in Swedish, or a Tisus pass are accepted proofs.
What is the Swedish citizenship test?
It is a knowledge test run by the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR). The first part, on Swedish society, was held in August 2026: multiple choice, on paper, in Swedish only. A Swedish-language part comes later. You can only register after Migrationsverket sends you a letter, and good grades can replace the test.
Can I learn Swedish with apps instead of SFI?
Apps are useful for vocabulary and daily practice, but they do not give a grade or certificate that Migrationsverket accepts as proof of Swedish, and they cannot replace speaking practice in class. Use them alongside SFI, a folk high school course or a study circle, and keep the official grades you earn there.
Related guides
- Moving to Sweden for work — the registration order that makes you eligible for SFI.
- Basic Swedish phrases — the first words to know before your first class.
- Do Swedes speak English? — why you can live in English but still need Swedish.
- The personnummer explained — the number most SFI forms ask for.
- Swedish club life — study associations, study circles and making friends.
Facts verified 2026-10-06. Sources: Sveriges riksdag (Education Act, Citizenship Act), Migrationsverket, UHR, Kommerskollegium, Solna stad, Folkbildningsrådet, Stockholm University — full register in this topic’s source file. Found something outdated? Tell us and we’ll fix it.