Attending compulsory school
Compulsory school years are an important part of your child's life. Here you will find a comprehensive overview of how schooling in Sweden works.
Compulsory schooling
All children registered in Sweden are required to attend school from the autumn term of the year they turn six. Compulsory schooling means that your child:
- has the right to attend school
- must attend school.
Compulsory schooling (in Swedish
All children have the right to an equivalent education
All children have the right to an equivalent education, which means that your child – regardless of where you live or what your home situation is – should have the same opportunity to succeed in compulsory school.
The school adapts teaching, support and resources to each pupil’s individual needs.
Syllabuses (kursplaner) and curriculum (läroplan)
Schoolwork in compulsory school is governed by syllabuses (kursplaner) and the national curriculum (läroplan). These documents describe what pupils are expected to learn in school and how teaching should be carried out.
Each subject in compulsory school has its own syllabus (kursplan), which states what pupils should know by the time they finish compulsory school.
Adapted compulsory school
Adapted compulsory school (in Swedish)
Everyday life in compulsory school
School meals and physical activity
Travel to and from compulsory schooling
In certain circumstances, your child may be entitled to free transportation to and from school. This is usually provided as a term ticket for public transport, but it could also be taxi based school transport.
School transport – travel to and from compulsory school (in Swedish)
Municipal school in another municipality
If you live in one municipality but want your child to attend a municipal school in another, special procedures apply for both choice of school and after-school care. Here is an overview of how to proceed.
Municipal school in another municipality (in Swedish
International compulsory schools
International schools are a special form of education outside the Swedish school system. Teaching follows an international curriculum or another country’s curriculum instead of the Swedish national curriculum. These schools are primarily for pupils who live in Sweden for a limited period.
International schools at compulsory school level
Absence, leave and insurance
Absence and leave
When your child is ill, you must report the absence to the school. If your child needs to take leave during term time for other reasons, you must apply for it in advance from the headteacher.
Abscence and leave (in Swedish)
Insurance
All pupils in municipal and independent schools in the City of Stockholm are covered by accident insurance around the clock through the insurance company S:t Erik Försäkrings AB.
If your child is injured, you must report the injury to the insurance company. The claim form is available on S:t Erik Försäkring’s website.
Student health and special support
Health and youth clinic
The school health service, the student health team and the youth health clinic work to support your child´s well-being and development throughout their school years.
Health and youth clinic (in Swedish)
Special support
Some pupils need additional support in school. There may be physical, psychological, social or other reasons why your child needs special support. The support must be designed according to the pupil´s needs and abilities. Support is primarily provided in the group or class to which the pupil belongs. All schools are obligated to provide this support.
Mother tongue and language options
Mother tongue and minority languages
Pupils with a mother tongue other than Swedish can receive mother tongue tuition in compulsory school and in adapted compulsory school, starting from pre-school class.
Mother tongue and language options (in Swedish)
Language choice in year 6
In year six, pupils choose an additional language:
- German
- French
- Spanish.
Check with the school’s career guidance counsellor to find out which language options are available. Pupils may choose their mother tongue as their language option, including any of the national minority languages.
Assessment and grades in school
Teachers continuously monitor and assess pupils’ development. In compulsory school, pupils receive grades every term from year 6 to year 9. The final grade in year 9 is used when pupils apply to upper secondary school.
Grades and assessment (in Swedish)
The way forward – before upper secondary school
Even in compulsory school, pupils can begin preparing for upper secondary school. Talk to the school’s career guidance counsellor if you and your child want to learn more about different programmes or upper secondary schools. Your child can receive support in choosing both a programme and a school.
If there is no career guidance counsellor at the school, you can speak to the headteacher.
Tuition during school holidays
Your child may, under certain circumstances, have the right to receive tuition during school holidays, typically during the summer holiday. Contact your child’s school to find out more.
Without eligibility for upper secondary school
If your child is not eligible to apply for any of the national upper secondary school programmes, they can take an introductory programme to become eligible. Speak with the school’s careers guidance counsellor about the available options.
Both municipal and independent upper secondary schools can offer introductory programmes. In the brochure “The City of Stockholm’s Introductory Programmes” you can read about the different options and see which municipal schools offer them.
The City of Stockholm’s Introductory Programmes 2026/2027 (pdf) (in Swedish)