Education
Student finance can pay for studies. Grants and loans are different things.
Goal: understand the basics and find the right official help route.
Translated from Swedish. Always rely on the Swedish text and the official source.
Show the original Swedish text
Utbildning
Studiemedel kan finansiera studier. Bidrag och lån är olika saker.
- Studiemedel består av ett bidrag och ett lån.
- Lånet måste betalas tillbaka.
- Du kan välja mindre lån eller bara bidraget.
- Beloppet beror bland annat på studietakt, antal studieveckor och inkomst.
- För unga: barn som är eller ska vara folkbokförda har normalt skolplikt, från förskoleklass till årskurs 9 enligt reglerna som används 2026/27. Asylsökande barn har också rätt till skola men inte skolplikt.
- Språkintroduktion är ett gymnasieprogram för nyanlända ungdomar som behöver mer svenska för att gå vidare. Be skolan om en individuell studieplan.
- Vid heltidsstudier på gymnasienivå kan du få studiebidrag från CSN: 1 250 kronor per månad från kvartalet efter att du fyller 16. Det är inte ett lån. CSN prövar rätten till stödet, även för utländska medborgare.
- Ta reda på utbildning och studietakt.
- Läs CSN:s villkor för din situation.
- Jämför ditt behov med den framtida återbetalningen innan du väljer lånedel.
Allt studiemedel är inte pengar utan återbetalning. CSN prövar stödet; inga belopp eller individuell behörighet garanteras här.
Good to know
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Student finance includes a grant (money you keep) and a loan (money you repay).
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The loan must be paid back.
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You can choose a smaller loan or only the grant.
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The amount depends on how much you study, the number of weeks and your income. Other things can also affect it.
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For young people: children registered, or to be registered, as living in Sweden normally must attend school. In 2026/27, this means preschool class through year 9. Children seeking asylum also have the right to school, but attendance is not compulsory.
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Språkintroduktion is a programme for young people new to Sweden who need more Swedish before further studies. Ask your school for an individual study plan.
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For full-time studies at upper secondary level, you may get a study grant from CSN: 1 250 kronor per month from the quarter after you turn 16. This is not a loan. CSN checks who can get it, including foreign citizens.
Three steps to get started
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Find out the programme and study pace.
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Read CSN’s conditions for your situation.
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Think about what you need and what you must pay back before choosing a loan.
A practical checklist to try. It does not add any legal requirements.
Important distinctions
You must pay back some student finance. CSN decides what support you can get. We do not guarantee any amount or that you can get support.
Practice question
Show the right answer and explanation
A. The student loan.
Grants and loans have different conditions; borrowed money must be repaid.
This question is practice, not a test. Answers are not saved.
Sources
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CSN
Studiemedel – bidrag och studielån (opens in a new tab)“De pengar du lånar måste du betala tillbaka.”
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Skolverket
Ny i Sverige med barn 6–16 år (opens in a new tab)“Barn som är eller ska vara folkbokförda i Sverige har skolplikt”
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Skolverket
Ny i Sverige och 16–19 år (opens in a new tab)“Ett av introduktionsprogrammen är språkintroduktion.”
Checked . Check the source again before you act. Rules and contact routes can change.
In depth
Modules and guides
11 modules in this area. Everyone can read the modules marked Free. The rest are part of Premium.
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Preschool and starting school
When your child has the right to preschool, what it costs, and when school starts.
Preschool and starting school. When your child has the right to preschool, what it costs, and when school starts.The essentials
- Your home municipality is responsible for offering preschool to children who live in Sweden.
- From age one, your child can get a preschool place when you work or study.
- From the autumn term of the year your child turns three, every child has the right to at least 525 hours a year.
- You do not pay for the first 525 hours each year.
Key words
- hemkommun
- The municipality where you are registered. It is responsible for your child’s preschool place, among other things.
- allmän förskola
- At least 525 hours of preschool a year from the autumn term of the year your child turns three.
- skolplikt
- A child’s duty to attend school under the Education Act.
- förskoleklass
- The school form before year 1. It will be replaced by a new year 1 in autumn 2028.
After this module, you can…
- understand when your child can get preschool
- apply for a place in your home municipality
- explain what the 525 free hours mean
Samira applies for a place
Samira is going to study and needs preschool for her child. She applies to her home municipality and asks how the 525 free hours are arranged.
Who has the right to preschool?
Children who live in Sweden have the right to preschool until they start school. The municipality where you live is responsible.
- From one year old: preschool as much as needed so that the parents can work or study, or if the child needs it because of the family's situation.
- If a parent is unemployed or on parental leave for another child: at least three hours a day or 15 hours a week, from one year old.
- From the autumn term in the year the child turns three: at least 525 hours a year for all children (general preschool).
- Children who need special support in their development must be offered preschool, and get a place quickly.
Apply early
You tell the municipality that you want a preschool place. Usually you do this on the municipality website. The municipality must offer a place within four months after you ask for one.
Tip: Apply as soon as you know when you need a place, for example when you start work or study. Four months is the longest time the municipality may take.
How much does it cost?
The municipality may charge a fee for preschool, but the fee must be reasonable. From the autumn term in the year the child turns three, 525 hours a year are free of charge. You then only pay for time above that.
Ask your municipality how much the fee will be for your family.
A place to learn better Swedish
If your child is registered in Sweden, was born abroad and has lived here for no more than five years, the municipality must offer preschool without an application from the autumn when the child turns three. The same rule applies if the child’s guardians were born abroad and have lived in Sweden for no more than five years. The offer supports the child’s Swedish.
Tip: Preschool is voluntary, but it is a good way for the child to learn Swedish and meet other children before school starts.
When does school start?
School is compulsory. It normally starts in the autumn term in the year the child turns six, with preschool class (förskoleklass). After that comes compulsory school (grundskola), years 1–9. From autumn 2028, the preschool class is replaced by a new year 1 in a ten-year compulsory school. Read more in the next module.
Read more (2 sections)
Can a child under one get preschool?
Children under one usually do not have a right to preschool. A child may still be offered preschool if they need special support in their development. The municipality decides how much time the child needs.
What if school starts later?
For special reasons, the home municipality may decide that compulsory school starts in the autumn term of the year the child turns seven instead of six. The guardian asks the municipality to review this. The child must be offered preschool during that time.
Practice question
Show the right answer and explanation
B. From the autumn term of the year the child turns three
The right to at least 525 hours starts in the autumn term of the year the child turns three.
This question is practice, not a test. Answers are not saved.
Practice question
Show the right answer and explanation
A. The home municipality
The home municipality is responsible for offering preschool.
This question is practice, not a test. Answers are not saved.
Sources
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Compulsory school and the duty to attend
How compulsory school works, what the duty to go to school means and what applies to absence and time off.
This module is only available in Swedish for now.
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Compulsory school and the duty to attend. How compulsory school works, what the duty to go to school means and what applies to absence and time off.Skolplikt Locked
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Upper secondary school and choosing a programme
Who can go to upper secondary school, the difference between programmes and what support CSN [the Swedish student finance agency] gives during that time.
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Upper secondary school and choosing a programme. Who can go to upper secondary school, the difference between programmes and what support CSN [the Swedish student finance agency] gives during that time.Vem kan gå gymnasiet? Locked
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Komvux and adult education
How you can study compulsory and upper secondary school as an adult, learn Swedish and what applies to attendance.
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Komvux and adult education. How you can study compulsory and upper secondary school as an adult, learn Swedish and what applies to attendance.Vad är komvux? Locked
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Job training and higher vocational education
What yrkeshögskolan (YH) [higher vocational education] is, how you qualify and how you apply.
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Job training and higher vocational education. What yrkeshögskolan (YH) [higher vocational education] is, how you qualify and how you apply.Vad är yrkeshögskolan? Locked
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Higher education and universities
How higher education is organised, which degrees there are and what rights you have as a student.
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Higher education and universities. How higher education is organised, which degrees there are and what rights you have as a student.Kurser, program och poäng Locked
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Guide: Applying, entry rules and admission
Step by step: how you qualify, how selection works and how you sign up for higher education.
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Guide: Applying, entry rules and admission. Step by step: how you qualify, how selection works and how you sign up for higher education.Grundläggande behörighet Locked
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Guide: CSN, grants and loans
How much student finance you can get, the conditions and the steps from application to your first payment.
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Guide: CSN, grants and loans. How much student finance you can get, the conditions and the steps from application to your first payment.Hur mycket kan du få 2026? Locked
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Foreign qualifications and checking your skills
How you find out what your foreign education is equal to in Sweden and how your skills can be recognised.
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Foreign qualifications and checking your skills. How you find out what your foreign education is equal to in Sweden and how your skills can be recognised.Bedömning hos UHR Locked
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Study support, access and planning your studies
Plan your studies, find the right support and know what to do if you or your child gets ill.
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Study support, access and planning your studies. Plan your studies, find the right support and know what to do if you or your child gets ill.Planera din studieväg Locked
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New in Sweden as a teenager: from compulsory school to upper secondary school
Your path through school, language support, the choice of upper secondary programme and study allowance.
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New in Sweden as a teenager: from compulsory school to upper secondary school. Your path through school, language support, the choice of upper secondary programme and study allowance.Var börjar jag? Locked
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Sources
General information, not individual legal, medical or financial advice.