Children's schooling in Sweden – preschool and school in Uppsala

This guide is based on the Swedish Migration Agency’s (Migrationsverket) information on school for children who have applied for asylum, and on Uppsala municipality’s information on how newly arrived children are enrolled in preschool and school. It is general information – the municipality and the school decide in each individual case.

The right to preschool and school

According to Migrationsverket, children who have applied for international protection (asylum) are entitled to attend preschool and school. Children have the right to preschool from the age of one. From the autumn term of the year the child turns six, the child has the right to attend school. School is free and all children attend compulsory school (grundskola) for ten years. After compulsory school, young people have the right to upper secondary education (gymnasium) if they start before they turn 18.

It is the municipality where you live that must make sure the child gets a place. For Migrationsverket to be allowed to tell the municipality that you want your child to attend school, you need to give your consent. You can also contact the municipality yourself.

How to enrol your child in Uppsala

Uppsala municipality enrols newly arrived children (who have been in Sweden for less than four years) in two ways:

• You visit the reception for newly arrived pupils (mottagningen för nyanlända) in City Hall (Stadshuset), Stadshusgatan 2.
• You send a completed enrolment form (inskrivningsblankett) by email or ordinary post. Fill in all the details, and an address and a phone number where you can be reached. As an asylum seeker you give the case number from Migrationsverket.

At the first visit the child is registered for school or preschool. If you are registered as resident (folkbokförd) in Uppsala municipality you do not need to show a housing contract; otherwise you may need to show one. Bring your application card (ansökningskort, the card formerly called the LMA card) or your residence permit card. The reception has specific visiting hours – check them on the municipality’s page before you go. Email: [email protected].

Assessment

After enrolment the municipality finds out what the child can do and needs to learn, so that the child gets the right schooling. This is called an assessment (kartläggning). You also get the opportunity to choose a school. If you need an interpreter, the municipality books one.

Which type of school?

• Up to and including year 3: the case officer (handläggare) helps with the application and the child is placed in an ordinary teaching group.
• Years 4–9: the case officer helps you apply to a school with a preparatory class (förberedelseklass), where the focus is, among other things, on language learning.
• Upper secondary school: the case officer explains the options. The young person is placed in language introduction (språkintroduktion, SPRINT) or is told about other options, for example a national programme or adult education.

Three schools in Uppsala teach in Swedish and English, or in English only. Contact the school for information, but still send an enrolment form to the municipality’s reception.

Young people over 18

Asylum seekers who have turned 18 cannot apply for a place in language introduction (SPRINT). Those who started before 18 can continue. For adult asylum seekers there are courses at study associations and other organisations where you can learn Swedish.

If you need help

Migrationsverket and the municipality give more information. Contact Vägvisaren if you need help to understand forms and letters, see New in Uppsala? and I have received a letter from an authority – what do I do?. You have the right to ask for an interpreter in your contact with the school and the municipality, read more in How do I get help from an interpreter in Sweden?.