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Swedish Public Schools
Sweden's public school system is free for all children of legal residents, from pre-school (förskola) through upper secondary (gymnasiet). Instruction is in Swedish, which means younger children integrate linguistically faster than older children.
- Förskola (pre-school): for children aged 1–5; state-subsidised (maxtaxa fee of ~SEK 1,500–3,000/month based on income); childcare from age 1
- Grundskola (compulsory school): ages 6–16 (grades 1–9); completely free including meals, books, school trips, and basic materials
- Gymnasiet (upper secondary): ages 16–19; free; strong vocational and academic tracks; good preparation for university
- Language support: children who do not speak Swedish receive dedicated modersmålsundervisning (mother tongue classes) and Swedish language support from their first day
- International atmosphere: Swedish public schools in Stockholm and Malmö are highly international — your child will find English-speaking peers easily
- School choice: parents can apply to any public school (free choice of school) regardless of address; schools with good reputations have waiting lists