The national tests
Sweden's national tests in years 3, 6 and 9 and in upper secondary school: what they are and how they count.
The national tests help teachers grade the same way across Sweden. They are compulsory in some years and courses. The result is weighed in specially when the grade is set, but it doesn't decide the grade on its own.
Overview
Sweden has national tests at several points in a student's schooling: in years 3, 6 and 9 of compulsory school, and in certain courses in upper secondary school. They are written centrally, taken by students all over the country and marked by the students' own teachers following detailed guidance. Their main purpose is to support fair and equal grading, so that a grade means roughly the same thing wherever you go to school.
The tests cover Swedish or Swedish as a second language, English and mathematics, and in year 9 also one science and one social studies subject. Each test has several parts, and some, such as speaking tasks, may be done weeks before the written parts. Because the result is weighed in specially when the grade is set, the tests matter, but they are not everything: your teacher grades all the knowledge you have shown. The best preparation is steady work through the year, plus some practice on released tests so the format feels familiar.
How the tests work
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Several parts
Each test has several parts, sometimes spread over weeks or months.
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Speaking
Swedish and English have speaking parts, often done well before the written parts.
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Writing
Longer written tasks, done in school under exam conditions.
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Maths without a calculator
Maths tests have parts where calculators and other digital tools aren't allowed.
How it's scored
From year 6, the tests are marked with the same grades as school (A–F, where E is a pass). In year 3 each part is marked on its own and there is no overall grade. The teacher sets the final grade from everything the student has shown.
How to prepare
- Ask the school which weeks the tests are in: the dates come from Skolverket and are the same across the country.
- Practise on old tests that have been released. Skolverket and the universities that make the tests publish some.
- For the speaking parts, practise talking about a topic for a few minutes and answering questions.
- Sleep and eat well in test week. The tests reward what you have learnt over time more than last-minute cramming.
Official pages
Dates, registration and fees change from year to year, so check them on the official pages.