Education & Swedish
School and preschool for children
Children have a right to preschool from age 1 and must attend school from about 6. Apply through your municipality — school is free, preschool fees are capped.
At a glance
- Preschool
- From age 1; fee max 3% of income, max SEK 1,547/month for the first child (from 1 July 2026)
- School
- Free, with free lunch
- Apply
- Through your municipality
Preschool (förskola)
Apply through your municipality — usually online — a few months before you need a place. The municipality must offer a place within four months of your application.
| Child in the household | Max share of income | Max per month |
|---|---|---|
| First child | 3% | SEK 1,547 |
| Second child | 2% | SEK 1,031 |
| Third child | 1% | — |
| Fourth child and more | Free | SEK 0 |
School
Contact your municipality as soon as you arrive — newly arrived children have a right to education and get support with Swedish and mother-tongue teaching. School and school lunch are free. You can choose a municipal or an independent (friskola) school; popular schools have queues.
Official sources
Rules and fees change. Always confirm on the official page before you apply or pay. Last checked 14 Oct 2026.
- Skolverket: The right to preschool (Swedish)skolverket.se
- Skollag (2010:800) (Swedish)rkrattsbaser.gov.se
- Skolverket: State grant for the fee cap 2026 (Swedish)skolverket.se
- Skolverket: Education for newly arrived pupils (Swedish)skolverket.se
- Skolverket: Compulsory schooling and the right to education (Swedish)skolverket.se