SFI in Sweden: How to Sign Up for Free Swedish Classes

Buddy Hive
6 min read · Oct 11, 2026

NoteThis guide gives you an overview of the process, so you know what to expect and can take each step with confidence. Things might change over time as authorities come up with new rules and fees. Before you apply, pay or sign anything always check official websites or call the respective authority if things are not clear. This guide was last checked in October 2026.

SFI (svenska för invandrare, Swedish for Immigrants) is the free Swedish course every kommun must offer to adults who live in Sweden. You can work in English in many Swedish offices, but Swedish makes daily life, your children's school, healthcare and job hunting much easier. It also counts towards Swedish citizenship.

This guide uses Stockholm for examples. Every kommun runs SFI under the same national rules, but the application form and class times differ, so check your own kommun's website.

Adult students sitting in a classroom and listening to a speaker Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

The journey at a glance

Check you can join. You live in Sweden, are 16 or older and do not already speak basic Swedish.
Sign up with your kommun once you have an address. You do not have to wait for your personnummer.
Take the placement talk with a test teacher, who picks your study route and course.
Choose a school and class times that fit your work: day, evening, weekend or distance.
Finish within three years, or ask for an extension if work or family gets in the way.
Keep going after course D with Svenska som andraspråk if you want more.

Step 1: Check you can join

You have the right to SFI if you:

Live in Sweden. If you have moved here for a year or more and are registered (folkbokförd) with Skatteverket, or should be, you qualify. A residence permit for work or study, or as a family member, is enough.
Are at least 16. The right starts from 1 July in the year you turn 16. There is no upper age limit.
Lack basic Swedish. If you already speak good Danish or Norwegian, you may not qualify.

Your partner can join too, whether or not they work. Asylum seekers do not have the right to SFI.

You do not need a personnummer. Skolverket says a kommun cannot require one before you start. In practice, sign-up is smoother once you have one, so register with Skatteverket early. See our personnummer guide.

Official source: Skolverket: right to SFI (in Swedish)

Step 2: Sign up with your kommun

You apply to the kommun where you live, not to a central agency. Search for "SFI" plus your kommun's name, for example "SFI Uppsala" or "SFI Göteborg", and use the kommun's own page.

In Stockholm it works like this:

Fill in the SFI sign-up form on the city's adult education website.
Talk to a test teacher (testpedagog). You can speak English. They ask about your education, the languages you know, your work and how long you have been in Sweden, then choose your study route and course.
Choose a school. Tell the test teacher which school and class times you want. If it is full you can wait for a place or pick another.
Start studying. The school sends you a notice (kallelse) before your first class.

The kommun should normally let you start within three months of applying.

Official source: Stockholms stad: Swedish for immigrants (in Swedish)

Step 3: Understand the courses and routes

SFI has four courses, A, B, C and D, each graded pass (G) or fail (IG). Course D is the last one.

You study on one of three study routes, based on your education:

Study route	For	Usually covers
Route 1	People with little schooling	Courses A to D
Route 2	People with some schooling	Courses B to D
Route 3	People used to studying, e.g. a degree	Courses C and D

Most Indians who move for work or study have a degree and are placed on route 3, starting at course C. Stockholm also runs intensive Swedish classes for people with a longer education who want to move faster.

Step 4: Fit SFI around work

SFI must offer an average of 15 hours of teaching a week, but you can ask for fewer hours if you work. In Stockholm:

Daytime: 4 hours a day (18 hours a week) or 6 hours a day (30 hours a week).
Evenings: about 5 hours a week, over two evenings.
Weekends: Saturday classes at some schools.
Distance: some route 3 and intensive courses.

You also study at home each week. You can change your class times by contacting your school.

Classes for professionals: Stockholm's Svenska för yrkesutbildade has tracks for people with a degree or trade from abroad, including SFX-IT for programmers, SFINX for engineers and architects, SFEJ for economists and lawyers, SFP for teachers and SFM for healthcare staff. They start at course C or D, focus on the language of your field and continue up to Svenska som andraspråk 3.

On parental leave? Stockholm and some other kommuner run SFI classes for parents on parental leave.

Official source: Stockholms stad: Swedish for professionals (in Swedish)

Step 5: Finish within three years

New rules apply from 1 January 2026:

Three years from your first admission. The clock starts when you are first admitted and keeps running during breaks.
Extensions: the school must extend your time, six months at a time, if you have special reasons such as work, illness, parental leave or another course. Extensions can add up to three more years.
Absence counts as quitting. If you miss more than three weeks in a row without illness or approved leave, you are treated as having left the course.
Already studying before 2026? Your three years run from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028.

You can appeal a refused extension to Skolväsendets överklagandenämnd.

Official source: Skolverket: stricter rules in SFI (in Swedish)

What it costs

SFI is free. It is part of the kommun's adult education (komvux).
Books and materials may cost a little. You also pay your own travel.
No CSN. You cannot get student finance from CSN for SFI. You can for Svenska som andraspråk later, if you meet CSN's rules.

Official source: CSN: can I get student finance for SFI? (in Swedish)

SFI and Swedish citizenship

New citizenship rules apply from 6 June 2026:

Language and society knowledge is required for applicants aged 16 to 66.
A pass in SFI course D is one accepted way to show your Swedish. Swedish school grades, komvux and folkhögskola studies are others.
No grades? You take the citizenship test run by UHR. The society part started in August 2026; the Swedish language part comes later.
Most adults need eight years of residence, up from five.

Finishing SFI course D early is the simplest way to be ready when you become eligible.

Official source: Migrationsverket: new rules for Swedish citizenship from 6 June 2026 (in Swedish)

After SFI and other ways to learn

Svenska som andraspråk (SVA) at komvux continues after course D. It is free and can give you CSN.
Study associations (studieförbund) and Folkuniversitetet run paid evening courses, often in smaller groups.
Your employer may pay for a Swedish course. Ask HR, especially if you work in tech.
Language cafés (språkcafé) at public libraries are free places to practise speaking.
Use Swedish every day: switch your phone to Swedish, watch SVT Play with Swedish subtitles, and ask colleagues to speak Swedish with you at lunch.

Common problems

"Your Swedish is too good for SFI." If you already know some Swedish, the test teacher may place you on course C or D, or send you straight to SVA.
No place at your chosen school. Wait for a place or choose another school. You can change school when you start a new course.
Work trips break your attendance. Tell your school in advance and ask for approved leave, so the three-week rule does not end your course.
Your three years are running out. Ask your school for an extension before the time ends. Work is a valid reason.
You moved to another kommun. Apply again in your new kommun. Your time limit and grades follow you.

Useful official links

Common questions

Is SFI free?

Yes. SFI is part of the kommun's adult education (komvux) and has no course fee. You may have to buy some books or materials. CSN does not give student finance for SFI.

Do I need a personnummer to start SFI?

No. You have the right to SFI once you live in Sweden, are at least 16 and do not already know basic Swedish. Skolverket says a kommun cannot make you wait for a personnummer before you start. It is still easier to sign up once you have one, so register with Skatteverket early.

Can I study SFI while working full time?

Yes. Many kommuner offer evening, weekend and distance classes. Stockholm, for example, runs evening classes of about five hours a week over two evenings, and some courses can be taken at a distance.

How long can I study SFI?

Since 1 January 2026 you have three years from the day you are first admitted. The clock keeps running during breaks. The school can extend it six months at a time for reasons such as work, illness or parental leave, up to three extra years.

What are SFI courses A, B, C and D?

SFI has four courses, A to D, taken on one of three study routes. Route 3 is for people used to studying and usually starts at course C. Most Indian graduates are placed on route 3. Course D is the last one.

Does SFI help with Swedish citizenship?

Yes. Since 6 June 2026 citizenship applicants aged 16 to 66 must show knowledge of Swedish and Swedish society. A pass in SFI course D is one accepted way to show your Swedish. Most adults also need eight years of residence.

Can my partner join SFI?

Yes. Everyone in the family who lives in Sweden and is 16 or older can join, including a partner who is not working. Some kommuner, including Stockholm, have classes for parents on parental leave.

Is there SFI for engineers and IT professionals?

Many kommuner have profession-focused tracks. Stockholm offers Svenska för yrkesutbildade, with tracks for engineers, IT, economists, lawyers, teachers and healthcare staff. They start at course C or D and continue past SFI.