Compulsory comprehensive schools (grundskolor) and upper secondary schools (gymnasier) are operated by municipalities, but are subject to national curricula and government supervision. There are a growing number of independent schools (friskolor) which are also financed to a greater or lesser extent by public funds.

Parents can register their children for municipal or private childcare. The municipal childcare system is well established. It maintains a high standard and groups are relatively small, although local variations do occur. In some places the waiting time for a place in municipal childcare can be rather long. By law the municipality must offer a childcare place within 3 to 4 months.

The State bears the lion’s share of childcare costs, while parents pay a capped fee, the “maxtaxa”. Preschool (förskolan) is intended for children who have not yet started compulsory school, while school-age childcare (skolbarnsomsorg) is intended for children who have started school. These facilities may be operated by municipalities or by the private sector.
In order to register your child, look under ”Barnomsorg” (childcare) in the yellow pages of your local phone book.
For more information about ”Grundskolan” (compulsory comprehensive school) and “Gymnasiet” (upper secondary school), please contact your municipality. Look under “Skolor” (schools) in the yellow pages of your local phone book.

For more information, please contact Skolverket (the Swedish National Agency for Education) where you can obtain more information about boarding schools and international schools. These are found mainly in the large cities.

Reproduction based on information from the European Communities, information may have been altered to apply to New Zealand citzens.