About municipal adult education in Swedish for immigrants (SFI)
Engelska (ENG)
Municipal adult education in Swedish for immigrants (Komvux in SFI) is a programme for individuals who need to gain basic knowledge of Swedish.
You will learn enough Swedish to be able to communicate orally and in writing in everyday life, in society, in your studies and at work. If you need to learn to read and write, SFI will give you the opportunity to do this.
What you will learn in Komvux in SFI
The aim is for pupils to learn the following:
- to read and write in Swedish
- to speak, listen and converse in Swedish
- to understand Swedish
- to adapt their language to different purposes, readers/listeners and situations
- pronunciation
- methods for learning a language
- strategies for learning, reading and communicating
- digital technology and relevant tools for learning and communicating
- how to approach information from different sources.
SFI is free of charge
Studies in Komvux in SFI are free of charge. When you study SFI, you are given access to books and other learning tools that you need. Taking part in Komvux in SFI does not make you eligible for student grants and loans from the Swedish Board of Student Finance (CSN).
Study and vocational guidance
As a pupil, you will have access to study and vocational guidance. You will be given information about studies and the current state of the labour market.
Would you like to learn more?
Contact your municipality if you would like to start SFI. Contact details can be found on your municipality's website.
The municipal adult education (Komvux) system also offers basic level and upper secondary level education as well as education for adults with intellectual disabilities.
About municipal adult education at the basic and upper secondary level
About municipal adult education for adults with intellectual disabilities
Who can study SFI?
You can start studying SFI from 1 July of the year you turn 16. There is no upper age limit for starting SFI studies. You must be a resident of Sweden and lack the basic knowledge of Swedish that the programme provides.
About studying SFI
Your knowledge and experience are valuable and important. When you start your SFI studies, the teacher shall assess your knowledge level and experience. You and your teacher will plan and design the teaching together.
SFI is intended for people with different experiences, life situations, knowledge levels and study goals. The amount of time it takes to complete an SFI course varies from one person to another. You can start and finish SFI at different times.
You are entitled to 15 hours of teaching time per week.
You can combine SFI with work, an internship or other studies, such as upper secondary school or municipal adult education.
How long you can study in an SFI programme
You can attend SFI for three years from the date you are admitted to the programme. If there are special circumstances, you may be allowed to attend for a longer period, but the maximum time is six years. Examples of special circumstances include parental leave and illness.
Stricter requirements in SFI, skolverket.se (in Swedish)
Studying SFI in a municipality other than your home municipality
You can study SFI in a different municipality than your home municipality if there are special reasons for doing so. An example of a special reason is if you work in a different municipality than your home municipality.
Study paths and courses
SFI has three study paths: 1, 2 and 3. Study path 1 is intended for learners with little or no educational background, while study path 3 is intended for learners who are more accustomed to studying. Each study path is made up of courses. The courses build on each other in terms of difficulty, from A to D:
- Study path 1: courses A, B, C and D.
- Study path 2: courses B, C and D.
- Study path 3: courses C and D.
No matter which study path you are on, you can choose to end your studies at the end of the course you have just completed. However, you have the option to continue your studies up to and including course D, regardless of which course you started with.
Individual study plan
When you start SFI, the school will assess your knowledge of Swedish. This assessment will be used to create your individual study plan.
Each pupil is required to have an individual study plan. The school will work with you to draw up this study plan, which will include:
- Your educational goals for your SFI studies
- How much and how long you intend to study SFI
- When your SFI studies started.
Your individual study plan can be changed, if necessary.
Grades
SFI uses a grading scale of Pass or Fail. You will receive a grade after each completed course. You can also have your knowledge level documented in a certificate.
Examinations in municipal adult education
You have the opportunity to take an examination in a course if you are a resident of the country and want to receive a grade for the course. Through the examination, your knowledge level will be assessed based on the course syllabus. You have the right to take examinations in all courses for which grades are given. The examination may only be taken at a municipality that provides the course in question.
If you already have a passing grade in the course, the school may charge a fee for the examination. The fee may not exceed SEK 500.
Validation – have your previous knowledge assessed
You may be able to have your previous knowledge and experience assessed and documented. You may want to have validation performed because you want to:
- start studying and, before you begin, adapt the content and level of your studies so that you do not have to study what you already know
- shorten the duration of a programme you are currently attending, or
- document your knowledge so that you can present it at a job interview or the like.
Please contact your municipality if you want to request validation.
SFI at a folk high school
You also have the option of choosing to study SFI at a folk high school. If you want to study SFI at a folk high school, check with your municipality to find out what options are available.