About national vocational education and training

Engelska (ENG)

National vocational education and training is practical vocational training for adults. You will train in a profession in which there is a need for workers but a shortage of people with the right training. The training is designed to help you find work quickly after completing your studies.

Studying on a national vocational education and training programme

Most of the programmes include both theoretical and practical elements. The practical elements include work placement (LIA), which is structured as a practical course that you carry out at a workplace.

During the LIA courses, you undergo training at a workplace under the supervision of your employer. This enables you to further develop the knowledge you gained through school in a real environment and learn new things in an actual workplace. This gives you work experience and training in your professional role at an early stage, i.e. during your studies. It also gives you the opportunity to make contacts in the working world that could lead to a job immediately after you complete your studies.

How do I apply?

There are various education providers (schools) in the national vocational education and training system. The schools themselves handle admissions to their programmes. Contact the school directly if you have any questions about the programme or the application process. The application deadline varies from one programme to another.

Contact the school for information about how and when to apply.

Selection and admission

National vocational education and training is open to all adults who have the prerequisites to complete the programme.

To qualify for national vocational education and training, you must be a resident of Sweden and, if you have not completed upper secondary school, you must turn 20 during the year. You must have passing grades from compulsory school or equivalent education, or otherwise demonstrate that you have the prerequisites to complete the programme.

If there are more qualified applicants than there are places on a programme, a selection process will be carried out. The process varies from programme to programme.

Selection criteria may include one or more of the following:

• Grades
• Test results
• Previous education
• Professional experience.

If you have questions about how the selection process works and how you can prepare for it, please contact the school offering the programme.

Assessment and validation – if you want prior knowledge and skills recognised

If you have knowledge from previous education, professional experience or other experience in the field you are going to study, you are entitled to have your knowledge and skills assessed so you can receive credit for parts of the programme. This may result in your programme being shortened or you being exempted from certain modules or courses, while still being able to obtain your qualification.

In order to have your prior knowledge and skills assessed and potentially recognised, you must have documentation of what you want assessed. If you do not have documentation, some schools may offer help with validation, i.e. identifying and assessing your knowledge and skills.

Contact the education provider if you want to learn more about validation and recognition of prior knowledge and skills.

Costs and student grants and loans

National vocational education and training programmes are free of charge and entitle you to student grants and loans from the Swedish Board of Student Finance (CSN) if you meet the requirements. You pay for literature and other study materials yourself.

Pilot project: National vocational education and training, csn.se (in Swedish)

Seek help from a study and vocational guidance counsellor

There are many adult education programmes to choose from, both programmes that lead to a profession and programmes that prepare you for further study. Contact a study and vocational guidance counsellor if you need help deciding which programme is best for you.

Schools and your municipality provide access to study and vocational guidance counsellors who can give you more information about both courses and the Swedish labour market.

Seek help from a study and vocational guidance counsellor for adult education (in Swedish)