Medborgarskapskursen

The Swedish citizenship test: how the civics test works

Shayan Parsai, kursansvarig och kursutvecklare
Written byLinkedIn

Published: · Reading time: about 6 min

Quick answers

What is the Swedish citizenship test?
A civics test (medborgarskapsprov i samhällskunskap) run by UHR. Passing it has been one of the requirements for Swedish citizenship since 6 June 2026.
Who has to take the test?
Anyone aged 16 to 66 who applies for citizenship and cannot show the knowledge with school grades. The Migration Agency decides and sends a referral letter (anvisningsbrev).
What did the first test look like?
The August 2026 test had 60 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, on paper and in Swedish. The format of the next test has not been published.
How much does the test cost?
Tests held in 2026 are free. For tests held from 2027 the fee is SEK 2,000, paid to UHR.
When are the results published?
UHR says the results of the August test will be published in October 2026. The pass mark is set afterwards.

The Swedish citizenship test (medborgarskapsprovet) is a test in civics (samhällskunskap). Since 6 June 2026, passing it has been one of the requirements for Swedish citizenship. The test is run by UHR, the Swedish Council for Higher Education (Universitets- och högskolerådet). Here you will find out who has to take the test, how registration works and what is known about the next test.

This guide is written for you if you read English more easily than Swedish. Keep in mind that the test itself is only in Swedish. That is why we keep the Swedish terms in brackets: they are the words you will meet in the letters, on UHR’s website and in the test.

Medborgarskapskursen is an independent course. We have no connection to UHR or the Migration Agency (Migrationsverket). Everything we write about the test comes from their websites and from the legal texts, with sources at the bottom of the page.

What is the Swedish citizenship test?

Since 6 June 2026, the Swedish Citizenship Act requires you to show knowledge of the Swedish language and of Swedish society. You show your knowledge of society by passing the citizenship test in civics. This is stated in section 13 of the act (SFS 2026:447).

UHR develops the test, runs it and decides the results. The test is in Swedish, written on paper and consists of multiple-choice questions where one answer is correct. The law says the test must be in Swedish at a functional level (funktionell nivå).

The ordinance on the citizenship test (SFS 2026:451) lists what the test covers. It includes history, traditions, the welfare state, the labour market and personal finances, climate and the environment, the system of government and the constitution, rights and freedoms, religions, the role of the media, geography, and the EU and other international cooperation.

The study material is called Sverige i fokus (Sweden in focus). It is free, available as a PDF and as audio files, and has 13 chapters plus an introduction. UHR says the test is based on this material. We explain every chapter in English in our chapter pages.

A test in Swedish is also coming later. That is a different test with a different timeline. Read more in our guide to the language requirement.

Who has to take the Swedish citizenship test?

The knowledge requirement applies to you if you are between 16 and 66 years old. The law says the requirement does not apply to anyone who has turned 67. Children have to show the knowledge from the age of 16.

You only take the test if you cannot show the knowledge in another way. Under section 13 c, a pass grade in civics (samhällskunskap) or basic social studies subjects counts if it comes from:

  • year 9 of compulsory school (grundskolan), adapted compulsory school or special school
  • upper secondary school (gymnasieskolan), adapted upper secondary school or a folk high school at upper secondary level
  • municipal adult education (komvux)

Grades from SFI (Swedish for immigrants) do not count for the civics part. SFI course D only counts for the language requirement.

The Migration Agency decides whether you have to take the test. If you do, you receive a referral letter (anvisningsbrev). Only people who have received the letter can register. Nordic citizens who notify their citizenship and stateless people born in Sweden who are under 21 are not covered by the knowledge requirements.

If you have a disability or other personal reasons, the Migration Agency can make an exception. This applies when it cannot reasonably be required that you show the knowledge (section 11 c).

How do I register?

This is how it works according to UHR:

  1. Wait for the referral letter (anvisningsbrev) from the Migration Agency. You do not need to do anything before it arrives.
  2. Create an account on UHR’s registration site. You log in with BankID or Freja eID. If you have no e-ID, you use your personal identity number (personnummer) and the personal code in the letter.
  3. Register when registration is open. Right now, in September 2026, registration is closed. UHR says information about the next opening will come.
  4. About a week before the test you receive a notice (kallelse) in your account. Print it and bring it to the test.

Step by step, ID and adjustments are covered in our guide on how to register.

What does the test look like?

The first test was held on 15 August 2026 at Stockholmsmässan in Älvsjö. According to SVT, almost 1,000 people took part. It was a trial test (utprövningsprov), a first test that is also used to try out the questions.

This is what the test looked like according to UHR’s page before the test:

  • 60 multiple-choice questions with four options, one correct
  • 90 minutes of test time
  • on paper and in Swedish
  • a short survey about the test afterwards

There are no penalty points for wrong answers. UHR encourages you to guess if you do not know.

What applies to the next test?

Here it is important to be careful. UHR currently writes that information about the test time and number of questions for the next test will come. In other words, the format of the next test has not been published. The fact that the August test had 60 questions does not mean the next one will.

The date of the next test has not been published. UHR says it will be announced on uhr.se during the autumn. Where the next test will be held is not known either. Read more in our guide on the next test date.

The pass mark is set afterwards. Nobody knows how many correct answers are needed until UHR publishes the results. Sites that state a pass mark are guessing.

How much does it cost?

The August test was free. Under the ordinance, anyone taking the test pays SEK 2,000 to UHR. The rule applies for the first time to tests held in 2027. Tests during 2026 therefore cost nothing.

Stateless people who have been granted refugee status or a travel document by a Swedish authority are exempt from the fee.

The test fee is not the same as the application fee. Applying for citizenship at the Migration Agency costs SEK 2,900.

When are the results published?

UHR says the results of the August test will be published in October 2026. No date has been set. UHR decides the results and passes the information to the Migration Agency, which assesses your application.

If you fail, UHR says you may be given the opportunity to show your knowledge again. You should then contact the Migration Agency. SVT has reported that in future this will not be possible and that you would have to apply again. We cannot decide which is correct. Ask the Migration Agency.

How should I study?

Start with Sverige i fokus. Read all 13 chapters and listen to the audio files. Participants in August told the media that the language in the questions was the hard part. So learn the words, not just the facts. If you read Swedish slowly, our English chapter pages give you the content first, so that you know what the Swedish text is about before you read it.

Then practise on questions in the style of the test: a clear question about society with four options. Medborgarskapskursen follows the chapters of Sverige i fokus and explains the difficult words. Our questions are our own, not UHR’s. UHR has published five sample questions and does not endorse private practice tests. We go through the five examples in our guide to the sample questions, and you can try our free practice test.

Difficult words in this chapter

anvisningsbrev
the referral letter from the Migration Agency telling you to take the test
utprövningsprov
a trial test, a first test that is also used to try out the questions and set the pass mark
kallelse
the notice with the time and place of your test
flervalsfråga
a multiple-choice question, where you pick one of several options

Frequently asked questions

Can I take the Swedish citizenship test in my own language?

No. UHR says the test can only be taken in Swedish. The study material Sverige i fokus is also only available in Swedish.

How many questions does the Swedish citizenship test have?

The August 2026 test had 60 questions. UHR says that information about the test time and number of questions for the next test will come later.

How many correct answers do I need to pass?

That has not been published. UHR sets the pass mark afterwards and publishes the results in October 2026. Be careful with sites that state a pass mark.

Can I register without a letter from the Migration Agency?

No. Only people who have received a referral letter (anvisningsbrev) from the Migration Agency can register. That is stated in section 5 of the ordinance on the citizenship test.

Where is the test held?

The August 2026 test was held at Stockholmsmässan in Älvsjö. UHR says information about locations for the next test will come later.

What happens if I fail?

UHR says you may be given the opportunity to show your knowledge again and that you should contact the Migration Agency. SVT has reported that a retake will not be possible. Ask the Migration Agency what applies to you.

Is Medborgarskapskursen UHR's course?

No. Medborgarskapskursen is an independent course from Znoff AB. We have no connection to UHR or the Migration Agency.

The course

The full course, all 13 chapters

99SEK per month

or 499 SEK for a full year

  • Lessons for every chapter of Sverige i fokus
  • Practice questions with explanations and page references
  • A mock test in the same form as the August test
  • Difficult words explained in plain Swedish
Coming soon

Want an email when the course opens? Write to us.

Sources