On June 6th of this year, the requirements for becoming a Swedish citizen were tightened. Applicants for citizenship must now demonstrate a certain level of proficiency in the Swedish language and knowledge of Swedish society.
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The first citizenship test on Swedish society was held in Älvsjö, in southern Stockholm, on August 15th; now, more than two months later, the results are ready. By Thursday morning, all test-takers should have been notified of their outcomes.
Approximately 80 percent of the 875 individuals who took the test achieved a passing score.
"An assessment and analysis of this first test has been conducted. It is important to take the necessary time to ensure that everything is done correctly and to a high standard," said Andreas Sandberg, program manager for the citizenship test at the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR).
The UHR notes that the test – which was a pilot, or trial, test – met the quality standards required for its use as the inaugural test on Swedish society.
The threshold for a passing grade was set at 28 out of 40 points. This cutoff was proposed by the University of Gothenburg, which was responsible for the section on Swedish society.
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"I am not assigning any value judgment to the result itself," said Sandberg of the 80 percent pass rate. "Based on the data provided by the test developers, it is a good outcome for this first test."
He added that their focus has been on ensuring that the test is fair, legally sound, and consistent for all participants.
As this was the first trial of the test, those who did not pass this time will be given another opportunity.
Andreas Sandberg notes that it is the Swedish Migration Agency – not the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) – that determines who is required to take the test.
The next citizenship test on Swedish society is scheduled to take place in the spring of 2027.
A citizenship test in the Swedish language was also planned for 2027; however, in early October, UHR indicated that it would not be possible to meet this timeline. Consequently, the agency has requested that the government postpone the Swedish language test until 2029.
“We have not yet received any feedback from the ministry regarding this matter,” said Sandberg.
Individuals who lack formal grades—for example, from SFI (Swedish for Immigrants) courses—and need to demonstrate their proficiency in the Swedish language may do so by achieving a passing result on the Tisus test or a similar Swedish language assessment.
READ ALSO: How can you show proof of Swedish and civics knowledge for citizenship?
The citizenship test on Swedish society consists of 60 multiple-choice questions, each with four options, only one of which is correct. The level of knowledge required corresponds to that of the ninth grade of compulsory school.
The test is conducted in Swedish, is taken on paper, and has a 90-minute time allotment.
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