Ten common mistakes before the citizenship tests – and how to avoid them
From waiting for the notice to studying in English: the mistakes that cost time and 2 000 kr.
Since the citizenship test began on 15 August 2026 we have seen the same mistakes recur among people preparing. With a fee of 2 000 kr per sitting from 2027 and long processing times, every mistake is expensive. Here are ten of the most common, each with a fix.
1. Waiting for the notice before starting to study. Migrationsverket decides whether you must sit the test, but the knowledge takes months to build. Fix: start when you submit the application. 2. Studying in English. The test is given only in Swedish, and the words in the questions are Swedish official vocabulary. Fix: read the same content in Swedish, even if it is slower.
3. Skipping history. Many focus on how society works today and forget the Swedish history area. Fix: make a timeline on one sheet of paper and read it every day for a week. 4. Not checking the exemptions. Applicants sit the test although they hold grades that under the regulation can replace it, or assume old grades count when they do not. Fix: check the list with Migrationsverket before booking.
5. Booking too late. Places at test centres are limited and the notice may have a time limit. Fix: book as soon as you have the notice and know you are prepared. 6. Never doing a timed mock test. About 60 questions in 90 minutes requires pace. Fix: sit at least two full mock tests against the clock.
7. Memorising without understanding. Four-option questions may be phrased differently from the text you read. Fix: explain each area to someone else in Swedish. 8. Forgetting the language test. By 1 October 2027 at the latest the reading and listening test exists, and it requires roughly B1. Fix: practise reading and listening alongside civics.
9. Mixing up the rules. A knowledge requirement for permanent residence is only a proposal with no bill, whereas the citizenship requirements have applied since 6 June 2026. Fix: stick to the information from Migrationsverket and UHR. 10. Giving up after a failed test. Retakes are allowed, and the pass mark has not been published. Fix: identify the areas that pulled your score down, study them and rebook.
What all ten have in common: they come from treating the test as a formality rather than a course. Plan for a few months of work, practise in Swedish and check every rule against the sources below.