Grades instead of tests: how school grades can replace the language and civics tests

On 6 June 2026 the tightened requirements for Swedish citizenship came into force (Riksdag report 2025/26:SfU28). Two new requirements apply to applicants aged 16 to 67: knowledge of Swedish society and knowledge of Swedish. Both can be met in two ways — by passing a test or by holding approved school grades.

The language requirement has two levels. Reading and listening must be at a functional level, roughly B1 on the European scale. Speaking and writing must be at a basic level, roughly A2. The reading and listening test must be available by 1 October 2027, while no date has been set for the speaking and writing parts.

The law says that passing grades from certain courses replace the tests. The likely candidates are SFI course D and Swedish as a second language at basic or upper-secondary level for the language requirement, and basic-level civics for the civics requirement. But the exact list will be set in a regulation that the government and Migrationsverket will announce — do not rely on rumours.

In practice, if you already study at SFI or komvux you should keep every grade document. A grade is free and never expires, while the civics citizenship test costs 2 000 kr per sitting from 2027. For many families it is therefore cheaper to finish course D than to sit the test several times.

If you are unsure whether your course counts, ask your school for the official course code and keep your certificate. Once the regulation is published you can compare the code with Migrationsverket’s list. If you are over 67 or under 16 when you apply, none of the requirements apply to you.

Until the list is published, the best thing you can do is train exactly the Swedish the test measures: everyday texts and conversations. On QuickSwedish you practise B1-level reading and listening with texts from authorities, schools and housing — the same kind of content that both SFI D and the coming test are built on.