Sweden funds a national language programme for adults who arrive without Swedish, called Swedish for Immigrants, or SFI. The information site Informationsverige.se explains who can join, what it teaches and how the rules changed on 1 January 2026. This article summarises two of its pages: “Swedish courses” (last updated 7 July 2026) and “Adult education” (last updated 17 March 2026). It covers Sweden only, it is general information rather than advice, and anyone applying should confirm details with their municipality, which arranges the courses.
What SFI is
Informationsverige says SFI is a programme that teaches basic Swedish to people who do not have Swedish as their native language. Participants learn to speak, read and write basic Swedish and also learn about Swedish society. The programme is free of charge. It sits within municipal adult education, usually called Komvux (short for “kommunal vuxenutbildning”), and the adult education page says that in Komvux a person can also study Swedish for immigrants.
Who is entitled to study it
A person is entitled to study SFI from 1 July of the year they turn 16 if they lack basic knowledge of the Swedish language and are, or will be, registered in the Swedish Population Register. The “Swedish courses” page adds that some courses are for asylum seekers while others are for people who have been granted a residence permit, and that courses come from different providers.
Full-time or part-time, and where
SFI can be studied full-time or part-time. Part-time study can be combined with a job, work experience or another education such as upper secondary school or another Komvux programme, and it is also possible for someone on part-time parental leave. Informationsverige says SFI programmes are arranged by the municipality where the student is registered in the population register. In certain cases a student may be able to study in another municipality, and some folk high schools also offer SFI. Those registered with the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen) can ask their employment officer for more information.
New rules from 1 January 2026
The site says that anyone who starts SFI after 1 January 2026 has three years to complete the programme from the date they are registered in it, a date shown in their individual study plan. Anyone registered before 1 January 2026 has three years from 1 January 2026, which means they must finish by 31 December 2028. An extension may be granted in certain circumstances, but it must be requested before the three years end, by contacting the SFI teacher or the municipality. The site says there must be special circumstances, for example sick leave, parental leave or a disability, or that studies were interrupted to work or study elsewhere, and that the municipality decides.
For learners planning a move, the practical point is the clock: the three-year period starts when a person is registered in an SFI programme, not when they arrive in Sweden.
Where learners go next
Once SFI is finished, Informationsverige says a person can continue with a programme of Swedish as a second language, and it suggests speaking to the study and vocational guidance counsellor on the municipal adult education staff about applying. It also describes Occupational Swedish, a language programme adapted to different industries and professions, which teaches the Swedish needed for a specific profession. Occupational Swedish requires registration with Arbetsförmedlingen, which determines entitlement to attend.
How Komvux fits in
The adult education page describes three levels of programme: basic, upper secondary and post-upper secondary. At the basic level students study subjects that correspond to compulsory school, and at upper secondary level courses that correspond to upper secondary school. It says that before starting, a student’s knowledge is assessed so that they can begin at the right level, and that students can study one or several courses full-time or part-time. Study and occupational guidance counsellors, usually available at adult education institutions in the municipality, can help with requesting diplomas for previous education, applying for places, and finding out what a programme requires. The page adds that students with a functional impairment are entitled to the aids they need to take part on the same conditions as other students.
Comparing it with other countries
Other countries organise language provision differently. The site’s articles on Germany’s integration course, Australia’s Adult Migrant English Program and free ESOL classes in England cover how those systems work.
Common questions
Is SFI free?
Yes. Informationsverige says the programme is free of charge.
Does SFI have a time limit?
Yes. The site says three years from registration in an SFI programme, with the date shown in the individual study plan, and an extension possible in special circumstances.
The bottom line
Swedish for Immigrants is a free, municipality-run course in basic Swedish and Swedish society for adults who lack it and are or will be in the population register, from the year they turn 16. Since 1 January 2026 there has been a three-year limit from registration in the programme, with extensions for special circumstances. Afterwards students can move on to Swedish as a second language or Occupational Swedish. Course details should be confirmed with the local municipality.
Sources
- Informationsverige.se, “Swedish courses”
- Informationsverige.se, “Adult education”