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Adult Education and Swedish For Immigrants (SFI) For detailed information in English about the Swedish school system, including upper secondary and adult education, please visit the website for the Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket) at http://www.skolverket.se/english/index.shtml, click on "The Swedish school system." All newly-arrived immigrants are entitled to free instruction in Swedish as a second language – Swedish for Immigrants (Svenska för Invandrare), or SFI for short. SFI also provides an introduction to Swedish society and helps the immigrant to plan for further studies and choose a career in Sweden. The number of hours of instruction varies from person to person. The goal is to ensure that all students attain the same level of proficiency. The course usually takes about a year to complete. Different municipalities organize courses somewhat differently. Completion of this course and passing a national proficiency test are highly recommended (and sometimes required) for anyone planning to enter the Swedish job market. Free SFI courses in Göteborg are available through the city’s adult education program, or Kommunal Vuxenutbildning. To apply, visit the Application Office for Immigrants (Anmälningsexpedition för invandrare) at Seminariegatan 1, Monday-Friday 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m., additionally on Mondays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m, or call 772 77 40 Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m. Classes start with the fall term if application is made by July 1, and one to three terms are usually required to complete the course. You must present proof (personbevis) that you are listed in the population registry (folkbokföring) and have a residence permit (uppehållstillstånd) before applying for the course. To order a personbevis, contact Skattemyndigheten (The National Tax Office) toll-free at 020-567 000 or order the form online.Sweden has several organizations which offer adult education. These are called studieförbund and are listed in the yellow pages ( gulasidorna). Some of these organizations are Folkuniversitet, Medborgarskolan, Studieförbundet Vuxenskola, Studiefrämjandet, N B V Göteborgs o. Bohus län and Sensus Studieförbund. These and other similar organizations offer courses in several areas of interest, such as music, dance, art, theater, languages (including fast-paced Swedish courses which are not free), nature, computing and various crafts, to name just a few. Taking evening courses is a popular pasttime for many Swedes.Universities and colleges are located in several different cities throughout Sweden. ( Check out SUNET – Swedish University Computer Networ for a complete listing..) They have approximately the same entrance requirements as American schools. At least one term must be spent studying Swedish intensively, which is followed by an entrance exam for foreigners, before starting at the university. Courses are free (apart from registration fees, and possible student union fees), but you must register at least four months before the term starts. For more detailed information on beginning or continuing higher education studies in Sweden, visit the web site for Högskoleverket.For more information concerning learning Swedish, the Swedish educational system in general, adult education and Swedish colleges and universitites, check out the web site for the Swedish Institute (Svenska Institutet)Helpful terms:
The two universities in Göteborg are:
Göteborgs Universitet (The University of Göteborg) Box 100 405 30 Göteborg Tel. 031-773 1000
Chalmers Tekniska Högskola (Chalmers Institute of Technology) Sven Hultins gata 2 412 96 Göteborg Tel. 031-772 10 00
It is highly recommended that you get your college/university degree(s) and transcripts appraised and validated if you are planning on entering the Swedish job market. To obtain an application (Ansökan om Värdering av Utländsk Högre Utbildning), contact:
Högskoleverket (National Society for Higher Education) Birger Jarlsgatan 43 Box 7851 103 99 Stockholm Tel. 08-563 085 00
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