You apply to preschool class and compulsory school via your home municipality. You find the municipality website by gooling the name of your municipality and the swedish word for compulsory school (grundskola). For instance “Göteborg kommun och grundskola” alternatively you can add the words “ansöka till” (apply to). For instance “Ansöka till grundskolan i Västerås kommun”.
The municipality’s digital application tools usually give you the possibility to search between private schools, municipality schools, special needs schools and Sami schools.
When you choose a school for your child, the municipality must consider your and your child’s wishes on choice of school and the principle of proximity to the school (närhetsprincipen), but you or your child can not demand admission to a particular school. You can apply to a school in a different municipality but it is up to that municipality and school to accept you and they are not required to accept your application.
Parents and children can choose between a municipal or a private school. It may be necessary to register with a private school a couple of years in advance in order to get a place. Private schools are themselves responsible for admission to their school and have their own selection procedures as long as they don’t break the National Agency for Education’s admission rules.
Your child always has the right to a place in school in the area where you live. You also have the right to choose another school and can arrange a visit or apply by contacting the school you are interested in.
Read more on how the admission and acceptance process is managed in Sweden.
