TISUS, Swedex and other Swedish tests for work and study: which one you need

Do you need a certificate at all?

Most employers in Sweden never ask for a language certificate. They judge your Swedish from your application and the interview.

A formal proof of Swedish matters in four situations: getting into a Swedish university, getting a licence for a regulated healthcare profession, applying for citizenship, and the minority of employers, mostly in the public sector, healthcare and schools, that write "C1" or "dokumenterade kunskaper" in the ad. This guide explains which test or grade works for each. The facts were checked on 11 October 2026; rules and fees change, so check the provider's site before you register.

Which test do I need?

Not sure what your level is? Try our free level test first.

Tisus

Tisus (Test i svenska för universitets- och högskolestudier) is run by Stockholm University. It is the test that shows you have the Swedish needed for university studies, and all Swedish universities accept it in place of Svenska 3. It is aimed mainly at people with upper-secondary education from abroad and no Swedish grades.

The three parts. Reading comprehension, writing, and speaking. Reading and writing are usually done on a Tuesday morning and take about four hours; the speaking test is on the Tuesday or Wednesday. There is one speaking version for test takers in Sweden and one for those abroad.

Results. Each part is pass or fail, and you must pass all three. Results take about five weeks and are emailed to you. A pass does not expire. Stockholm University sends results to University Admissions if you apply for the following semester. The certificate does not state a CEFR level. As a rough guide, you should be solidly at upper B2, and close to C1 in reading and writing, before you sit it.

Retakes. If you fail one part, you retake only that part within a year, at one of the next two test sessions. If you fail two or three parts, you retake the whole test.

Dates and fees. Tisus is held twice a year, in May and in October or November, in Sweden and abroad.

• Autumn 2026: 20–21 October. Registration closed on 11 September.
• Spring 2027: 11–12 May. Registration runs from 22 February (08.00) to 2 April 2027 (17.00).
• Fee in Sweden: 2,380 kronor for the full test, 1,190 kronor to retake one part.
• Fee abroad: 2,875 kronor for the full test, 1,440 kronor to retake one part, according to Linköping University's Tisus page.

Places are limited and can run out before the deadline. Check su.se/tisus for the current dates and fees.

Swedex

Swedex is a Swedish exam developed by Folkuniversitetet. It comes in two versions, A2B1 and B2C1, and tests reading, listening, writing and speaking. Since 2022 the certificate shows the level reached in each skill as well as an overall level, from A1 to C1.

Swedex is useful when you simply want a recognised certificate of your level, for example on a CV or for an employer outside Sweden. It is not a route to university entry, and it is not one of the grades or tests the citizenship rules name, so ask Migrationsverket before relying on it for that. Whether a Swedex C1 counts as a "C1 test" for a healthcare licence is something to confirm with Socialstyrelsen before you rely on it.

Important: Folkuniversitetet says that from 31 December 2026 it will no longer be possible to take Swedex. Fees are set by each exam centre, so check with the centre. Dates outside Sweden are listed on Folkuniversitetet's Swedex pages; for Sweden, contact your local Folkuniversitetet.

SFI D and Komvux: the free route

For most people living in Sweden, grades are a better proof than any test. They are free, they never expire, and employers and authorities know them.

• SFI course D is roughly B1 and ends with a national test. A pass in SFI D is the most common proof of Swedish in entry-level jobs and one of the ways to meet the citizenship requirement. See our guide to the SFI national test and our free SFI practice pages.
• Svenska som andraspråk (SVA) at Komvux continues after SFI: first at basic level, then upper-secondary SVA 1, 2 and 3. Since July 2025 the upper-secondary courses are called levels (nivå 1–3), but job ads and forms still say "SVA 3" or "Svenska 3". A pass in Svenska 3 or SVA 3 gives the Swedish you need for university entry and is accepted by Socialstyrelsen. Our After SFI guide explains the steps and how long they take.

University: what "behörighet" means

To be eligible for university (grundläggande behörighet), applicants whose first language is not Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic or Faroese need at least an E in Svenska or SVA 1, 2 and 3, or equivalent knowledge. According to UHR's guidance, equivalent knowledge means an old grade in Svenska B or SVA B, or a pass on Tisus or another approved test at the level of Svenska 3. Basic eligibility also requires English (English 6) and some mathematics, and the university makes the final decision when it admits you.

Some universities also run Swedish courses for international students that end at this level. Ask the university whether the course gives behörighet. Programmes taught in English do not require Swedish.

Licensed healthcare professions: C1

To get a licence (legitimation) as, for example, a doctor, nurse or physiotherapist, you must show the Swedish, Danish or Norwegian needed for the work. Socialstyrelsen's regulations say so, and its general advice describes the level as C1. It lists these ways to show it:

• a pass in Svenska 3 or SVA 3
• a course that gives eligibility for higher education in Sweden
• a test that gives eligibility for higher education in Sweden, Denmark or Norway, such as Tisus
• a test in Swedish, Danish or Norwegian at C1 level
• a certificate from a healthcare employer that you have C1-level skills, on Socialstyrelsen's form

For the protected title undersköterska (assistant nurse) the requirement is lower. Our Swedish for healthcare workers guide covers the whole licence route. Check socialstyrelsen.se before you choose a route.

Citizenship: the test is coming later

Since 6 June 2026, most adults applying for Swedish citizenship must show knowledge of Swedish and of Swedish society. Today you show Swedish with a grade, most often a pass in SFI D, or with Tisus.

A citizenship test is being introduced by UHR in steps. The civics test has been held since August 2026. The law sets 1 October 2027 for the reading and listening test in Swedish, planned at B1 level, but UHR has asked the government to postpone that step to autumn 2029. A speaking and writing test, planned at A2, has no date yet. The regulation sets a fee of 2,000 kronor per test.

Read the details in our citizenship language guide, and see where you stand with the free Am I B1? check.

What employers actually check

For most jobs, the test is the interview. Ads use set phrases: goda kunskaper usually means around B2, flytande or obehindrat around C1, and grundläggande around A2 to B1. If an ad says "motsvarande nivå C1", expect to be asked for a grade or certificate.

An application in good Swedish and a confident interview help more than a certificate. Our guides to Swedish at work and the Swedish job interview cover both.

Frequently asked questions

Which is harder, Tisus or Swedex?

Tisus. It is set at the level of Svenska 3 and requires a pass in all three parts. Swedex B2C1 tests a range of levels and gives a certificate for the level you reach.

Does a Tisus pass expire?

No. Stockholm University treats an approved result as a grade, so it has no end date.

Is there a test I can take for citizenship today?

Not for the Swedish part. Until the citizenship test in Swedish starts, you show Swedish with a grade such as SFI D, or with Tisus.

Sources

• Stockholm University, Tisus pages: su.se/tisus and About Tisus
• Linköping University, Tisus dates and fees: liu.se/artikel/tisus
• Folkuniversitetet, About Swedex and Swedex examination dates
• Socialstyrelsen, HSLF-FS 2017:80, consolidated: socialstyrelsen.se
• UHR, checklist for foreign upper-secondary education: uhr.se
• Government decision on the citizenship test steps, February 2026: regeringen.se
• Förordning (2026:451) om medborgarskapsprov: riksdagen.se