Teachers
Are you interested in working as a teacher? Whether you've just graduated from high school, have some previous education or a teaching degree, the Teacher Education Guide - Lärarutbildningsguiden - can help you get on the right path.
Do you have a teacher qualification from a foreign country?
If you're a teacher with a teaching qualification from a foreign country, it's important to find out what you need in order to qualify to work as a teacher in Sweden. Your first step is to contact the Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket).
In 2011, the Swedish National Agency for Education was tasked with reviewing foreign teacher qualifications. Teachers in Sweden must be certified; this is a requirement in order to improve teacher skills and the quality of education.
What is the certification?
A teacher certificate states in which types of schools, which subjects, and which years a teacher is qualified to teach. This certification is required in order to teach at a school - only certified teachers can be offered permanent employment. All teachers in Sweden must have certification - both those that received their qualifications in Sweden, and those with foreign teaching qualifications.
If a teacher or pre-school teacher seriously neglects their work, their certification can be revoked. These decisions are reviewed and made by the Teachers' Disciplinary Board, located at the Swedish National Agency for Education. A teacher can also be issued a warning.
How do I get this certification?
Contact the Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket) to apply for certification.
Find out more about teacher certification at Skolverket's website
Use the Teaching guide to find out how to be a teacher in Sweden
Sweden currently has a shortage of teachers and preschool teachers. Over the coming years, hundreds of thousands will need to be recruited.
The Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) is one of the authorities tasked by the government to increase the number of applicants to teaching programmes. Their approach is to explain the different paths available to becoming a teacher.
In early 2019, UHR launched a digital guide with specific focus on shorter supplementary education courses. These courses are aimed at those who have previous professional experience, a university degree or a foreign teaching/preschool teaching degree and are of shorter duration:
- KPU (bridging education programme) for individuals with a university degree in a subject taught at school
- Yrkeslärarutbildningen (vocational education programme) for individuals with solid professional experience in an upper secondary vocational subject area
- ULV (foreign teacher's bridging programme) for individuals with a foreign teacher or preschool teacher degree in a school subject
- VAL (supplementary training for teachers) for individuals working as an unqualified teacher
You can find information in the guide for all teaching programmes in Sweden:
- Preschool programmes
- Elementary school programmes; specialisation years preschool-3, 4-6 and after school centre
- Secondary and upper secondary programmes: specialisation 7-9 and upper secondary school
The guide is only available in Swedish, but you can ask a guidance counsellor or friend to help you.