British and international schools in Sweden: Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö
English-language schooling in Sweden: publicly funded independent schools, fee-paying international schools, British-curriculum options and how admission works.
Sweden’s education system has an unusual feature: most English-language schools are publicly funded and free to attend, because they are part of Sweden’s independent school (friskola) system. This shapes everything about choosing a school.
Two kinds of English-language school
- Publicly funded independent schools. Free to attend, following the Swedish curriculum with much of the teaching in English, or bilingual. Places are usually allocated by queue, so popular schools have long waiting lists.
- Fee-paying international schools. A smaller group of schools with special status, following international curricula such as the English National Curriculum or the IB. These are aimed mainly at internationally mobile families.
British-curriculum options
The COBISEC-era directory listed the British International Primary School of Stockholm, and Stockholm remains the main centre for British-curriculum primary education. At secondary level, families often move into IGCSE and IB pathways at international schools or into English-language Swedish upper-secondary programmes.
Where the schools are
- Stockholm: the widest choice, including in the inner city and suburbs such as Danderyd, Lidingö and Solna.
- Gothenburg: international schools serving the automotive and industrial community.
- Malmö and Lund: linked to the Øresund region and Copenhagen.
- Uppsala: smaller options linked to the university and life sciences.
Practical points
- Register in school queues as soon as you have a Swedish address (and sometimes before). Queue position matters.
- Swedish school days include free school lunches in publicly funded schools.
- The school year runs from mid-August to early June.
See also: Denmark, Norway and how to choose a school.
Directory: British schools in Sweden
| School | City | Ages | Curricula |
|---|---|---|---|
| British International School of Stockholm | Djursholm and Danderyd (Stockholm) | 3–18 | British curriculum, IGCSE, IB Diploma |
Frequently asked questions
Are international schools free in Sweden?
Many English-language schools in Sweden are publicly funded independent schools (friskolor), which cannot charge tuition fees. A smaller number of international schools have special status that allows them to charge fees. Check each school's status.
How do admissions work at free independent schools in Sweden?
Publicly funded independent schools usually allocate places by queue (often by the date a child was registered), sibling priority or other permitted criteria, not by entrance tests. Popular schools have long queues, so register early.