The SFI national test: everything you need to know
The SFI national test is the test that shows whether you’ve reached the goals in Swedish at the end of a course. It’s given in courses B, C and D in komvux Swedish for immigrants and is mandatory. It is not a standalone pass/fail exam, your teacher makes the final assessment, but the result carries real weight.
This guide covers what the test is, which sections it includes, how it differs by level, how it’s graded, and how to prepare smartly.
What is the SFI national test?
The test exists to give a fair, consistent assessment of your Swedish. It supports the teacher when setting grades, and the result has special importance: it weighs more than most other single pieces of evidence. But it doesn’t decide your grade alone: the teacher factors in everything you’ve shown during the course.
It is mandatory in municipal adult education for courses B, C and D.
The four sections
The SFI test assesses four skills:
Läsa (reading comprehension)
You read various texts, longer and shorter, and answer different kinds of questions, such as multiple choice, matching and short answers. Reading is split into two booklets at every level, and courses C and D always include a longer article.
Höra (listening comprehension)
You listen to recorded material, such as conversations, announcements and news reports, and answer questions. Practise catching the main point the first time you hear a clip.
Skriva (writing)
You write one or more texts depending on the level. This assesses how clearly you express yourself, plus structure, vocabulary and grammar, against assessment rubrics published by Stockholm University.
Tala (speaking)
In course B it is a narrative task. In courses C and D you are tested in a conversation with the teacher and a conversation with another student. Speaking can be taken on a different occasion from the other parts.
Vocabulary and grammar are assessed throughout all sections.
The difference between courses B, C and D
The same four skills are tested at every level, but the demands rise.
- Course B: basic Swedish. Listening and reading are taken in the order Höra A, Läsa A, Höra B and Läsa B in one sitting, with a break.
- Course C: you write one more informal writing task. (Detailed guide: How to prepare for the SFI C test.)
- Course D: the highest level. You write two writing tasks, one of them more formal. (Detailed guide: How to prepare for the SFI D national test.) Course D is also the level relevant to the language requirement for Swedish citizenship.
How is the test graded?
This is the most common misconception: many people look for an exact pass mark. There is no single threshold that decides on its own. The national test is one piece of evidence: but a heavy one. The teacher combines the test result with other knowledge you’ve shown, then sets the grade.
In practice that means two things:
- A strong test result helps you a lot.
- A weak result on one section need not be decisive if you’ve shown equivalent knowledge another way during the course.
The course grade is Godkänt (pass) or Icke godkänt (fail). The test is taken once, at the end of the course, and you may not take the same test more than once. If you don’t reach the course goals you can keep studying, and after further study you may sometimes get another chance. More in How the SFI test is graded.
When is the test held?
Unlike compulsory school, komvux has no fixed test dates. Tests run on a rolling basis within permitted test periods, and the school decides when. Ask your SFI school for the exact timing.
One thing to know for 2026: no new test versions are released in autumn 2026, schools use existing versions (no. 6–10). Two new tests arrive only in spring 2027. For you as a learner, that means focusing on mastering the test format, not chasing “leaked” questions. Here is how: Practising with old SFI national tests.
From 2027, new syllabuses and new tests apply to SFI started after 31 December 2026. What that means is in What is SFI?.
How to prepare
Whatever the level, the same basics apply:
- Take a full practice test early under timed conditions, it shows where you stand.
- Practise all four sections. Many spend all their time on reading and underestimate the writing and listening parts.
- Train with authentic material: letters from Försäkringskassan, 1177.se, and news in easy Swedish from 8 Sidor and Sveriges Radio.
- Write short texts regularly and ask for feedback.
- Take one final full-length test close to exam day.
Tools that help
SFI Prov (app)
We built SFI Prov to help you practise for the national test. The app has practice tests for SFI C and D built on the test’s parts: reading, listening with recorded audio and a writing task, with AI feedback on your writing and on open answers. It also has vocabulary with recorded Swedish audio at normal and slow speed, short grammar films, and a beginner path if you are starting from zero. The interface is in Swedish, English, Arabic, Persian and Somali. Free; the AI conversations need a free account.
Download SFI Prov on the App Store → · Google Play →
Other resources
- Radio Sweden på lätt svenska and Klartext from Sveriges Radio: short news in easy Swedish to listen to, free.
- 8 Sidor: easy-to-read news, free.
- 1177.se and the Försäkringskassan website: authentic everyday texts.
- Your SFI teacher: ask about old test examples and what tends to be difficult.
More SFI guides
- What is SFI? How Swedish for Immigrants works
- How to prepare for the SFI C test
- How to prepare for the SFI D national test
- How the SFI test is graded
- Practising with old SFI national tests
- Learn Swedish from zero
Summary
The SFI national test assesses four skills, reading, listening, writing and speaking, in courses B, C and D. It’s not a standalone pass/fail exam, but the result carries real weight in your grade. Start preparing with a practice test, train all four sections, and focus on mastering the format.
Download SFI Prov for free → · Google Play →
Sources
- Skolverket: Test parts and content, komvux sfi (in Swedish)
- Skolverket: Test dates for komvux sfi (in Swedish)
- Skolverket: The grading scale (in Swedish)
- Stockholm University: About the sfi tests (in Swedish)
- Stockholm University: Frequently asked questions (in Swedish)
SFI Prov is independent practice material from SverigeFokus and is not affiliated with Skolverket, Stockholm University or any other authority. Always confirm current test rules with your SFI school.
Frequently asked questions
What is the SFI national test?
It's a national test taken at the end of courses B, C and D in komvux Swedish for immigrants. It assesses four skills, reading (Läsa), listening (Höra), writing (Skriva) and speaking (Tala), and supports the teacher's grading. It is mandatory in municipal adult education.
Which sections are on the SFI test?
Four parts: Läsa (reading), Höra (listening), Skriva (writing) and Tala (speaking). In course B, listening and reading are taken in a fixed order in one sitting, while writing and speaking can be taken on another occasion. In courses C and D the parts stand alone and can be taken on the same day or on different days.
What's the difference between the SFI test in courses B, C and D?
The same four parts exist at every level, but the difficulty increases. In course C you write one more informal task, in course D two, one of them more formal. Speaking is a narrative task in course B and conversations in courses C and D.
Is there a pass mark on the SFI test?
Reading and listening have a points threshold set for each test version, which is not published, and writing and speaking are judged against assessment rubrics. But the test does not decide your grade alone: its result must be given special weight when the teacher sets the grade, Godkänt (pass) or Icke godkänt (fail), together with everything else you have shown during the course.
When is the SFI national test held?
In komvux the tests run on a rolling basis, not on fixed dates like compulsory school. Your school administers the test within permitted test periods. In autumn 2026 existing test versions (no. 6–10) are used; two new tests arrive in spring 2027.
What happens if I don't pass the SFI test?
The test is taken once, at the end of the course, and you may not take the same test more than once. If you do not reach the goals you can keep studying, and after further study you may sometimes get another chance. Your teacher makes the final assessment based on the test and everything else you have shown during the course.
How do I best prepare for the SFI test?
Practise all four skills, not just reading, and train under time pressure. Realistic practice tests in the right format help most. The SFI Prov app offers practice tests with AI feedback on writing, listening with recorded audio, and mixed question types.
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