How the citizenship exam works

The citizenship exam is a knowledge test run by UHR (the Swedish Council for Higher Education). It is used to fulfil the requirement of basic knowledge about Swedish society for people applying for Swedish citizenship.

On 6 June 2026 the Citizenship Act was changed and the requirements for becoming a Swedish citizen were tightened. One of the new requirements is being able to show knowledge of Swedish and Swedish society — either through approved grades or by passing the citizenship exam.

The exam is being introduced in stages. The first exam, in civics, was held in August 2026. An exam in the Swedish language will be introduced at a later date.

UHR is responsible for developing, administering, and grading the exam. Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency) is responsible for assessing citizenship applications and decides who is directed to take the exam.