Swedish citizenship test delayed — new 2026/2028 timeline

Sweden's citizenship test is being delayed. According to a notification to the government, the tests will not be ready on the original timeline: the Swedish language test is now expected in autumn 2028, while a limited civics test can be piloted as early as 2026. Behind the delay are both tight timeframes for the inquiry teams and open resistance from the universities that received the mandate to develop the tests.

What's delayed — and what isn't

According to the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR), the tests will not be ready on the original timeline, Kvartal reports. The key points:

• The language test: delayed to autumn 2028.
• The civics test: a limited test can be piloted in 2026.
• The pilot test in August 2026: already decided — date and format are covered in our pilot test walkthrough.

The original idea of a single combined citizenship test from the start has therefore become a test in stages, with the civics part first and the language part two years later. More on the pilot test 15 August 2026.

Why is the test being delayed?

Behind the delay is a conflict between the government and the universities that received the mandate. Stockholm University, which is to develop the language test, has objected strongly. The university's view is that politically commissioned tests should not be assigned to independent universities.

Gothenburg University, responsible for the civics part, will only manage to produce prototypes within the promised time, according to Kvartal.

Migration Minister Johan Forssell (Moderate Party) at the same time reminds that universities are state agencies and are expected to follow government decisions. Higher Education Minister Lotta Edholm (Liberal Party) stresses that the tests are important and should be introduced as soon as possible.

So it isn't only technical complexity that's delaying the test — it's also a question of principle about who should construct a test that affects individuals' access to Swedish citizenship.

What does the delay mean for you?

If you're planning to apply for Swedish citizenship now or soon: the citizenship-test requirement only applies once the tests are actually in place. The pilot test in August 2026 is voluntary and applies to a limited group — details in our pilot test walkthrough.

If you want to prepare in good time, several things you can do:

• Read up on the seven knowledge areas the test will cover.
• Understand the difference between the language test and the citizenship test.
• Follow Migrationsverket's official information on citizenship applications.

How to prepare

The best thing you can do now is to start practising early. The test content isn't a secret: it covers core questions about how Sweden is governed, your rights and responsibilities, and society at large. Practise on medborgaretest.se so you're ready the day the test is introduced in its final form.

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Source: kvartal.se. Adapted summary for readers preparing for the Swedish citizenship test.