Preschool-teacher recruitment falls before tougher Swedish entry rule

Fewer people are qualifying for and entering preschool-teacher training in Sweden, even as the required Swedish grade is set to rise from E to D in autumn 2027.

The Universities Council, UHR, highlighted the decline in its 7 October admissions report. It says several universities offer preparatory Swedish courses for people who need to improve their language qualifications before applying to teacher training.

The fall in both eligible applicants and admissions has continued for several years. Skolverket, Sweden’s education agency, expects a longer-term shortage of preschool teachers despite smaller birth cohorts.

That runs against the broader pattern. Eligible applications rose in all 13 professional-degree categories UHR tracked where job prospects are assessed as very good over five years. Admissions also rose in six of those categories, with particularly clear growth in health and care.

More than 462,600 people applied for at least one higher-education course or programme at the first selection stage for autumn 2026, a record and 1.4% more than a year earlier. UHR also reports rising international applications, while warning that overall demand may level off in the next few years.

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