Scrapped study grant helped unemployed adults return to education

Six in ten recipients of Sweden’s discontinued study-start grant went on to study with ordinary student aid, according to CSN. Municipalities interviewed by the agency said the grant probably encouraged more unemployed adults to enter education.

The new report, published on Tuesday, examines support that ran from 2017 to 2025. It targeted unemployed people with little or no education and consisted entirely of grants, reducing the need to take on study debt.

Municipalities also described unclear eligibility conditions, manual applications and budget limits that made recruitment and planning difficult.

They disagreed about abolition. Some said it removed an opportunity for people furthest from work and education; others expected little effect because they had used the scheme sparingly.

Around 27,500 people received the support during its lifetime, with SEK 2.4 billion paid out.

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