The ranking holds 57 schools in Sweden with an international accreditation or an authorised programme. IB programmes at 45 of them. Cambridge, IGCSE and A-Level, at 11. A preschool section at 12. A year of school costs from $3 091 to $19 093.
1 school publishes a monthly fee rather than a yearly one and does not say how many payments it charges over a school year. We count such a year as ten payments: that is the number charged by the schools that do state it, and that is how long the school year runs in most countries of the ranking.
The median fee for a year of school in Sweden is $5 611. That is 6th for affordability out of 50 countries in the ranking. A comparison only means anything at a single exchange rate, so every figure is converted to dollars from one weekly snapshot.
| Country | Median a year | Schools | With an IB programme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moldova | $1 356 | 4 | 0% |
| Paraguay | $4 673 | 9 | 56% |
| Tajikistan | $5 011 | 13 | 0% |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | $5 020 | 9 | 33% |
| Denmark | $5 230 | 52 | 38% |
| Sweden | $5 611 | 57 | 79% |
| Iceland | $5 832 | 3 | 67% |
| Kyrgyzstan | $6 324 | 27 | 7% |
| Uzbekistan | $6 521 | 47 | 19% |
| Albania | $6 552 | 19 | 16% |
| Chile | $7 239 | 61 | 61% |
| North Macedonia | $7 569 | 10 | 60% |
| Turkmenistan | $7 908 | 4 | 0% |
| Georgia | $7 930 | 29 | 17% |
| Azerbaijan | $8 824 | 28 | 36% |
| Luxembourg | $9 110 | 18 | 33% |
| Lithuania | $9 603 | 38 | 53% |
| Bulgaria | $9 603 | 27 | 59% |
| Slovenia | $9 744 | 12 | 75% |
| Argentina | $10 213 | 215 | 26% |
| Armenia | $10 336 | 15 | 33% |
| Netherlands | $10 352 | 59 | 68% |
| Ireland | $10 513 | 8 | 63% |
| Kazakhstan | $10 514 | 89 | 26% |
| Spain | $10 662 | 492 | 53% |
| Portugal | $10 732 | 73 | 23% |
| Cyprus | $11 184 | 39 | 28% |
| Uruguay | $11 638 | 36 | 31% |
| Latvia | $11 749 | 14 | 79% |
| Estonia | $12 693 | 7 | 86% |
| Montenegro | $12 947 | 9 | 33% |
| UAE | $13 043 | 413 | 15% |
| Croatia | $13 726 | 16 | 56% |
| Czech Republic | $13 789 | 37 | 54% |
| Romania | $14 120 | 47 | 30% |
| Finland | $14 452 | 23 | 83% |
| Serbia | $14 685 | 23 | 26% |
| Hungary | $14 904 | 26 | 38% |
| Thailand | $15 348 | 209 | 20% |
| Andorra | $15 986 | 9 | 44% |
| Greece | $16 155 | 41 | 73% |
| Brazil | $16 781 | 199 | 48% |
| Vietnam | $17 626 | 144 | 17% |
| Malta | $17 737 | 6 | 50% |
| Turkey | $20 170 | 246 | 46% |
| Slovakia | $21 465 | 21 | 52% |
| Austria | $24 289 | 24 | 79% |
| Belgium | $26 261 | 33 | 45% |
| Israel | $28 351 | 16 | 38% |
| Liechtenstein | $38 411 | 1 | 0% |
The median is steadier than the average: one school charging three times the rest does not shift it. It is taken from the top of a school's fee range, that is from the senior stage, which is what families budget for. Free state schools are left out of the median, or it would stop answering the question of what you pay.
| Cheapest | $3 091 a year | Sigtunaskolan Humanistiska Läroverket (SSHL) |
| Median | $5 611 a year | top of the fee range at 8 schools with a published fee |
| Most expensive | $19 093 a year | Stockholm International School |
| Free | 44 schools | International School of the Stockholm Region (ISSR), Rudbecksgymnasiet, Katedralskolan Linköping, Internationella Engelska Skolan Karlstad, Internationella Engelska Skolan Solna, Internationella Engelska Skolan Sundbyberg, Internationella Engelska Skolan Staffanstorp, Internationella Engelska Skolan Västerås, Katedralskolan i Skara, Internationella Engelska Skolan Borås, Katedralskolan Uppsala, S:t Eskils gymnasium, Hvitfeldtska gymnasiet, Katedralskolan Lund, Sven Eriksonsgymnasiet, Carlforsska gymnasiet, The International High School of the Gothenburg Region, NTI Gymnasiet Skövde, International School of Helsingborg, Haganässkolan, Mora gymnasium, Aranäsgymnasiet, Åva gymnasium, Luleå Gymnasieskola, Internationella Engelska Skolan Södra Änggården, Kanalskolan, Torsbergsgymnasiet, Alice Lundsgymnasiet, Franklins gymnasium, International School of Lund Katedralskolan (ISLK), Sundsvalls gymnasium, Per Brahegymnasiet, Växjö Katedralskola, Malmö International School, International School of Älmhult (ISÄ), Täljegymnasiet, Vasa International School of Stockholm, Dibber International School Helsingborg, Europaskolan, Lund International School, Tegelviken, International School of Boden, VBU International High School, Dibber International School Sollentuna |
Figures are converted to dollars at a weekly rate; schools publish their fees in their own currency. One-off charges, meals, transport and uniform are not included unless the school says otherwise. Fees for schools in Sweden are taken from published price lists, not from what third parties say.
91 % of schools in Sweden name a fee on their own site (52 of 57). Across the whole ranking of 3057 schools it is 46 %. We read every school's site and worked out what schools write instead of a sum, and why openness follows the country and the network rather than the school: the study of school fees →
23 of the 57 schools in the ranking are private. The other 34 are state schools, set out below. The type of school does not affect the score: private and state schools sit in one list and are scored by the same formula, and only verifiable data moves the number.
44 schools in Sweden teach an international programme with no tuition fee: International School of the Stockholm Region (ISSR), Rudbecksgymnasiet, Katedralskolan Linköping, Internationella Engelska Skolan Karlstad, Internationella Engelska Skolan Solna, Internationella Engelska Skolan Sundbyberg, Internationella Engelska Skolan Staffanstorp, Internationella Engelska Skolan Västerås, Katedralskolan i Skara, Internationella Engelska Skolan Borås, Katedralskolan Uppsala, S:t Eskils gymnasium, Hvitfeldtska gymnasiet, Katedralskolan Lund, Sven Eriksonsgymnasiet, Carlforsska gymnasiet, The International High School of the Gothenburg Region, NTI Gymnasiet Skövde, International School of Helsingborg, Haganässkolan, Mora gymnasium, Aranäsgymnasiet, Åva gymnasium, Luleå Gymnasieskola, Internationella Engelska Skolan Södra Änggården, Kanalskolan, Torsbergsgymnasiet, Alice Lundsgymnasiet, Franklins gymnasium, International School of Lund Katedralskolan (ISLK), Sundsvalls gymnasium, Per Brahegymnasiet, Växjö Katedralskola, Malmö International School, International School of Älmhult (ISÄ), Täljegymnasiet, Vasa International School of Stockholm, Dibber International School Helsingborg, Europaskolan, Lund International School, Tegelviken, International School of Boden, VBU International High School, Dibber International School Sollentuna. On value for money such schools get the top score, because they sit outside the price range altogether.
34 schools with an international accreditation are funded by the state: International School of the Stockholm Region (ISSR), Rudbecksgymnasiet, Katedralskolan Linköping, International School of the Gothenburg Region (ISGR), Katedralskolan i Skara, Katedralskolan Uppsala, S:t Eskils gymnasium, Hvitfeldtska gymnasiet, Katedralskolan Lund, Sven Eriksonsgymnasiet, Carlforsska gymnasiet, The International High School of the Gothenburg Region, International School of Helsingborg, Haganässkolan, Mora gymnasium, Aranäsgymnasiet, Åva gymnasium, Luleå Gymnasieskola, Kanalskolan, Torsbergsgymnasiet, Alice Lundsgymnasiet, Franklins gymnasium, International School of Lund Katedralskolan (ISLK), Sundsvalls gymnasium, Per Brahegymnasiet, Växjö Katedralskola, Malmö International School, International School of Älmhult (ISÄ), Täljegymnasiet, Tegelviken, International School of Boden, VBU International High School, Ehrensvärdska gymnasiet, International School of Karlskrona. Admission to these schools is usually competitive, and tuition is free or markedly cheaper than at a private school. In the ranking they stand alongside private schools and are scored on the same nine criteria.
Schools in Sweden with an IB programme (45): Sigtunaskolan Humanistiska Läroverket (SSHL), Stockholm International School, International School of the Stockholm Region (ISSR), Rudbecksgymnasiet, Katedralskolan Linköping, International School of the Gothenburg Region (ISGR), Katedralskolan i Skara, Katedralskolan Uppsala, Bladins International School of Malmö, S:t Eskils gymnasium, Hvitfeldtska gymnasiet, Katedralskolan Lund, British International School of Stockholm, Sven Eriksonsgymnasiet, Carlforsska gymnasiet, The International High School of the Gothenburg Region, NTI Gymnasiet Skövde, International School of Helsingborg, Haganässkolan, Mora gymnasium, Aranäsgymnasiet, Åva gymnasium, Luleå Gymnasieskola, Kanalskolan, Torsbergsgymnasiet, Alice Lundsgymnasiet, Franklins gymnasium, International School of Lund Katedralskolan (ISLK), Sundsvalls gymnasium, Per Brahegymnasiet, Växjö Katedralskola, Malmö International School, International School of Älmhult (ISÄ), Täljegymnasiet, Vasa International School of Stockholm, Dibber International School Helsingborg, Europaskolan, International School of Kungsholmen, Lund International School, International School of Boden, VBU International High School, Ehrensvärdska gymnasiet, Dibber International School Sollentuna, Mälardalen International School, International School of Karlskrona. 3 of them run the full three-stage cycle: PYP, MYP and DP. Authorisation is confirmed against the International Baccalaureate register.
The British Cambridge programme - IGCSE and A-Level - is taught at 11 schools in Sweden: Internationella Engelska Skolan Karlstad, Internationella Engelska Skolan Solna, Internationella Engelska Skolan Sundbyberg, Internationella Engelska Skolan Staffanstorp, Internationella Engelska Skolan Västerås, Internationella Engelska Skolan Borås, British International School of Stockholm, Internationella Engelska Skolan Skellefteå, Internationella Engelska Skolan Södra Änggården, AG International School Uppsala, Tegelviken.
A facility counts only when the school names it outright on its own site: a modern campus is not a swimming pool. Swimming pool: 2 schools · Boarding: 1 school.
Comparing schools on a single feature is useless: the most expensive is not the best, and a famous name says nothing about what is backed by documents. The score is therefore built from nine criteria with different weights - from academic programmes and accreditation to facilities, clubs and fees relative to other schools in the country.
A criterion counts towards the score only when there is verifiable data behind it. That is why every score says how many of the nine criteria were counted: at schools in Sweden that is 7.9 out of 9 on average. A school with a detailed site and a school with no site cannot earn an equally reliable score, and that is shown rather than hidden.
Ratings and reviews from Google Maps and other map services are not used: their terms forbid aggregation. Only verified reviews left here count. Full methodology →
The ranking holds 57 schools with an international accreditation or an authorised programme: Stockholm - 7, Gothenburg - 4, Vasteras - 3, Lund - 3, Malmo - 2, Karlskrona - 2, Almhult - 2, Skelleftea - 2, Uppsala - 2, Boras - 2, Borlange - 1, Kungsbacka - 1, Danderyd - 1, Rydeback - 1, Sollentuna - 1, Molndal - 1, Boden - 1, Vaxjo - 1, Skara - 1, Linkoping - 1, Lulea - 1, Mora - 1, Skovde - 1, Jonkoping - 1, Orebro - 1, Eskilstuna - 1, Sigtuna - 1, Sundsvall - 1, Kvicksund - 1, Helsingborg - 1, Bollnas - 1, Sodertalje - 1, Ludvika - 1, Taby - 1, Staffanstorp - 1, Karlstad - 1, Solna - 1, Sundbyberg - 1. Every school says where its accreditation came from: found in a public register, confirmed by a document from the school, or claimed by the school with nothing behind it. We do not hide a claim, but it does not go into the score.
The median fee in Sweden is $5 611 a year. That is 6th for affordability out of 50 countries in the ranking. Cheaper: Moldova, Paraguay, Tajikistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark. The comparison only holds inside one year: all fees are converted into dollars at one weekly rate.
Yes, 44: International School of the Stockholm Region (ISSR), Rudbecksgymnasiet, Katedralskolan Linköping, Internationella Engelska Skolan Karlstad, Internationella Engelska Skolan Solna, Internationella Engelska Skolan Sundbyberg, Internationella Engelska Skolan Staffanstorp, Internationella Engelska Skolan Västerås, Katedralskolan i Skara, Internationella Engelska Skolan Borås, Katedralskolan Uppsala, S:t Eskils gymnasium, Hvitfeldtska gymnasiet, Katedralskolan Lund, Sven Eriksonsgymnasiet, Carlforsska gymnasiet, The International High School of the Gothenburg Region, NTI Gymnasiet Skövde, International School of Helsingborg, Haganässkolan, Mora gymnasium, Aranäsgymnasiet, Åva gymnasium, Luleå Gymnasieskola, Internationella Engelska Skolan Södra Änggården, Kanalskolan, Torsbergsgymnasiet, Alice Lundsgymnasiet, Franklins gymnasium, International School of Lund Katedralskolan (ISLK), Sundsvalls gymnasium, Per Brahegymnasiet, Växjö Katedralskola, Malmö International School, International School of Älmhult (ISÄ), Täljegymnasiet, Vasa International School of Stockholm, Dibber International School Helsingborg, Europaskolan, Lund International School, Tegelviken, International School of Boden, VBU International High School, Dibber International School Sollentuna. These are state schools where the international programme runs with no tuition fee. They stand in the ranking on equal terms with private ones.
We look the school up in the public register of the organisation itself. There are ten such registers today: International Baccalaureate, Cambridge International, CIS, NEASC, COBIS, AEFE, MSA (Middle States Association), Cognia, Pearson Edexcel and the network of German schools abroad. The list grows with the geography of the ranking: a new country usually has an organisation of its own. An accreditation found in a register is marked green and goes into the score. One confirmed only by a document from the school is yellow, and weighs less. One claimed in words is red, and the school's accreditation score is then the lowest. Membership of a network or an association is counted apart: a school joins a network, but earns an accreditation, so membership weighs one step lower. That is why a school calling itself international and a school standing in the ranking are two different things.