Teacher qualification (Swedish: lärarbehörighet) refers to the proportion of teachers who hold a teaching licence and qualification in the subjects they actually teach. The licence is issued by Skolverket and requires a completed teacher education programme. The qualification specifies which subjects and year levels the teacher is certified to teach.
Why does teacher qualification matter?
Research shows a clear correlation between teacher qualifications and teaching quality. Qualified teachers have deeper subject knowledge, better pedagogical skills and more legally sound grading. Since 2015, only licensed teachers may award grades — unqualified teachers must have a licensed colleague's co-assessment.
National average and variation
The national average for teacher qualifications in compulsory school is around 70–75%. The variation is large: municipal schools generally have higher qualification rates than independent schools, and major cities often have lower rates due to intense competition for teachers. Rural municipalities and smaller towns without teacher training programmes often struggle to recruit.
Differences between school types
Upper secondary schools generally have higher qualification rates than compulsory schools, partly because the subject teacher programme grants direct qualification in upper secondary subjects. Preschool class and after-school centres have different requirements. Read more about school types.
Qualifications on Skolkoll
Skolkoll displays qualification data from Skolverket's teacher register. The figure refers to full-time positions with a licence and subject qualification. Note that the figure may vary depending on whether substitutes and hourly-paid staff are included. Data refer to the 2023/24 school year.