The proximity principle (närhetsprincipen) is the selection rule that applies to municipal compulsory schools when there are more applicants than places. The principle means that students who live close to the school have priority over students who live further away.
Application
Exactly how proximity is calculated varies between municipalities — it may be based on straight-line distance, walking distance, or relative proximity (which school is closest to the student). The municipality is obligated to offer a place at a school close to home, but it does not have to be the nearest school if the student has been placed at another one.