About Tisus
Tisus is a qualifying test in Swedish for university and college studies in Sweden. It is, intended for anyone with an upper secondary school diploma from a foreign country, who is planning to apply for academic studies in Sweden and who lacks a certificate in Swedish.
About Tisus in Swedish: Om Tisus
Tisus consists of three sub-tests
Read more about each sub-test:
Application
To sign up for Tisus there is a web form and you will have to pay a registration fee at the same time. Tisus is offered in Gothenburg, Linköping, Lund, Malmö, Stockholm, Umeå and Uppsala in Sweden, as well as abroad.
Information in Swedish about application:
Anmälan och avgift Tisus Sverige
Anmälan och avgift Tisus utland
Please note that the web form is
- in Swedish and that it looks different for Tisus Sweden and Tisus abroad.
- only available during the application period, see Test dates.
Test dates
Scholarship Fund for Swedish Youth Abroad
Scholarship Fund For Swedish Youth Abroad
Test and application dates
Tisus is offered twice a year, once in the spring and once in the autumn. The test dates are the same in Sweden and abroad, but the application dates differ.
Test dates Tisus Sweden
Please note that there are a limited number of seats. It is possible that a test centre can run out of seats before the last application date.
- Usually, sub-test 1 Reading and 2 Writing are given in the morning on a Tuesday and take about four hours.
- N.B! Certain test locations in Sweden do not have time to conduct sub-test 3 Oral proficiency with all test takers on the same day. Therefore, you can get an appointment for the oral exam on either Tuesday or Wednesday.
- Your allotted time for sub-test 3 Oral proficiency is stated in the invitation, which we will email you about three weeks in advance.
Year |
Upcoming test dates |
Application opens up at 08.00 o'clock* |
Last application date at 17.00 o'clock* |
---|---|---|---|
Autumn 2024 | Tue–Wed. 22–23 Oct. 2024 | 5 Aug. 2024 | 13 Sep. 2024 |
Spring 2025 | Tue–Wed. 6–7 May 2025 | 17 Feb. 2025 | 28 March 2025 |
Autumn 2025 | Tue–Wed. 21–22 Oct. 2025 | 4 Aug. 2025 | 12 Sep. 2025 |
Spring 2026 | Tue–Wed. 5–6 May 2026 | 16 Feb. 2026 | 27 March 2026 |
*Local time Sweden.
Test dates Tisus abroad
Please note that there are a limited number of seats. It is possible that a test centre can run out of seats before the last daty of reporting your interest.
Year |
Upcoming test dates |
Period for reporting interest |
Last date for payment of application fee |
---|---|---|---|
Autumn 2024 | Tue. 22 Oct. 2024 | 24 June 2024 at 08.00* – 30 Aug. 2024 at 17.00* |
6 Sep. 2024 |
Spring 2025 | Tue. 6 May 2025 | 6. Jan. 2025 at 08.00* – 14 March 2025 at 17.00* |
21 March 2025 |
Autumn 2025 | Tue. 21 Oct. 2025 | 23 June 2025 at 08.00* – 29 aug. 2025 kl. 17.00 |
5 Sep. 2025 |
Spring 2026 | Tue. 5 May 2026 | 5 Jan. 2026 at 08.00* – 13 March 2026 at 17.00* |
20 March 2026 |
*Local time Sweden.
Year |
Upcoming |
Period for |
Last date for payment of application fee |
---|---|---|---|
Autumn 2024 | Tue. 22 Oct. 2024 | 24 June 2024 at 08.00* – 30 Aug. 2024 at 17.00* |
6 Sep. 2024 |
Spring 2025 | Tue. 6 May 2025 | 6. Jan. 2025 at 08.00* – 14 March 2025 at 17.00* |
21 March 2025 |
Autumn 2025 | Tue. 21 Oct. 2025 | 23 June 2025 at 08.00* – 29 aug. 2025 kl. 17.00* |
5 Sep. 2025 |
Spring 2026 | Tue. 5 May 2026 |
5 Jan. 2026 at 08.00* |
20 March 2026 |
*Local time Sweden.
Important dates and information about university studies in Sweden
Last date to apply for courses and programmes, and for supplementing grades/diploma, please see universityadmission.se (Swedish equivalen: antagning.se)
Test locations
In Sweden, Tisus is organized in seven cities with a geographical spread throughout the country. Abroad, we have no permanent test locations, but Tisus is held where there is a demand and where we have an available test leader.
Test locations Tisus Sweden
In Sweden, Tisus is organized by seven universities on seven locations with a geographical spread throughout the country. Each University/test location has a limited number of places and when you register for Tisus you can therefore be referred to a different location. You sign up for all test locations in Sweden via a web form and at the same time you pay a registration fee.
See the Swedish site:
Test locations Tisus abroad
The Department of Swedish Language and Multilingualism at Stockholm University is responsible for Tisus abroad. In order to administer the test abroad, we cooperate with, primarily, Swedish embassies and consulates, Swedish schools abroad and universities that provide education in Swedish Language and Scandinavian studies.
Approximately 70 different locations across the world
Each examination is administered at approximately 70 different locations across the world, on all continents. At some locations, above all in Europe and the US, some of the test centres administer the test on almost every scheduled occasion, whereas other test centres only administer the test on isolated occasions.
When we receive a report of interest to take Tisus, we investigate whether it is possible to administer the upcoming Tisus test at the desired location.
Test locations vary
We primarily use already established test centres, which can imply that you be referred to a location other than the one desired. That is, we do not have permanent test centres abroad; rather, the test is administered at locations where there is a demand for the test and where we have test administrators available.
Consequently, we cannot guarantee beforehand that a specific test centre will be accessible. However, some test centres administer the test on almost every occasion; in 2023, the following test centers had the largest number of candidates:
- Istanbul (Turkey)
- London (United Kingdom)
- San Fransisco (CA, USA)
- Zürich (Switzerland)
Please note that despite the fact that these test centers received the largest number of candidates in 2023, there is no guarantee that Tisus will be administered at these test centers on upcoming test dates.
Map of test locations abroad:
Karta över provorter i utland 2023 (741 Kb) (in Swedish)
Preparing for the test
Tisus is a proficiency test, not a knowledge test. This means that there are no demands to have read certain literature or passed certain courses. On the other hand, your language proficiency in Swedish must be at a level that allows you to take academic courses in Swedish.
Broaden your vocabulary
To acquire the vast vocabulary needed at this level you can, for example, read Swedish fiction and Swedish newspapers. Keep in mind that the subtests in writing and speaking often require some knowledge about Swedish society, current problems and current events.
You can prepare for Tisus by looking at the sample tests, where you will also find out what will be assessed. The test samples are meant to make you familiar with the design of the tests.
Sample test material
The sample test material enables you to become acquainted with the test. Considering the new qualification requirements in Swedish, Tisus has an increased difficulty level compared to when the sample tests were developed. Only sample test material is available to candidates. All other test material is classified.
Speaking Proficiency Sweden, sample test
Speaking Proficiency abroad, sample test
You can also study the course literature for "Behörighetsgivande kurs i svenska, 30 credits". This course yields the same qualification in Swedish as Tisus does, and the literature is therefore at a suitable level of difficulty.
Behörighetsgivande kurs i svenska (in Swedish)
To bring to the test
To take the test you must be able to present a valid picture ID, and you are allowed to bring some support materials.
Obligatory
It is important that you bring the following to the test:
- a valid picture ID
- pen/pencil and eraser
- fee to test leader (only valid overseas).
Support materials
Please see each sub-test, what to bring or not to bring to the test.
Results
The grading of the test takes approximately 5 weeks. When the grades are set you will receive your results by email.
If you have applied for university studies at a Swedish university or college for the upcoming semester you can submit your Tisus certificate until the last date for completing university applications. You find the exact dates on antagning.se.
Approved results to the Admission service
We will send a list containing all the approved test results to the Admission service (Antagningen) prior to the last date for completing university applications.
- If you have applied via antagning.se for the upcoming semester at a Swedish university/college, you will not have to send in the certificate yourself.
- If you have applied elsewhere, or if you apply late, you will have to send in a copy of your certificate yourself in order to register.
An approved Tisus result is equivalent to a grade, that is, it has no expiration date.
Residual tests
There are two grades: Pass (Godkänt) and Fail (Underkänt).
- To pass Tisus you have to pass all three parts of the exam.
- If one of the components is graded as Underkänt, you are allowed to retake that component only, a so-called residual test.
- You will have to retake the residual test within a year from your first examination (i.e. at one of the two upcoming test occasions).
- If two or three of the components are graded as Underkänt, you will have to retake the whole test.
Residual tests can be taken at any of the test centres in Sweden or abroad (regardless of where you took the first test).
If you are uncertain whether you will pass Tisus, it is advisable that you apply for a course in Swedish as a foreign language (Svenska som främmande språk) at a Swedish university or college before October 15th and April 15th, respectively.
Kurser i svenska som främmande språk (in Swedish)
Grades cannot be appealed. According to The Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100, 6 Chap. § 24) a grade can, however, be reconsidered if it is obviously incorrect due to new circumstances or for some other reason. Reconsideration does not involve reassessment, but can be e.g. a correction of a typo. If you want your result on Tisus to be reconsidered, you must fill in the following form
Omprövning av resultat (682 Kb) (in Swedish)
FAQ Tisus
Answers to frequently asked questions about Tisus:
Since 1997, Tisus replaces the test called Rikstest
Contact
- Visiting address
Building D, Södra huset
Room D 618, floor 6
Universitetsvägen 10 D
su.se/tisus
- Office hours
By agreement.
- Phone hours
Tuesday 9–10, 15–16
Wednesday 10–11
Last updated: June 29, 2024
Source: Department of Swedish Language and Multilingualism