FAQ Tisus
Under the heading About Tisus you find information about the assignments within the test as well as information about the application process.
Below you find answers to frequently asked questions about Tisus.
Do I need to take Tisus?
Tisus is a qualifying test in Swedish, intended for anyone with an upper secondary school diploma from a foreign country who is planning to apply for academic studies in Sweden and lacks a certificate in Swedish.
Requirements in Swedish for university studies
In order to fulfil the qualification requirements in Swedish when applying for university studies in Sweden, you will need an approved grade in one of the upper secondary school courses Svenska 3 or Svenska som andraspråk 3. You will need at minimum the grade E.
If you are not duly qualified in Swedish, Tisus is one way of showing your knowledge in Swedish and achieving qualification.
More information on qualification requirements in Swedish, and other ways of demonstrating your knowledge in Swedish, is available at antagning.se: https://antagning.se/sv/betyg-och-behorighet/utlandsk-gymnasieutbildning/det-har-behover-du-ha/behorighet-i-svenska/
What level of Swedish that is required for job purposes varies. Information about assessment of qualifications for job purposes can be found at: https://www.studera.nu/malgruppssidor/ny-i-sverige/
Does an approved Tisus result have an expiration date?
An approved Tisus result is equivalent to a grade, that is, it has no expiration date.
Can I get the application fee back if I am unable to take the test?
No, the application is personal and the fee cannot be repaid. If you regret applying or if you do not show for the test, we will not repay the application fee. In addition, the application fee cannot be transferred to the next test nor to another person.
Repayment of the application fee is only carried out if you can demonstrate that you cannot go through with the test, due to a so-called lawful absence. A lawful absence must be attested by, for instance, showing a doctor’s note.
How difficult i Tisus?
In order to pass Tisus, you need to have knowledge in Swedish equivalent to Svenska 3 in Swedish upper secondary school.
Proficiency in Swedish suitable for academic studies in Swedish
If you pass Tisus, you can apply for academic studies in Sweden, you should therefore have finished foreign upper secondary school (or be studying your last year) at the time of taking Tisus.
Your proficiency in Swedish needs to be at a high enough level so to be suitable for academic studies in Swedish.
The sample tests can give you an indication of whether you have sufficient knowledge in order to achieve an approved result.
Speaking Proficiency Sweden, sample test
Speaking Proficiency abroad, sample test
If you do not have sufficient knowledge of Swedish to do Tisus, there are courses in Swedish as a foreign language (Kurser i svenska som främmande språk). They give the same qualifications in Swedish for university and college studies as Tisus.
What is the pass percentage of Tisus?
The pass percentage varies, but is usually around 50 %.
Is there a minimum age limit to take Tisus?
We advise you not to take Tisus if you are very young. Since you should demonstrate that you have knowledge enough to start university studies in Swedish, it can be difficult to pass the test if you are too young.
In order to pass Tisus, you need to have knowledge in Swedish equivalent to Svenska 3 in Swedish upper secondary school.
The sample tests can give you an indication of whether you have sufficient knowledge in order to achieve an approved result.
Are there any preparatory courses for Tisus?
There are no specific preparatory courses for Tisus, as the test is a proficiency test; consequently, there is no specific literature or curriculum that needs to be studied to prepare for the test.
Read the information under "Preparing for the test" to find information on how to prepare for Tisus.
The passing score for Tisus reading comprehension
We cannot announce a passing score for an upcoming reading test in advance, as the passing score is defined after the test, through extensive analysis.
This post analysis is a guarantee that the difficulty level remains the same in every reading test. In general, the passing score varies, but it is normally set at around 28-32 points of a maximum 45 points.
Dyslexia or another disability
The most common accommodation for test takers with dyslexia or another disability is 50% extra time to complete the test.
When you register for Tisus, you must provide us with a formal evidence/professional assessment report of your dyslexia or other disability, no later than the same day as you submit your registration.
If you write Tisus abroad, we need your assessment report no later than the day you submit your registration of interest.
If you take Tisus abroad the possibility of extended writing time is limited and depends on the local administrator’s availability.
Special needs, other than extended writing time, can usually only be accommodated at the test locations in Sweden.
For questions regarding support if you have dyslexia or another disability please contact us at:
Why does the reading comprehension have a maximum test length?
All reading assignments undergo an extensive test on both native speakers and learners of Swedish. The test length has been deemed as sufficient for test takers who have the reading skills required to complete university studies.
Reading fluency and reading strategies
One of the characteristics of an advanced reader is reading fluency. The reading process of the reader with good fluency is characterized by automatic word recognition and automatic interpretation of various signals in the text (grammatical forms, sentence construction, cohesion and content structure).
An advanced reader handles these processes automatically (i.e. quickly and perhaps without being fully aware of it) and is thereby able to focus on the text's content, central ideas and messages, without having to spend time figuring out the meaning of words, etc.
To have sufficient time to complete all questions, it is necessary to choose appropriate reading strategies. Sometimes you need to read quickly, selectively and efficiently to identify specific information in a text. You need to be able to both scan and skim as well as read carefully and thoroughly in order to fully understand the reasoning within the text.
Why does Tisus coincide with IB exams?
Unfortunately, Tisus needs to be administered these weeks in order to match the application time for university studies and last date to supplement diplomas.
The alternatives are to choose to study Swedish A in your IB, if possible, do a so-called special individual examination (särskild prövning) in Swedish at Komvux, or to take Tisus at a different time, earlier or later.
Can I get at Tisus certificate in English?
Unfortunately, we do not translate Tisus certificates. If you need a certificate translated into English (or any other language), you will need to see to that yourself.
How is my personal data handled?
By registering for Tisus, you agree to that your personal data is stored and processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We use your information to register your results on the test.
Handling of personal data in the speaking proficiency test
The speaking proficiency test is videorecorded to enable further assessment if necessary. Legal ground for collecting the personal data: Article 6.1 of EU 2016:679, GDPR.
The recordings are necessary to ensure an equal and fair assessment. Each test is assessed by two raters who are present during the test. The recordings are used by the raters to review the conversation afterwards and/or when a third rater is consulted for additional assessment. The recordings can also be used for the analysis and development of the speaking proficiency test as well as for the training of raters.
The recordings are saved for 5 years and are subject to confidentiality according to the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (2009:400) ch. 17 § 3c.
Stockholm University (org. no. 202100-3062) is responsible for handling of the personal data. If you have any questions about the data protection regulation, you can send an e-mail to: dso@su.se.
More information about how personal data is handled at Stockholm University:
Privacy Policy (in Swedish)
The Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY) has more information about personal data processing (www.imy.se) and you can file GDPR-complaints to them.
Last updated: March 22, 2024
Source: Department of Swedish Language and Multilingualism