Germany vs Sweden (Comparing Education Systems 2026)

Explore full profiles:🏫 Germany Education System 🏫 Sweden Education System

Updated: September 12, 2026 View update notes

September 12, 2026 Sweden – Country Data: Updated Sweden’s 2025 PISA results, higher-education figures, IB school count, and 2025–2026 school reforms.

September 11, 2026 Germany – Country Data: Updated Germany’s PISA section with 2025 scores, full participation years, and current performance trends.

This page compares the education systems of Germany and Sweden.

Education System Overview

Germany and Sweden education system comparison: Education System Overview
Category	Germany	Sweden
System Type	Public-private mix; Governance model: Decentralized (federal). School education is primarily the responsibility of Germany’s 16 Länder, which coordinate cross-state matters through the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK). [KMK]	Public/private mix; governance is decentralized. Municipalities operate most public schools, while publicly funded independent schools (friskolor) may be run by private providers. National legislation, curricula and standards apply across the system.
Governing Body	Länder ministries of education hold primary responsibility for schools and coordinate through the KMK. At federal level, the education portfolio is held by the Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMBFSFJ). [BMBFSFJ]	Ministry of Education and Research; Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket); municipalities; and the Swedish Schools Inspectorate for supervision and authorization of independent schools. [Swedish Schools Inspectorate]
Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP)	5.2% of GDP in 2022, the latest value in the World Bank indicator sourced from UNESCO UIS. [World Bank]	7.3% (2022, latest value in the World Bank/UNESCO UIS series). [World Bank]

Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling

Germany and Sweden education system comparison: Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling
Category	Germany	Sweden
Compulsory Age Range	Compulsory schooling normally begins in the year a child turns 6. The end point varies by Land and pathway because full-time compulsory schooling may be followed by part-time vocational schooling requirements. [KMK]	From the autumn term of the year a child turns 6 until completion of compulsory school, normally around age 16. Preschool class has been compulsory since 2018. [University Admissions]
Total Compulsory Duration (Years)	9 years of full-time schooling in most Länder; 10 years in Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen and Thuringia, while North Rhine-Westphalia uses nine or ten depending on the program. For young people not attending full-time upper secondary education, part-time vocational schooling typically lasts another 3 years. [KMK]	10 years: one compulsory preschool-class year followed by nine years of compulsory school.
Pre-primary Education (ECE) Access	Optional; the participation rate for children aged 3 to under 6 was 95.0% on 1 March 2025. [Destatis]	Optional before compulsory preschool class. In 2024, ECEC enrollment was 95% at age 3, 96% at age 4 and 96% at age 5. [OECD]
Primary + Secondary Education Structure (Years)	Typically 4 + 5–6 + 2–3: primary school normally covers grades 1–4, followed by differentiated lower secondary pathways and upper secondary education. Primary school covers grades 1–6 in Berlin and Brandenburg. [KMK]	1 + 9 + 3: one year of compulsory preschool class, nine years of compulsory school and three years of upper-secondary education. [University Admissions]
Vocational vs. General Upper Secondary Split (%)	—	Among students in national upper-secondary programs in 2024/25, approximately 33.2% were in vocational programs and 66.8% in higher-education preparatory programs, based on 110,900 and 223,600 students respectively. [Skolverket]

Academic Calendar & Instruction Time

Germany and Sweden education system comparison: Academic Calendar & Instruction Time
Category	Germany	Sweden
Academic Year Start (Typical Month)	August/September, depending on the Land.	August
Academic Year End (Typical Month)	June/July, depending on the Land.	June
Instruction Weeks per Year	Approximately 38 weeks, with calendars determined by the Länder.	—
Instruction Days per Year	About 188 teaching days on average, with variation between Länder and school calendars. [Eurydice]	At least 178 school days per academic year in compulsory school; compulsory activities may not exceed 190 days. [Skolverket]

Grading System

Germany and Sweden education system comparison: Grading System
Category	Germany	Sweden
Primary/Secondary Grading Scale	Commonly a 1–6 scale, where 1 is the highest grade and 6 is the lowest; practices can vary by Land and school level.	A–F: A is the highest grade, E is the lowest passing grade and F is a failing grade. Upper-secondary students beginning education after 30 June 2025 receive subject-level grades under Gy25, while the A–F grading scale remains in use. [Skolverket]
Higher Education Grading Scale	Commonly 1.0–4.0 for passing grades, with 5.0 generally representing failure; institutions may use additional grading conventions.	Institution-specific; common systems include U/G/VG (Fail/Pass/Pass with distinction) and other institution- or course-specific letter or numerical scales.

Language of Instruction

Germany and Sweden education system comparison: Language of Instruction
Category	Germany	Sweden
Primary Instruction Languages (K–12)	German	Swedish is the main language of instruction.
Other Official / Minority Instruction Languages (K–12)	Regional provision includes Danish, Sorbian and Frisian, with Low German also supported in relevant Länder.	Sweden's national minority languages are Finnish, Meänkieli, Romani Chib, Sami and Yiddish. Mother-tongue instruction and minority-language education are available under specific statutory conditions.

School Provision & Access (K–12)

Germany and Sweden education system comparison: School Provision & Access (K–12)
Category	Germany	Sweden
Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students)	About 91% of students in general education schools attended public schools in 2023/24. [Destatis]	Compulsory school: 83% attended municipal schools in 2024/25. At upper-secondary level, the latest verified national ownership comparison showed approximately 69% in municipal or other public provision. [Skolverket]
Public School Tuition Fee (Annual, Local Currency)	$0 tuition at public general education schools.	$0. Municipal and publicly funded independent compulsory schools are tuition-free for students.
Public Schools Nationwide Availability	Yes. Public school provision is available nationwide and organized by the Länder and local authorities.	Yes; municipalities are responsible for providing access to compulsory education throughout Sweden.
Private School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students)	9% of students in general education schools attended private schools in 2023/24, totaling about 801,100 students. [Destatis]	Compulsory school: 17% attended independent schools in 2024/25. The independent-school share at upper-secondary level was approximately 31% in 2022/23. [Skolverket]
Private Schools (Geographic Concentration)	—	—

International Schools (K–12)

Germany and Sweden education system comparison: International Schools (K–12)
Category	Germany	Sweden
Number of International Schools (Total)	—	—
Number of IB World Schools	79 IB World Schools. [IB]	46 IB World Schools. [IB]
Main International Programmes Offered	International Baccalaureate, Cambridge, American, French and other national or bilingual curricula, depending on the school.	International Baccalaureate (IB) and school-specific international or bilingual curricula.

Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)

Germany and Sweden education system comparison: Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)
Category	Germany	Sweden
Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools)	Typically university-level Lehramt training, commonly a Master of Education or equivalent state-examination route, followed by preparatory service and a further state examination. Requirements vary by Land.	A recognized teaching degree and teacher certification are required for permanent employment and independent grading in most teaching positions. Requirements vary by school level and subject. [Skolverket]
Average Class Size (Primary)	21 students per primary class in the 2024/25 school year. [Destatis]	20.5 students (2023, OECD comparable measure). Swedish national legislation does not define a standardized class-size measure. [OECD]
Average Class Size (Lower Secondary)	About 19–26 students depending on school type in 2024/25: 19 at Hauptschulen, 21 at schools with two educational pathways, 25 at Realschulen, 26 at Gymnasien and 24 at schools with three pathways. [Destatis]	—
Average Class Size (Upper Secondary)	—	—

System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)

Germany and Sweden education system comparison: System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
Category	Germany	Sweden
PISA Participation Years	2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. [OECD]	2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. [OECD]
PISA 2018 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science)	500 / 498 / 503. [OECD]	502 / 506 / 499 [OECD]
PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science)	475 / 480 / 492. [OECD]	482 / 487 / 494 [OECD]
PISA 2025 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science)	464 / 465 / 486. The corresponding OECD averages were 463 in mathematics, 461 in reading and 482 in science. [OECD]	464 / 466 / 485 [OECD]
PISA Performance Trend 2000–2025	Germany’s 2025 averages were the lowest recorded for the country across its PISA participation in mathematics, reading and science. Compared with 2022, mathematics fell by 11 points and reading by 15 points, while the 7-point change in science was statistically about the same. The longer-term data show lower performance than the levels recorded around the early-to-mid 2010s. [OECD]	Sweden has participated in every PISA cycle since 2000. Between 2022 and 2025, mathematics and reading performance was lower, while science was about the same. Results in all three core domains were below their 2018 levels and among the lowest observed for Sweden across its PISA participation. [OECD]
Strongest Subject Area (PISA 2025)	Science (Score: 486), followed by reading at 465 and mathematics at 464. [OECD]	Science — 485 points. [OECD]

Higher Education System

Germany and Sweden education system comparison: Higher Education System
Category	Germany	Sweden
Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total)	421 higher education institutions in winter semester 2025/26. [Destatis]	50 higher education institutions (2025), including universities, university colleges, arts institutions and independent higher education providers. [UKÄ]
Number of Universities (Research Universities)	112 universities in winter semester 2025/26. [Destatis]	18 universities (2025), of which 16 are public-sector institutions. [UKÄ]
Number of Universities of Applied Sciences / Colleges	206 universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen), excluding a further 30 administrative universities of applied sciences, in winter semester 2025/26. [Destatis]	12 university colleges (2025), plus 5 university colleges of fine, applied and performing arts classified separately. [UKÄ]
Main Institution Types	Universities; Universities of Applied Sciences (HAW/FH); pedagogical universities; theological universities; arts and music institutions; administrative universities of applied sciences.	Universities, university colleges, university colleges of fine, applied and performing arts, and independent higher education providers. [UKÄ]
Tertiary Enrollment Share by Ownership	—	—
English-Taught Degree Programmes (Bachelor + Master, Total)	Nearly 2,400 English-taught degree programs were offered by state-recognized higher education institutions in summer 2025, including about 420 bachelor’s and 1,930 master’s programs. [DAAD]	—
Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in National Languages (%)	—	—
Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in English (%)	4% of bachelor’s programs and more than 18% of master’s programs were English-taught in summer 2025. [DAAD]	—
Main Global Ranking Used	QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS]	QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS]
Universities in Top 100 (Selected Ranking)	4 in the QS World University Rankings 2027: Technical University of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Heidelberg University and Freie Universität Berlin. [QS]	3 in QS 2027: Lund University (#71), KTH Royal Institute of Technology (#=82) and Uppsala University (#=87). [QS]
Universities in Top 500 (Selected Ranking)	28 in the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS]	8 in QS 2027. In addition to the three top-100 institutions, Stockholm University, Chalmers University of Technology, University of Gothenburg, Linköping University and Umeå University ranked within the top 500. [QS]
Universities in Top 1000 (Selected Ranking)	—	8 in QS 2027. [QS]
National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education)	German Accreditation Council (Akkreditierungsrat), the joint institution of the Länder responsible for accreditation decisions covering study programs and higher education quality systems. [Accreditation Council]	Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ), responsible for quality assurance, legal supervision, degree-awarding powers and analysis of Swedish higher education. [UKÄ]
International Students (Total)	Approximately 420,000 international students and doctoral candidates in winter semester 2025/26, based on the DAAD snapshot-survey projection. [DAAD]	46,920 incoming students studied in Swedish higher education in 2024/25, including exchange students and independently mobile students. [UKÄ]
International Students Share of Total Tertiary Enrollment (%)	12.7% in 2023 under the OECD’s internationally comparable tertiary-student definition. [OECD]	—

Education Costs (Indicative)

Germany and Sweden education system comparison: Education Costs (Indicative)
Category	Germany	Sweden
Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency)	Typically $0 tuition for bachelor’s and most master’s programs at state higher education institutions; semester contributions still apply. [DAAD]	$0 for Swedish, EU/EEA and Swiss citizens under the general tuition-fee rules. [UKÄ]
Public University Tuition Fees – International / Non-EU (Annual, Local Currency)	Typically $0 tuition at many state institutions, but exceptions apply for some non-EU students in Baden-Württemberg and at selected institutions in Bavaria. [DAAD]	Typical national range approximately $8,250–$30,420 per academic year for fee-paying students, equivalent to SEK 80,000–295,000 at the 12 September 2026 exchange rate. The exact fee is set by the institution and program. [European Education Area]
Typical Tuition Fees for English-Taught Programmes (Annual, Local Currency)	—	Approximately $8,250–$30,420 per academic year for fee-paying international students, with an average around $13,300; fees vary by field and institution. [European Education Area]
Language School Costs (Monthly, Local Currency)	—	—

Major Education Updates & Policy Changes

Germany and Sweden education system comparison: Major Education Updates & Policy Changes
Category	Germany	Sweden
2000–2010: Key Updates & Reforms	Following early PISA cycles, the Länder expanded the use of educational standards, comparative assessment and school quality monitoring. All-day schooling expanded across the Länder during the decade. Higher education continued the transition toward Bachelor’s and Master’s degree structures associated with the Bologna Process.	Preschool fee ceiling and expanded access: A national maximum preschool fee was introduced in 2002, followed by universal free preschool provision for children aged four and five from 2003. [Government of Sweden] Swedish Schools Inspectorate: A separate national inspection authority began operating on 1 October 2008, separating inspection functions from the National Agency for Education. [Swedish Schools Inspectorate] Higher vocational education: A new national system for higher vocational education was introduced during the late 2000s to combine post-secondary study with labor-market needs. [Government of Sweden]
2010–2020: Key Updates & Reforms	Vocational education and training remained a major upper secondary pathway, combining school-based and workplace learning. School digital infrastructure and digital teaching programs expanded across the Länder. Coordination between the Länder continued through common educational standards and cross-state qualification agreements.	Education Act and curriculum reform: The Education Act adopted in 2010 and reforms implemented from 2011 revised school governance, pupil rights, curricula and knowledge requirements. A–F grading: The six-step A–F grading scale replaced the previous grading system as part of the reforms introduced from 2011. Compulsory preschool class: From the autumn term of 2018, children normally became subject to compulsory schooling from the year they turn six. [Skolverket]
2020–2024: Key Updates & Reforms	The Startchancen Programme began in the 2024/25 school year with a ten-year term and support for about 4,000 general and vocational schools. [BMBFSFJ] The first DigitalPakt Schule period supported school digital infrastructure and equipment across Germany. Federal-state programs continued to support school infrastructure, teaching development and access to digital learning resources.	Lgr22: Revised curricula and syllabuses for compulsory school, preschool class and school-age educare were introduced, with clearer subject content and revised assessment criteria. [Skolverket] Digital-device rules: Education legislation strengthened schools' authority to restrict student use of mobile phones and other electronic communication devices during instruction. Textbook investment: Government funding increased for printed teaching materials while national policy began placing greater emphasis on reading and more selective use of digital tools. [Government of Sweden]
2025–2026: Key Updates & Reforms	A legal entitlement to all-day education and care began on 1 August 2026 for children entering first grade, with phased expansion to grades 1–4 by the 2029/30 school year. [BMBFSFJ] DigitalPakt 2.0 took effect on 1 September 2026, providing €5 billion in federal and Länder funding for school digital education over five years. [BMBFSFJ] The Startchancen Programme had just over 4,000 participating schools as implementation continued across the Länder. [BMBFSFJ]	Gy25 subject grades: Students beginning upper-secondary education after 30 June 2025 moved from course-based grading to subject grades organized in progressive levels. [Skolverket] Preschool digital-tool changes: Curriculum amendments effective 1 July 2025 removed requirements to use digital learning tools and specified analogue materials for children under two, with digital use restricted for older preschool children. [Government of Sweden] Mobile-free compulsory schools: From 1 August 2026, pupils' mobile phones must generally be collected at the start of the school day and returned at the end, with specified exceptions. [Skolverket] Future compulsory-school and grading reforms: Parliament approved new curricula, a ten-year compulsory-school structure and a new 1–10 grading system with national final tests; major implementation stages are scheduled after 2026 rather than being treated as current practice. [Skolverket]

General Overview (Narrative)

Germany and Sweden education system comparison: General Overview (Narrative)
Category	Germany	Sweden
Overview	Germany operates a federal, decentralized education system in which the 16 Länder hold primary responsibility for school organization, curricula and examinations, while the KMK coordinates cross-state standards and recognition. Compulsory full-time schooling begins around age 6 and normally lasts nine years, or ten in several Länder, with part-time vocational schooling requirements applying afterward to some pathways. General education is predominantly public, with about 91% of students in public schools in 2023/24. Germany also maintains a large vocational sector centered on the dual system of workplace and school-based training. In PISA 2025, Germany scored 464 in mathematics, 465 in reading and 486 in science; science was the highest-scoring domain. Higher education comprised 421 institutions in winter semester 2025/26, while state-recognized institutions offered nearly 2,400 English-taught degree programs in summer 2025. Current changes include the phased legal entitlement to all-day primary-school care from August 2026 and DigitalPakt 2.0 from September 2026.	Sweden operates a decentralized public/private education system under national legislation and curricula, with municipalities responsible for most public-school provision and publicly funded independent schools providing an alternative. Compulsory education currently begins with preschool class in the year a child turns six and continues through nine years of compulsory school, giving a standard compulsory duration of 10 years. Upper-secondary education normally lasts three years and includes both vocational and higher-education preparatory programs. Publicly funded schooling is tuition-free, while independent schools enrolled 17% of compulsory-school pupils in 2024/25. In PISA 2025, Sweden scored 464 in mathematics, 466 in reading and 485 in science; mathematics and reading were lower than in 2022, while science was about the same. Higher education includes 50 institutions in the broader official 2025 classification, including 18 universities and 12 university colleges. Incoming international students reached 46,920 in 2024/25. Current school changes include Gy25 subject grading, reduced digital-tool use in preschool and the nationwide mobile-free rule for compulsory schools introduced in August 2026.