This page compares the education systems of Turkey and Sweden.
Education System Overview
| Category | Turkey | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| System Type | Public-private mix; Governance model: Centralized, with national education policy, curricula and major regulations administered primarily through the Ministry of National Education. | 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 | Ministry of National Education (MEB) for school education and the Council of Higher Education (CoHE / YÖK) for higher education. | 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) | 3.1% of GDP (2022, 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
| Category | Turkey | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Age Range | Approximately age 6 to age 18, covering 12 years of compulsory schooling. | 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) | 12 years | 10 years: one compulsory preschool-class year followed by nine years of compulsory school. |
| Pre-primary Education (ECE) Access | Optional; the adjusted net enrollment rate for ages 3–5 was 49.63% in 2024/25. [MEB] | 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) | 4 + 4 + 4 (Primary + Lower Secondary + Upper Secondary). | 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
| Category | Turkey | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Year Start (Typical Month) | September | August |
| Academic Year End (Typical Month) | June | June |
| Instruction Weeks per Year | 36 weeks | — |
| Instruction Days per Year | 180 days in the 2025/26 school year. | At least 178 school days per academic year in compulsory school; compulsory activities may not exceed 190 days. [Skolverket] |
Grading System
| Category | Turkey | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Primary/Secondary Grading Scale | A 0–100 scale is commonly used in secondary education; primary-level assessment also incorporates competency and developmental evaluation. | 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 0–100 and/or 4.0 GPA systems depending on the institution, with ECTS used for credit recognition and transfer. | 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
| Category | Turkey | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Instruction Languages (K–12) | Turkish | Swedish is the main language of instruction. |
| Other Official / Minority Instruction Languages (K–12) | Greek and Armenian may be used in relevant minority schools alongside Turkish; other living languages and dialects can be offered through approved elective courses. [MEB Eurydice] | 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)
| Category | Turkey | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | 90.9% among students enrolled in public or private formal schools in 2024/25. [MEB] | 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 for public primary and secondary schooling. | $0. Municipal and publicly funded independent compulsory schools are tuition-free for students. |
| Public Schools Nationwide Availability | Yes, with public schools operating nationwide. | Yes; municipalities are responsible for providing access to compulsory education throughout Sweden. |
| Private School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | 9.1% among students enrolled in public or private formal schools in 2024/25. [MEB] | 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)
| Category | Turkey | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Number of International Schools (Total) | 261 international schools under the official classification for 2023/24. [MEB Eurydice] | — |
| Number of IB World Schools | 127 schools in the current IB directory for Türkiye. [IB] | 46 IB World Schools. [IB] |
| Main International Programmes Offered | IB, Cambridge International, American and other international curricula, depending on school authorization and program. | International Baccalaureate (IB) and school-specific international or bilingual curricula. |
Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)
| Category | Turkey | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools) | An eligible Bachelor’s-level degree for the teaching field, followed by the applicable public recruitment process. The current system includes MEB-AGS selection and preparatory training through the National Education Academy. [MEB] | 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) | 20.6 students (2023). [OECD] | 20.5 students (2023, OECD comparable measure). Swedish national legislation does not define a standardized class-size measure. [OECD] |
| Average Class Size (Lower Secondary) | 28 students in public schools / 13 students in private schools (2023). [OECD] | — |
| Average Class Size (Upper Secondary) | — | — |
System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
| Category | Turkey | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| PISA Participation Years | 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) | 454 / 466 / 468. [OECD] | 502 / 506 / 499 [OECD] |
| PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 453 / 456 / 476. [OECD] | 482 / 487 / 494 [OECD] |
| PISA 2025 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 462 / 472 / 494. Türkiye scored close to the OECD average in mathematics and above the OECD averages in reading and science. [OECD] | 464 / 466 / 485 [OECD] |
| PISA Performance Trend 2000–2025 | Türkiye’s 2025 results were higher than in 2022 in mathematics, reading and science. OECD reports that Türkiye was among the few participating systems to improve in all three domains between 2022 and 2025, extending the positive trend recorded in previous cycles. [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: 494), followed by reading at 472 and mathematics at 462. [OECD] | Science — 485 points. [OECD] |
Higher Education System
| Category | Turkey | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total) | 208 higher education institutions in 2025, comprising 129 state universities, 75 foundation universities and 4 foundation vocational schools. [CoHE] | 50 higher education institutions (2025), including universities, university colleges, arts institutions and independent higher education providers. [UKÄ] |
| Number of Universities (Research Universities) | 23 designated research universities. [CoHE] | 18 universities (2025), of which 16 are public-sector institutions. [UKÄ] |
| Number of Universities of Applied Sciences / Colleges | — | 12 university colleges (2025), plus 5 university colleges of fine, applied and performing arts classified separately. [UKÄ] |
| Main Institution Types | State universities; foundation universities; foundation vocational schools; vocational schools operating within universities. | 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) | — | — |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in National Languages (%) | — | — |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in English (%) | — | — |
| Main Global Ranking Used | QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 100 (Selected Ranking) | 0 in the QS World University Rankings 2027. [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) | 6 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) | 11 in the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | 8 in QS 2027. [QS] |
| National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education) | Turkish Higher Education Quality Council (YÖKAK). [YÖKAK] | Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ), responsible for quality assurance, legal supervision, degree-awarding powers and analysis of Swedish higher education. [UKÄ] |
| International Students (Total) | 352,271 international students (January 2025). [CoHE] | 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 (%) | 4.3% in 2023 under the OECD international/foreign student measure. [OECD] | — |
Education Costs (Indicative)
| Category | Turkey | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency) | Typically $0 for eligible students enrolled in a first standard public higher-education program within state-covered conditions; contribution fees can apply in specified cases. | $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) | — | 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
| Category | Turkey | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–2010: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2010–2020: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2020–2024: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2025–2026: Key Updates & Reforms |
General Overview (Narrative)
| Category | Turkey | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | Türkiye operates a centralized education system, with school education overseen by the Ministry of National Education and higher education coordinated by the Council of Higher Education. Compulsory schooling covers approximately ages 6–18 and follows the 4+4+4 structure of primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education. In 2024/25, private schools enrolled 9.1% of students attending public or private formal schools, while public schools accounted for the remaining 90.9%. Pre-primary education is optional, with a 49.63% adjusted net enrollment rate for ages 3–5. Türkiye participated in PISA from 2003 onward and scored 462 in mathematics, 472 in reading and 494 in science in PISA 2025. OECD reported higher results than in 2022 across all three domains. Higher education included 208 institutions in 2025 and 352,271 international students as of January 2025. Recent changes include the phased rollout of the Türkiye Yüzyılı Maarif Modeli and the start of teacher-candidate preparatory training through the National Education Academy in 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. |