Where to practise for the SFI national test, for free
Old SFI national tests are confidential. How to practise reading, listening, writing and speaking anyway, with Skolverket's examples and free material.
- 7 min read
- Updated October 26, 2026
Contents
The real SFI national tests are confidential, so you cannot practise with old tests. But you can practise the four parts the test checks: reading, listening, writing and speaking. Skolverket has free example tasks that show what the tasks look like, and the teachers' assessment matrices are public. For the rest, free practice comes from easy news, the library and the free courses on Beyond SFI, built on Skolverket's syllabus for SFI.
What does the national test check?
The SFI national test checks four things: reading, listening, writing and speaking. There is a test in course B, C and D, and you take it at the end of the course. Course D is the last SFI course. (There is no SFI E.)
| Part (delprov) | What you do | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Läsa (reading) | You read texts and answer questions. In course C and D there is usually a longer text. | Read a little every day, longer texts too |
| Höra (listening) | You listen to recordings, for example a news item or a phone message, and answer questions. | Listen to Swedish at normal speed |
| Skriva (writing) | You write texts to a reader. In course D there is usually an informal and a more formal task. | Write to real people |
| Tala (speaking) | A teacher leads the conversation. You speak on your own about something, and you talk with someone else, often another student. | Speak out loud, every day |
A few things are good to know:
- In autumn 2026 the test is taken on paper.
- There is no national test day in Sweden. Each test has a first and a last allowed date. Your school picks the day, when your course is near its end.
- The result is Godkänt (pass) or Icke godkänt (fail). The test counts a lot, but your teacher sets the grade for the course.
- The tests are developed by a test group at Stockholm University. Skolverket is responsible for them.
- New tests come in January 2027. They are built on new SFI course plans and apply to courses that start after 31 December 2026. Parts of the test may look different. Ask your teacher which test you will take.
How the test works, its parts and the result are explained in our guide to the SFI national test.
Can I get old national tests?
No. Old SFI tests are confidential, even after they are no longer used. This is because Skolverket can use the tasks again. So there are no official old tests to download.
This is public and free:
- Example tasks from Skolverket for all four parts. For Höra there are five tasks with audio files. They show what the tasks can look like.
- Assessment matrices with comments for Skriva and Tala, for course B, C and D. They are on Stockholm University's website.
Do you see a site that sells "old national tests"? Be careful. The real tests are confidential, and you do not need them to pass.
What you need is practice in the four parts. You can get that for free on Beyond SFI: exercises in reading, listening, writing and speaking at the level of courses C and D, built on the syllabus requirements for those courses. The test is built on the same syllabus. They are not old test tasks, but they train the same skills. See how the courses work.
What do the teachers look for?
Teachers look at one thing first: do you solve the task so the reader or listener understands you? This is in the assessment matrices. The matrices for course D include these requirements, here in plain words:
- The content fits the task. You answer what the task asks, and you say enough.
- You adapt your language. You write and speak one way to a friend and another way to a landlord or an authority.
- The text holds together. It has a beginning, a middle and an end. You connect sentences with words like eftersom (because), för att (in order to), men (but) and sedan (then).
- You keep the conversation going. You show that you listen, you ask questions and you help the conversation move forward.
- Words, grammar, spelling and pronunciation count too. You can make mistakes and still pass, as long as they do not make you hard to understand. But in course D being understood is not enough: you also need to vary your language and write more formally when the recipient calls for it.
How do I practise each part?
Practise a little every day. Here are ideas for each part, and many of them train several parts at once. Everything here is free. Want it all in one place? The free courses on Beyond SFI train reading, listening, writing and speaking in every chapter. See how they work.
Reading. Read 8 Sidor, short news in easy Swedish. Borrow easy-to-read books (lättläst) at the library. When that goes well, read a normal news article once a week, because the test in course C and D usually has a longer text. Look up new words in Lexin. Also try three free reading exercises with answers.
Listening. Listen to Klartext on Sveriges Radio and Radio Sweden på lätt svenska (news in easy Swedish). Listen once without text. Then listen again and notice what you missed. Also do Skolverket's five listening tasks with audio.
Writing. Write for real: a text message to a friend, an e-mail to the school, a note to a neighbour. Then write the same message to someone you do not know. Check where the verb goes in the sentence. It is one of the most common mistakes. Ask your teacher to read one text a week.
Speaking. Go to a språkcafé (language café) at the library. Talk about your day for two minutes and record yourself on your phone. Practise phrases that keep a conversation going: "Vad tycker du?" (What do you think?), "Kan du säga det igen?" (Can you say that again?) and "Jag håller med, men …" (I agree, but …).
Free practice on Beyond SFI, and why it fits
Beyond SFI has two free courses built on Skolverket's syllabus for SFI, the same syllabus your SFI course and the national tests follow today. Courses that start after 31 December 2026 follow new course plans. The courses are based on the requirements for a pass in course C and D. Every chapter trains all four parts in an everyday situation, for example at the health centre or with a neighbour.
| Part of the test | How you practise on Beyond SFI | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | Short texts that look like real ones: letters from authorities, menus, timetables. Longer articles you read in 8 Sidor or a normal newspaper | Free |
| Listening | Conversations and phone calls with questions, and dictation | Free |
| Writing | The same message to a friend and to someone you do not know, with a model answer and a checklist | Free. AI feedback on your text is part of Plus, the first one is free |
| Speaking on your own | You record yourself, with tips, a checklist and a model answer | Free. AI feedback on what you say is part of Plus |
| Speaking with others | The courses have no spoken conversation. With Plus you can chat in writing with an AI conversation partner and practise keeping a conversation going, but pronunciation and real-time talk are best practised with real people, for example at a språkcafé | The chat is part of Plus, one chat is free |
Which course fits you?
- Are you in course C, or have you just started course D? Start with Everyday Swedish A2. It starts at the level of course C and works towards what course D asks for. 14 chapters (you do 13), about 42 hours.
- Are you nearly done with course D, or have you passed it? Then Everyday Swedish B1+ fits. 10 chapters, about 40 hours.
Both courses, Beyond SFI's own final exams and the certificate are free. You practise at your own pace, on your phone.
Some things we want to say clearly. Beyond SFI is not the national test. We do not copy the test format and we use no real test tasks. We cannot promise anything about your result, and our certificate is not a grade from Skolverket. Use the courses together with your teacher's material. You find more free resources for course C and D in our guide to free SFI material.
The last week before the test
- Ask your teacher which day the test is and how it works at your school.
- Do Skolverket's example tasks once, so the format does not surprise you.
- Time yourself reading a longer text. See how long it takes you.
- Write by hand. The test is usually on paper. Write a short e-mail with a beginning, a middle and an end, and read it out loud.
- Record yourself speaking for two minutes. Listen, and say it once more.
- Sleep well the night before. A rested brain reads faster.
Our honest take
Practise your Swedish, not the test. The test is built to reward real communication: the reader understands you and the conversation works. People who read, listen, write and speak a little every day are the best prepared. Hunting for old tests or tricks helps less than you think. Twenty minutes a day for four weeks does more than a whole weekend just before the test.
Common questions
Related articles
- Free SFI material: practice for courses C and D
- Swedish word order: why it is ”Igår gick jag”
- How to apply for SFI: steps, waiting time, preparation
Facts checked: October 2026. Your school decides when and how the test is taken. Ask your teacher if something is unclear. Beyond SFI is independent and not affiliated with Skolverket or Stockholm University.
Sources
- Stockholm University – Om sfi-proven (parts, confidentiality, assessment matrices for Skriva and Tala)
- Skolverket – Gamla prov och exempeluppgifter i sfi (example tasks)
- Skolverket – Provdatum för komvux i svenska för invandrare
- Skolverket – SKOLFS 2026:6, national tests in SFI autumn 2026 and spring 2027 (tests on paper)
- Skolverket – Bedömningsstöd i komvux i svenska för invandrare
- Skolverket – Nationella prov (changes in January 2027) · Information om de nya kursplanerna i sfi
- Skolverket – Kommentarmaterial till kursplanen i sfi