Overview
Polisutbildning is the basic training programme for police officers in Sweden. Admission is decided by Polismyndigheten (the Swedish Police Authority), while Plikt- och prövningsverket (the Swedish Defence Conscription and Assessment Agency) handles applications and runs the medical and psychological tests on the police's behalf. Applicants must meet formal requirements, then pass every part of a multi-step assessment covering aptitude, personality, health, fitness, a psychologist interview, a drug test and security vetting.
The programme lasts five terms: four full-time terms of study on the police programme at a university, followed by a six-month paid aspirant term working as a police officer under supervision.
Who can apply
Citizenship: Swedish citizenship; dual citizenship is accepted.
Age: at least 18, with no upper age limit.
Education: general university entry eligibility plus specific eligibility in Swedish 3 (or Swedish as a second language 3), English 6, and Social Studies 1b (or 1a1 and 1a2), or equivalent. Higher grades are not required; meeting the course requirements is what counts. Upper-secondary students must have their diploma before applying.
Driving licence: a valid Swedish category B licence before the programme starts; a licence for automatic cars is accepted.
Swimming: 150 m breaststroke, 25 m backstroke without arm strokes, and retrieving a dummy from 1.5 m depth, all within 10 minutes, certified on the police's form 711.5.
BMI: between 18 and 33.
Vision: at least 0.1 in each eye without correction, and at least 0.8 with correction; corrections stronger than +8 or -9 dioptres are not accepted.
Hearing: average hearing loss in the worse ear no greater than 20 dB at 500 to 2000 Hz and 30 dB at 3000 to 6000 Hz.
Health: good physical and mental health. Medical certificates are needed for conditions such as ADHD and other neuropsychiatric diagnoses, depression, eating disorders, PTSD, anxiety disorders and OCD, generally with one to two years of recovery and at least a year without medication.
Drugs: zero tolerance; the drug test must be negative.
Exam pattern
The assessment is held at Plikt- och prövningsverket's test centres in Stockholm, Göteborg or Malmö. Every component must be passed.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| Theoretical test | Computer-based aptitude test of verbal, spatial and logical ability; it decides whether the candidate continues |
| Personality test | Questionnaire; candidates are told to answer as they are, not as they think is expected |
| Nurse pre-examination | Review of the health declaration and a physical check of general condition, build, skin, joints, limbs, back and shoulders |
| Vision and colour vision | Checked against the vision standards above |
| Hearing | Several frequencies tested with headphones in a soundproof booth |
| EKG, pulse and blood pressure | Recorded before the fitness test and reviewed by a doctor |
| Fitness test | Exercise bike with rising workload until the requirement is met or the candidate is exhausted |
| Muscle strength | Legs, back, arms and shoulders measured with a lift from the floor to chin height |
| Height, weight and BMI | Recorded and checked against the BMI range |
| Medical examination | A doctor weighs all results and decides medical fitness for training and police work |
| Psychologist interview | Background, life experience and plans, with a focus on loyalty and reliability |
| Drug test | Compulsory; any trace of drugs means rejection regardless of other results |
| Security and suitability vetting | Interview with police staff and register checks |
Pregnant candidates cannot take the fitness or strength tests.
Marking and results
Results are pass or fail, and all parts must be passed. A passed component stays valid for 24 months. A failed component has a waiting period before it can be retaken:
| Component | Waiting period after a fail |
|---|---|
| Aptitude test | 12 months |
| Personality test | 12 months |
| Fitness and strength tests | 3 months |
| Vision, hearing, medical assessment | None set; a retest may be allowed case by case |
| Psychologist interview | 12 months |
| Drug test | 24 months |
| Security interview | 12 or 24 months |
| Register check | 24 months |
The security interview and register check are always repeated rather than carried over. In many cases, specific failed components can be retaken without redoing the whole assessment.
How to apply
Applications are open all year, at any time, through Plikt- och prövningsverket's website. The steps are:
Submit an application on Plikt- och prövningsverket's website.
Answer a web questionnaire about health, fitness and personal suitability on your account page. Eligibility in grades is checked with Universitets- och högskolerådet (UHR).
Book a test date in Stockholm, Göteborg or Malmö, and prepare a CV, references and proof of qualifications.
Take the medical, psychological and physical assessment.
Meet an admissions officer to choose study location and format.
Receive the admission decision, followed by the employment decision once recruitment is complete.
After the exam
The police programme is taught at Umeå University, Södertörn University, the University of Borås, Linnaeus University in Växjö and Malmö University, with Uppsala University starting from spring 2027. Students choose campus study or distance study; both are full time, and distance students spend about one week a month on site. Subjects include law, criminology, behavioural science, care science and political science, alongside practical courses such as crime prevention, investigation, interviewing, forensic techniques, conflict management and tactical driving, with human rights and ethics throughout.
In the final aspirant term, the student works as a police officer under supervision and chooses which police area to serve in, though the employer decides the exact workplace. When checked in October 2026, the Police Authority listed an aspirant salary of SEK 23,000 a month plus any unsocial-hours supplements, with an extra SEK 5,000 a month in the Stockholm region.
Preparation tips
Check your course eligibility, driving licence and swimming certificate before applying, since they are hard requirements.
Train for the bike test and practise lifting technique for the strength measurement; a failed fitness test only blocks a retest for three months.
Answer the personality test honestly rather than as you think the police would want.
Read the health requirements carefully and gather medical certificates early if any condition applies to you.
When can I apply to Polisutbildning?
At any time of year. Applications are handled through Plikt- och prövningsverket.
Is there an upper age limit?
No. Applicants must be at least 18, with no maximum age.
How long are my test results valid?
A passed component is valid for 24 months. Failed components carry waiting periods from 3 to 24 months depending on the test.
Can I study at a distance?
Yes. Distance study is full time, with about one week a month on site.