A Comprehensive Guide to Help Parents Navigate the Gymnasium Application Process

At BISS, we support our students and their families through every step of their educational journey. For parents of IGCSE students looking to apply to gymnasium (upper secondary school) in Stockholm, understanding the process and requirements is key to ensuring a smooth transition. 

Pathways:

Gymnasium courses are organised into ‘tracks’; broad pathways that students follow with an aim of pursuing further study in that area later in life.  

Typical pathways available include:

• Business Management and Economics 

• The Arts

• The Humanities 

• The Natural Sciences

• Technology 

Students can decide their preferred ‘track’ in the January after their application. The first stage of the application is done through the ‘Indra’ system - the official application platform for Swedish gymnasiums.

Firstly, to apply for gymnasium courses in Swedish students must take and achieve a passing grade (A-E) in the national Swedish tests. The required grade varies according to what ‘track’ students intend to follow and which gymnasium they intend to apply to.

Students should strive to achieve the best possible results in all of their IGCSE subjects; as explained below due to the quota system BISS the Gymnasiums will consider the whole picture when considering an applicant who has studied IGCSEs.

Understanding the Swedish Grading System:

While IGCSE grades don't directly convert to Swedish points (especially as Swedish students would usually do more subjects) here's how they are viewed for academic comparison:

Indra:

To begin within the students’s IGCSE predicated grades are entered into the Indra system. These are teacher professional forecasts of the grade they believe students will achieve in the final IGCSE examinations. ‘Mock’ examinations play a key role in helping teachers to forecast these grades and such is crucial the students considering applying to the Swedish system need to maintain high standards throughout their IGCSE studies.

A useful note on the Indra system. Until final decisions are made, students may see an "ineligible" status in the system. This is normal for international applications and resolves in the final stages so should not be a cause for concern.

The Free Quota System:

For BISS students the process can is a little more complex than for those at Swedish schools, but this is often to their advantage. IGCSE grades are treated as foreign qualifications and assessed under the "free quota" system.  This means there are no specific point totals and gymnasiums are free to evaluate applications holistically based on academic achievement. As such BISS students should consider that every IGCSE course that they take will be considered as part of the application process.

A Summary of the Application Timeline:

• Early-January:

• Indra opens - students are sent login details and can explore courses and submit initial preferences.  

• Predicted grades are entered.

• Mid-January: 

• Students can start applying for courses in the first round.

• Mid-February: 

• Deadline for first round applications - allowing gymnasiums to assess demand for various courses.  

• Mid-April:

• The second round begins, enabling students to adjust their choices based on demand and feedback.  

• Early-July: 

• Final deadline for changes.  

• August:

• Decisions are made for students applying from Swedish schools in July. IGCSE students receive their decisions in August due to the free quota assessment.  

At BISS, we are committed to guiding students through this significant milestone. If you have questions or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out. The full application timeline and details are also available on the gymnasium admissions website.