Move with children: school, preschool and consent

Which municipality is responsible for the school when we move?

Home municipality, i.e. the municipality where the child is registered in the population registration. It must ensure that all children living there and having compulsory education can attend primary school. As long as flyttanmälan (notification of change of address) is not done, it is the old municipality that counts as the home municipality. If the child has protected population registration, the home municipality is instead the municipality where the child lives.

Source: Education Act (2010:800). 29 chap. 6 § and 10 chap. 24 § Education Act.

Can the child continue in the old school?

Yes, for the rest of the school year. A pupil who has been admitted to a municipality's primary school has the right to continue for the rest of the school year even if the family moves. If the pupil has only one year left, they can also continue for that last year. After that, or if you want to change immediately, you apply for a place in the new municipality.

If you want the child to continue longer in a school in the old municipality, the child is only entitled to do so if there are special reasons based on the child's personal circumstances. Otherwise, the municipality may admit the child if you wish, but it does not have to. A decision on special reasons can be appealed to the Education Authority's appeals board.

Source: Education Act (2010:800), National Agency for Education: Choosing preschool class and primary school. 10 chap. 25, 27 and 28 §§ Education Act.

How to change school in the middle of the term?

The same rules apply as when the child started school. You request a school, and the municipality places the child there if it does not deprive another child of their right to a school near their home. The school must also have a vacant place in the child's year. How the application is made differs between municipalities: sometimes in a school choice system or an e-service, sometimes on a form or directly at the school. If the child has two guardians, both must sign the application for a school change.

The old school is responsible for transferring grades, individual development plans, and other documentation to the new school. If the child has special support, the action programme and support plans must be included. For information covered by secrecy, the school may need your consent. If you move to Gothenburg, the city accepts applications for a school place at the earliest six months before the move, and how it is done is stated in the post about preparing the children for the move.

Source: Skolverket, Utbildningsguiden: Byta grundskola, School Act (2010:800), Gothenburg City: School change. 10 chap. 30 and 31 §§ skollagen.

How does the queue work for an independent school?

If an independent school has more applicants than places, it selects students based on the selection criteria approved by Skolinspektionen. The most common criteria are queue time, sibling priority, and proximity to the school. Someone who moves to a new location often has a short queue time, so apply to the municipal school in parallel (our advice).

Source: Skolverket: Välja förskoleklass och grundskola, School Act (2010:800). 10 chap. 36 § skollagen.

Preschool and after-school care in the new municipality

When you have applied for a preschool place, the municipality must offer a place within four months, as close to your home as possible and with reasonable consideration for your wishes. Therefore, apply as early as the new municipality accepts applications. The municipality must offer after-school care as soon as it is clear that the child needs a place, to the extent that your work or studies require.

Source: School Act (2010:800). 8 chap. 14 and 15 §§ and 14 chap. 3 to 5 §§ skollagen.

Gymnasium and boarding

Applicants to a national programme in upper secondary school from the same municipality or cooperation area are given priority. An applicant from another municipality is only given priority if there are special reasons, or if the home municipality does not offer the programme. If the upper secondary school student remains in the old location when the family moves, or has to live in another location to attend their education, the home municipality must provide support for accommodation. If the student receives the support in cash, it is at least one thirtieth of the price base amount per full month.

Source: School Act (2010:800). 15 chap. 32 § and 16 chap. 43 and 44 §§ skollagen.

Do both guardians need to approve the move?

If the child has two guardians, they make decisions about the child's personal matters together. One guardian cannot make decisions of significant importance for the child's future alone, unless the child's best interests clearly require it.

In the population registration, it looks like this: if the whole family is moving together, it is enough for one guardian to make and approve flyttanmälan. If you live apart, the one who lives with the child makes the notification, and the other approves it in the e-service Lämna samtycke within seven days. If the other does not approve, Skatteverket rejects the notification for the child and investigates where the child should be registered, among other things based on where the child sleeps and attends preschool or school. The one who approves flyttanmälan only approves that the population registration is changed and does not lose custody.

Source: Skatteverket: Notify move for child, Parental Code (1949:381) (riksdagen.se). 6 chap. 13 § Parental Code.

Source: Skatteverket: Notify move for child, Parental Code (1949:381) (riksdagen.se), School Law (2010:800).

How to move with children

1. 1

   Step 1: If the child has two guardians who are not moving together: agree on the move before you do anything else.

   § 6 chap. 13 § Parents Code (1949:381), checked 5 October 2026

2. 2

   Step 2: Apply for preschool in the new municipality as soon as the municipality accepts applications. The municipality has four months to offer a place.

   § 8 kap. 14 § skollag (2010:800), checked 3 October 2026

3. 3

   Step 3: Apply for school with the new municipality or the independent school. Both guardians sign the application for a school change.

   § 10 kap. 30 och 31 §§ skollag (2010:800), checked 3 October 2026

4. 4

   Step 4: Tell the old school, which sends grades, action plans and other documentation to the new one.

5. 5

   Step 5: Make the school and flyttanmälan to Skatteverket aware of the change for the children, at the latest one week after the move. The other parent agrees within seven days if necessary.

6. 6

   Step 6: Change healthcare centre and dental care for the children in the new region (how to change).

7. 7

   Step 7: Talk to the children about the move in good time and keep to your daily routines as much as possible. our advice

Child allowance, maintenance support and care

The child allowance is paid out automatically, and Försäkringskassan (the Swedish Social Insurance Agency) gets the new address from Skatteverket when you have done flyttanmälan. If you have maintenance support, you must notify Försäkringskassan if you become cohabiting, if someone moves in with you or if a child moves away from home. What applies to the children's healthcare and dental care after the move is stated in the guide on changing healthcare centre and dentist.

Source: Försäkringskassan: Child allowance and large family supplement, Försäkringskassan: Notify us of any changes.

How do you prepare the children?

How children react to a move, how you talk about it and where you turn if the child feels unwell afterwards is in the post about preparing the children for the move.

The law behind it

The sections summarised, with a link to the legal text on riksdagen.se.