Swedish language requirements for employment

Here you will find information about the language regulations that apply to employment from 1 October 2026 onwards, as well as information on how these language skills can be demonstrated.

Content

• Swedish language requirements for teaching positions
• Excellent proficiency in Swedish
• Sufficient proficiency in Swedish
• Proficiency in Finnish
• Exemptions
• Language requirements for other expert and support staff
• Åbo Akademi Language board

Swedish language requirements for teaching positions

Specific language requirements in Swedish and Finnish apply to teaching positions at the university. These requirements are based on the Universities Act and the university’s language regulations.

Teaching positions include professors, senior university lecturers, university lecturers, university teachers, and other positions with a significant proportion of teaching duties.

As a general rule, teaching positions require excellent proficiency in Swedish and the ability to understand Finnish.

The language requirements applicable to each position are specified in the vacancy announcement and must be verified before an employment decision is made.

Excellent proficiency in Swedish

Excellent proficiency in Swedish corresponds to an excellent ability to use Swedish, both orally and in writing.

The requirement can be met through:

• school education completed in Swedish, combined with a maturity test (mognadsprov) in Swedish as part of a higher education degree,
• a pass in the language examination administered by the Åbo Akademi University Language Board,
• the National Certificate of Language Proficiency (YKI) in Swedish at level 6,
• the Finnish matriculation examination with at least the grade magna cum laude approbatur in Swedish as a mother tongue,
• the Finnish matriculation examination with at least the grade eximia cum laude approbatur in Swedish as a second language.

If an applicant has clearly demonstrated, through previously documented activities, the Swedish language proficiency required for the position, the Language Board of Åbo Akademi University may determine that a language test is not necessary.

In certain cases, a native Finnish citizen may be appointed to a fixed-term position based on sufficient proficiency in Swedish. In such cases, excellent proficiency in Swedish must be demonstrated before the end of the fixed-term employment, in accordance with the guidelines for excellent proficiency in Swedish.

Sufficient proficiency in Swedish

For individuals who are not native Finnish citizens, at least sufficient proficiency in Swedish is required, corresponding to level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

The requirement can be demonstrated through: 

• civil cervant language proficiency (good proficiency), 
• the National Certificate of Language Proficiency (YKI) at level B2,
• studies that, under the applicable regulations, provide equivalent language proficiency,
• previously documented activities that are assessed by the Åbo Akademi University Language Board as corresponding to the level required for the position.

Proficiency in Finnish