Reading comprehension among students in higher education 2025
No clear signs of changes in students’ reading comprehension
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2026-04-01 8.00
Existing statistics show no clear signs that performance rate in higher education, measured as the proportion of completed credits, have changed in recent years. Nor are there any clear trends in reading comprehension among those who took the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (SweSAT) during the years 2016–2024. Half of the teaching staff report that they are satisfied with the students’ reading and writing competence.
This is shown in a report produced by Statistics Sweden (SCB) as part of the government assignment to map developments in reading comprehension among students in higher education and to follow up on the effects on, among other things, completion rates.
Good grades in Swedish – higher academic performance in higher education
Good grades in Swedish from compulsory and upper secondary school are associated with higher academic performance in higher education. Women have higher performance levels than men, and students born in Sweden perform better than those born abroad. Regardless of whether previous school results referred to grades in Swedish or to the grade point average, the pattern remained the same – the better the grades, the higher the performance.
The results from the reading comprehension section of the SweSAT remain at roughly the same level, both for all test‑takers and for those who later enrolled in a higher education program. Those who have begun a higher education program have somewhat higher results than the test‑takers overall, but the pattern is the same for both groups.
Large differences in performance levels based on grades in Swedish 3 in upper secondary school
Perceived competence increases at higher levels
When it comes to English, almost six out of ten perceive students’ reading competence as satisfactory, and the higher the level, the greater the share of staff who consider reading competence to be satisfactory.
Staff teaching at the advanced and doctoral levels were more likely to report being more satisfied with students’ reading competence in English than in Swedish. The development in reading competence in English differs markedly from that in Swedish in that a larger proportion of staff perceive an improvement in reading comprehension in English.
Reading competence in Swedish and English is perceived as more satisfactory at higher teaching levels
Many use online sources as an alternative to course literature
Eight out of ten responded that students, to a very high or fairly high extent, turn to online sources as an alternative to the course literature.
Publication
Reading comprehension among students in higher education