Freeway - Graduation in Sweden

Typical Swedish graduation clothing

Graduation in Sweden

The third and last school-year at the Swedish upper secondary school includes a lot of activities for the students. They have to decide what they are going to do with their lives, and how they will manage to stand on their own feet after school. Of course there’s also a lot of celebration and fun festivities.

We don’t have big exams the last year as many other countries, but instead we have many small tests in every subject during all the three years. It’s hard to get a job right after you have finished the upper secondary school. In most cases you need to study many years at a university to get the job that you want. To enter a university, you apply with your leaving certificate. You can also take a test on your knowledge that hopefully will be enough for university studies. During the last school-year the students also have a lot of fun. In each class the good spirit gets better. All the classes compete with each other to be seen and heard the most. Before the big final of the three school-years - the prom - there is a big countdown that includes many parties. For example the students have a party when there’s 250 days left, 200, 150 and it continues all the way to the graduation. The last week is very intense with many preparations.

The last day of school The last day starts early in the morning, often in a park. The classes celebrate with breakfast that includes champagne and strawberries. After that all the graduates gets their grades that they have worked hard for during these three years. The Principal makes a speech to the students and wishes them luck in the future. Several scholarships are handed out to students who have showed a lot of knowledge and engagement. After this ceremony the graduates walks out to the waiting families and relatives. They are singing happily, the girls in white dresses and the boys in suits. The families and friends celebrate them with flowers and presents. Every class has a vehicle, often a lorry, that they have decorated with balloons and leaves of birch. Those vehicles drive around in the city with the singing and cheerfully students on the platforms. After this ride there’s only a few hours left to the prom. Those hectic hours are spent at hairdressers, photographers and with relatives.

The Swedish prom - an expensive pleasure
The prom is an expensive pleasure that everyone can’t afford. This is examples of what you have to get before the graduation:

* Ticket to the prom 430 SEK (Swedish crowns) 43 Euro
(Includes: Welcome-drink, three-course dinner, entertainment and dance)

* Prom-dress or suit 500-800 SEK 50-80 Euro
(This is the approximately price for hiring. If you want to buy the dress or the suit it will cost some more.)

* Appointment with a hairdresser 400-500 SEK 40-50 Euro
(To get the hairstyle that you want for the prom)

* A suit / white dress 400-1000 SEK 40-100 Euro
(To wear at the ceremony)

* Accessories 300 SEK 30 Euro
(Like gloves, purse)

* Shoes 300-700 SEK 30-70 Euro
(The girls usually buys two pairs of shoes. One pair for the day and one pair of shoes for the prom, often without high heals so they easily can dance.)

* Appointment with a photographer 500-1000 SEK 50-100 Euro
(to immortalise the big day)

A dress for the prom

As much as the students are longing for the prom and all the fun festivities around finishing upper secondary school, they also fear for the unknown future and for leaving their friends. Now when they are out on their own many choose to move to other cities or travel around the world. Perhaps they will never see their classmates again. But they still have all the fun memories left. This day is surely a day to remember!

Photos: Private