(edit title) Is it possible to do SFI Course in different town Live 80km from Work Options

[Kegzmc]

Hi all,

My employer wants me to learn some Swedish and they applied for the SFI course here in the town I work in. It was rejected because I live in a town 80 km away.

Rather than doing it in my hometown for 4 hours a day and having to commute to work for 2 hours each day it would be great if I could do it close to work.

Do you know if this is possible?

Keggers

[johnjohn]

It is possible if in the same kommun or if in a different one your home kommun will pay. Doubtful however unless the reason is truly compelling.

[Puffin]

If your employer is keen for you to learn Swedish perhaps they will pay for you to take a private Swedish course - for example with the private adult education college Folkuniversitet which has a whole range of flexible options including evening, weekend and distance learning options

Your right to free SFI is limited to the kommun where you live - sometimes you can study outside of your kommun but you need your home kommuns permission that they will pay for it - not all will. You should also do some research on what options exist - some kommuns for example only have daytime SFI classes

[gplusa]

I have been through the same process as you, living in one kommun and working in another. You need the permission of the SFI school in your kommun but they can't deny you if you have a valid reason, such as not being able to get to class on time. Apply for the transfer from your home kommun school then have the school in your work kommun chase them hard for the paperwork. I found that helped.

[Puffin]

Not all kommuns allow this though - I have known people being refused in similar circumstances. Some kommuns have a policy not to pay for SFI in another kommun if there are empty seats in their own SFI on the basis that it is not an efficient use of taxpayers money. Other kommuns let you move for almost any reason - I know one person who got to move schools because she thought the Swedish teacher was an idiot (a pretty accurate assessment). It just varies from kommun to kommun - one of the aspects that it up to local self governement (kommunal självstyrelse)

OP - if you are commuting so far is there an option of moving to the kommun where you work?

[Kegzmc]

As you suggested my community would not pay for it in another town. Its going to be a right pain in the tits trying to work and do this at the same time.

Do you know how many hours a day are required? Would it be possible to do course remotely and not have to attend in person?

Puffin - moving kommun wouldnt really be an option for us. Selling our house and changing our daughters school is something I'd rather avoid for the sake of a couple of weeks SFI course.

[JulieLou40]

SFI can take months or even years, it depends on how fast you learn. But however long, I think you'll be at it for a lot longer than a couple of weeks.

[Puffin]

Would your employer pay for your course? Folkuniversitet have a distance course and a Skype course
http://www.folkuniversitetet.se/Om-Folkuni...ourses-On-Line/

You could also check out what SFI options your home kommun offers - some kommuns offer distance and eveningclass options - large kommuns might have Saturday schools. I know some people have been able to do distance SFI as their kommun has a contract with a distance provider such as Jensen

Otherwise there are lower cost evening classes that meet once/twice per week run but evening class centres as study circles (ABF; Medborgarskolan; Studieförbundet etc) - they usually costs around 70-150kr per lesson

[Puffin]

Do you know how many hours a day are required? Would it be possible to do course remotely and not have to attend in person?

The kommun full-time courses usually involve 2-5 hours in class (10-20 hours/week) and then 1-3 hours homework per day - 5 days per week

What you need is a distance, evening or weekend option to study part time - where do you live/work?

[gplusa]

Don't let it drop. Your local kommun doesn't benefit by refusing you. You can't go to their classes as it is, so they don't receive funding for you anyway today. They only recieve funding for you if and when you enrol. It doesn't affect their student numbers at all as you either study at another school or don't study at all. They aren't losing a thing. If you enrol at another school, your home kommun then gets additional funding for you from central government, which they merely pass on to the other kommun. As I said, they don't lose a thing. SFI is a central government programme, not local government. My advice is to get the school in your work kommun involved to take up the fight on your behalf. They have the incentive as it will help their roll to have another student. They aren't taking you away from your home kommun school as your home kommun school wouldn't be getting you in the first place. They'll also have a lot more clout with your home kommun school than a mere immigrant. No Swede wants to look bad in front of their professional colleagues. I had the same grief until the principal of my work kommun school made a phone call to the principal of my home kommun school asking what the hell the hold up was with transferring me. A week later I was in my first class.

[Puffin]

Don't let it drop. Your local kommun doesn't benefit by refusing you. You can't go to their classes as it is, so they don't receive funding for you anyway toda ... (show full quote)

Don't let it drop. Your local kommun doesn't benefit by refusing you. You can't go to their classes as it is, so they don't receive funding for you anyway today. They only recieve funding for you if and when you enrol. ... (hide full quote)

Actually this is not completely true the kommun only recieves specific funding for individuals if they are on the refugee introduction programme - SFI for non-refugees is financed by the kommun themselves from local income (taxes, state grants, fees and charges etc)

Some kommuns charge full cost to accept SFI students from another kommun that may amount to several thousands of kronor per week - it is very hard for a smaller kommun to justify spending -say - 50,000-100,000 kr per year for a student to attend SFI in another kommun when there are empty seats in the "home" kommun's classes at a marginal cost of zero kronor - in most cases the amount would deducted from the SFI budget of the home kommun leaving fewer resources. In