Requirement for a criminal record extract for school placement in teacher education
Teacher education students must obtain a criminal record extract from the police authority before starting their school placement. This is in accordance with the Swedish law (2000:873) on criminal record checks for staff in preschool, school, and school-age childcare.
Responsible units: Student Services and the Office of the President
Contact: Mia Jörstål
The document was reviewed January 2026.
All teacher education students admitted to the education after 1 April 2008, who undertake school placement as part of their studies, must undergo a criminal record check. This check is conducted to enhance the protection of children and youth and minimize the risk of their exposure to abuse by individuals working in preschool, school, and school-age childcare.
The criminal record extract serves as a form of suitability assessment and must be presented for employment or school placement in preschool, school, and school-age childcare. The extract shows whether a person has been convicted of certain serious crimes, typically within the last ten years. The extract is limited to information regarding sexual offenses and child pornography offenses, as well as murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, kidnapping, and aggravated robbery. In other words, crimes that involve serious violations of other people.
The extract, which must be no more than one year old, should be submitted to the principal (or equivalent) of the institution where the student will do teaching placement.
However, the law does not prohibit allowing a person with a criminal record extract showing a conviction to do school placement.
Read more about the requirement for a criminal record extract on the Police website:
Extract for employment in a school or a preschool
Document in pdf format
Requirement for Criminal Record Extract for School Placement pdf, 76.9 kB.