SFI – Swedish for immigrants

Swedish for immigrants at Arbis SFI

SFI (Swedish for immigrants) provides education and courses in Swedish for immigrants who want to integrate in Swedish or learn Swedish. We have programs and courses on different levels according to the European Framework of Reference for Languages.

We have three options for SFI:
• SFI Integration
• Swedish study blocks
• HEMPE – Kurs i svenska för invandrade (Course for Stay-at-Home Parents)

You can take an individual course, take several courses or take one of our SFI programs.
You can see all our courses in Swedish in the course catalog or at ilmonet.fi.
All Arbis courses for the academic year 2025–2026 will be available for viewing on the ilmonet.fi service from June 2, 2025.

Contact and more information: arbis.integration@hel.fi

Entrance Test

Before you can start on one of our SFI programs, you need to take a entrance test. You do not need previous knowledge of Swedish.
The entrance test for the autumn semester 2025 is 2.6.2025 at 9:00 in the room 13 at Arbis.
Please enroll for the level test at ilmonet.fi (course: A250303)
or by e-mail arbis.integration@hel.fi. (For later enrolment, please contact us by e-mail).

SFI Integration

SFI-Integration is an integration course for you who have an integration plan.
On this program, you will study 20 hours a week, mostly Swedish but you will have also courses about Finnish society and Finnish-Swedish networks.
The program includes individual career coaching and an internship of six weeks.
The program starts in August-September and January every year.
SFI-Integration 1  starting level A0
SFI-Integration 2   starting level A2.1
SFI-Integration 3  starting level A2.2
SFI-Integration 4   starting level B1.2
All Arbis courses for the academic year 2025–2026 will be available for viewing on the ilmonet.fi service from June 2, 2025.

We follow Arbis curriculum for integration education (in Swedish).

Helsingfors Arbis has created the material  ”Det finländska samhället” (The Finnish Society), which is used in integration training.

Swedish study blocks

Swedish study blocks are perhaps more suitable for you who have lived in Finland for a longer period. You design your own, maximum 16 hours per week Swedish program. In addition to courses in Swedish, your program can also include other useful courses from our course selection supporting your language learning.
The studies are for everyone and during the day.
Swedish study block programs can be a part of your employment plan (you study with unemployment benefit) if you have an agreement from your employment counselor.
You do not have to be a customer at the employment office to study at Arbis.
The costs are 60 euro/semester.
SFI – Study blocks
All Arbis courses for the academic year 2025–2026 will be available for viewing on the ilmonet.fi service from June 2, 2025.

HEMPE – Course for Stay-at-Home Parents

Hempe is an integration course for stay-at-home parents and other individuals who are outside the labor market and not actively seeking work – for example, students or retirees.
Childcare is provided during the course. The course includes Swedish and civic education, totaling six hours per week. The classes are held during the day.
HEMPE – Kurs i svenska för invandrade (Course for Stay-at-Home Parents)
All Arbis courses for the academic year 2025–2026 will be available for viewing on the ilmonet.fi service from June 2, 2025.

National Certificates of Language Proficiency (YKI)

At Arbis, you can take the National Certificates of Language Proficiency in Swedish at the intermediate level.

The autumn exam is held on 30 August and 15 November 2025 and the spring exam on 11 April 2026.
The intermediate level exam costs 176 EUR.

The intermediate level corresponds to B1 and B2 in the European Framework of Reference for Languages. In the exam, the functional language skills are tested both in writing and orally. You can take the test regardless of where and how you achieved your language proficiency. On Arbis versatile language courses, you can refresh and supplement your previous knowledge before the exam.

For the exam on August 30, 2025, the registration period is from June 2 to June 11, 2025, from 10:00 to 16:00.
For the exam on November 15, 2025, the registration period is from September 29 to October 19, 2025, from 10:00 to 16:00.
For the exam on April 11, 2026, the registration period is from February 23 to March 15, 2026, from 10:00 to 16:00.

You can register only electronically on the National Certificates of Language Proficiency website.

Enquiries: Heidi Huovilainen, tel. 09 310 494 85 and Arbis office, tel. 09 310 494 94.

Support material for supervisors and employers

Välkommen till oss, welcome to us! ‘Att handleda en person som inte har svenska eller finska som modersmål’ (Supervising a person whose mother tongue is not Swedish or Finnish) is a tutorial material for supervisors and employers developed by Arbis SFI (Swedish for immigrants) in collaboration with Ekvalita. The material is aimed at people who work with and supervise people from different backgrounds. In the booklet you will find answers to how to create a more inclusive workplace and speak a language in a simpler way. The booklet is in Swedish.

The material is also available in video format in Swedish on Arbis’ YouTube channel.

Food Festival, Matfestival

Arbis SFI students cook and offer small tastings at the end of the academic year. The students prepare all the dishes in Arbis’ teaching kitchen under supervision. We will print a recipe booklet in Swedish with all the dishes. The event gives our students an opportunity to share their food culture and traditional dishes. Participation is voluntary and takes place outside the regular schedule. The goal of the Food Festival is to promote understanding and diversity by creating bridges between different cultures in today’s Finland. The Food Festival at Arbis aims to create a sense of community among students from other countries. The festival has been held in various forms since 2018.

Watch the video from the Food Festival, Matfestival 2025.