The Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (abbreviation SweSAT; Högskoleprovet in Swedish) is a standardised test used as one of the means to gain admission to higher education in Sweden. The test itself, which is administered by the Swedish Council for Higher Education, is divided into a mathematical part and a verbal part, which both respectively contain 4 subdivisions, in total 160 multiple-choice questions. All sections are taken in one day, a Saturday in April (Spring test) or October (Autumn test), lasting between 7½-8 hours including breaks between each section and a lunch break. Apart from the English language reading comprehension test, all sections are taken in Swedish.
Evaluation and norming
The result on the test is normalised to a scale between 0.0 and 2.0, with 0.05 increments. About 0.1% of the test-takers are awarded 2.0, which is the highest grade. Usually, 137 to 144 marks (out of 160) are required for 2.0. The average normated score for the test is normally around 0.91, and the standard deviation is about 0.40, resulting in approximately two thirds of the test takers receiving a result in the interval 0.5-1.3, and 95% receiving a result between 0.2 and 1.7.
After each of the five tests, participants are giving a brief moment to copy their answers on to an orange paper. And since autumn 2016, the correct answers to the test are posted on the Swedish Council for Higher Education's website, studera.nu, the following Wednesday from the day of the test, which is always on a Saturday.
Prior to autumn 2016, the answers to the test were posted the same day as the exam on studera.nu, the högskoleprovet website, as well as in the evening newspapers and the following day in morning newspapers. Solutions could also be found in SVT's text-TV.
The decision to postpone the release of the solutions was made in order to prevent strategic cheating that had been noticed during previous tests.
The current test (since autumn 2011)
The test is since autumn 2011 divided into two parts - a quantitative and a verbal part of 80 questions each. The quantitative and the verbal parts are both divided into four sections each with different types of questions. The test has a total of 160 questions, divided into four subtests of 40 questions each. Two of the subtests contains questions from the quantitative part of the test. The other two subtests contains questions from the verbal part. A fifth subtest is also given in order to develop new questions for future tests, but the result from this subtest is not counted.
The test-takers are allowed to mark down their answers on an additional provided answer sheet, in addition to the sheet that they hand in to test supervisor after every subtest, and bring this with them after the test is completed. In this way they can compare their answers to the test key which is later published on the internet, teletext and newspapers. This only allows the test-takers to find out their raw score, as opposed to the normalised score which is used for university applications, but by comparing this results to the normalisation tables of prior tests an estimate can be made.
Quantitative part (40+40 questions)
XYZ - Mathematics. This section examines the ability to solve mathematical problems in the areas of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, function theory and statistics. The section consists of 24 questions out of the total 160.
KVA - Quantitative Comparisons. This section examines the ability to make quantitative comparisons in the areas of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, function theory and statistics. The section consists of 20 questions out of the total 160.
DTK - Diagrams, Tables and Maps. This section measures the ability to interpret diagrams, tables and maps. The questions demand both the ability to identify information and to analyse data from different sources. The section consists of 24 questions out of the total 160.
NOG - Data Sufficiency. This section involves deciding whether enough information has been provided to solve a problem in arithmetic or geometry. The items require some mathematical skills, but is primarily aimed at testing the ability to draw logical conclusions. The section consists of 12 questions out of the total 160.
Verbal part (40+40 questions)
ELF - English Reading Comprehension. This section tests ability to read and understand a non-fictitious text (often picked from newspapers or magazines) in English is tested in this section. It contains both long and short texts. One of the longer tests is a "Cloze test", which contains gaps where words have been omitted. The emphasis of this section is on the capacity to perceive information, follow an argument and draw conclusions on the basis of the text in English. The section consists of 20 questions out of the total 160.
LÄS - Reading Comprehension. This section tests the ability to understand five different texts in Swedish. The questions require the capacity to perceive details in the text and also to draw conclusions from the text as a whole. The section consists of 20 questions out of the total 160.
ORD - Vocabulary. This section tests awareness of the meaning of words and concepts. The words may be of Swedish or foreign origin. They may also be archaic or words that have come into use in Swedish in recent years. Some words are dialectal. The items are taken from many different subject areas, and may also include widely used technical terms. The section consists of 20 questions out of the total 160.
MEK - Sentence Completion. This section examines the ability to put into words and phrases in context. The section consists of 20 questions out of the total 160.
The fifth subtest
At each test there is given an extra fifth subtest in order to develop new questions for future tests. This part consists of data from the aforementioned sections, but the result from this subtest is not counted. What subtest that was the test part is revealed after the whole test is concluded.
The old test (before autumn 2011)
The test was before autumn 2011 divided into five sections. Each was given in subtests lasting 50 minutes, with the exception of the ELF and ORD sections being grouped into one subtest (35 and 15 minutes, respectively). One of these subtests were given twice, with only one of these being counted towards the test-takers' total scores and the other section was being used to evaluate questions for future tests, with the test-takers being unaware of which section being counted towards their total.
Sections
DTK - Diagrams, Tables and Maps. This section measures the ability to interpret diagrams, tables and maps. The questions demand both the ability to identify information and to analyse data from different sources. The section consists of 20 or 24 questions out of the total 122. (50 minutes)
ORD - Vocabulary. This section tests awareness of the meaning of words and concepts. The words may be of Swedish or foreign origin. They may also be archaic or words that have come into use in Swedish in recent years. Some words are dialectal. The items are taken from many different subject areas, and may also include widely used technical terms. The section consists of 30 or 40 questions out of the total 122. (15 minutes)
LÄS - Reading Comprehension. This section tests the ability to understand five different texts in Swedish. The questions require the capacity to perceive details in the text and also to draw conclusions from the text as a whole. The section consists of 20 or 24 questions out of the total 122. (50 minutes)
ELF - English Reading Comprehension. The ability to read and understand a non-fictitious text (often picked from newspapers or magazines) in English is tested in this section. It contains both long and short texts. One of the longer tests is a "Cloze test", which contains gaps where words have been omitted. The emphasis of this section is on the capacity to perceive information, follow an argument and draw conclusions on the basis of the text in English. The section consists of 20 questions out of the total 122. (35 minutes)
NOG - Data Sufficiency. This section involves deciding whether enough information has been provided to solve a problem in arithmetic or geometry. The items require some mathematical skills, but is primarily aimed at testing the ability to draw logical conclusions. The section consists of 20 or 22 questions out of the total 122. (50 minutes)
Registration
Registration for the test is done online through universitets och högskolerådets website www.hogskoleprov.nu. The cost for taking the test varies from year to year. The cost as of autumn 2016 was 450 SEK