Preschool
Apply through the municipality's preschool queue. Place guarantee is normally within four months; fees are income-based.
Go to Pajala e-service for preschool application (opens in a new window)
Schools in Pajala municipality
18 school unitsSkolkoll's statistics include school units that are open/active in Skolverket's register. Dormant units (Vilande — temporarily without students) and discontinued units (Upphörd — permanently closed) are excluded. in Pajala, Norrbotten County. The three most common school forms: 7 preschool, 6 after-school care, 6 compulsory school (+5 more) (a school can have multiple forms).
Data updated: 6 October 2026. School data covers 2025/26; Kolada data may cover different periods.
The school landscape in Pajala
Start here to understand the local offer. The main list on this page shows compulsory and upper-secondary schools with comparable metrics, while preschools and deeper statistics open in separate views where data exists.
- Compulsory
- 6
- Upper secondary
- 1
- Preschools
- 7
- Municipal
- 17
- Independent
- 1
School-form counts come from Skolverket's school-unit register for 2025/26. Kolada municipal metrics usually cover compulsory school and may use different periods.
Pajala has 18 schools with a merit value of 230 (Compulsory school, Kolada 2025), which is near the national average. Teacher qualification: 61.5% (Compulsory school, Kolada 2025) (below the national average of 73.3%; National compulsory-school value, Kolada 2025).
18 schools767 pupils61.5% qualified teachers (Compulsory school, Kolada 2025)Declining municipality (-2.6%)
Apply for a place in Pajala
Short guide to how to apply by school form in Pajala.
Compulsory school
School choice is usually handled by the municipality. Dates vary; check the municipality's own calendar.
Go to Pajala e-service for school choice (opens in a new window)Upper secondary
Apply through the regional upper-secondary admissions system. Admission results are normally published in July.
Go to Pajala e-service for upper-secondary application (opens in a new window)Practical info
Summary — Pajala
Five key insights about the municipality's education system.
- The share of qualified teachers (compulsory school, Kolada 2025: 61.5%) is 11.8 percentage points below the Kolada national value for the same year and school type.
- Merit value has increased by 9.2 points over the last 5 years (2020–2025).
- Schools perform on average +30 merit points above expectations (SALSA model).
- Teacher qualification rate is improving: +5.9 percentage points over the measurement period.
- Cost per compulsory school pupil (compulsory school, Kolada 2025: 202,192 SEK) is 40% higher than the national average (144,800 SEK).
Key metrics — Pajala municipality
Overview of the municipality's education system.
- Active schools
- 18
- 17 municipal, 1 independent
- Total pupils
- 767
- 6 compulsory, 1 upper secondary
- Average year-9 merit
- 230
- Compulsory school, Kolada 2025 (national avg 2025: 228.5)
- How to read the merit value
- Qualified teachers
- 61.5%
- Compulsory school, Kolada 2025 (Kolada national value, compulsory school 2025: 73.3 %)
- Pupils per teacher
- 8
- Compulsory/upper sec. in this municipality
Pajala municipality has 18 schools. The municipality year-9 merit value is 230 points (Compulsory school, Kolada 2025) compared with national avg 228.5. Teacher qualification (61.5%, Compulsory school, Kolada 2025) is below the Kolada national value for compulsory school, 2025, of 73.3%.
Development over time
The municipality's key school metrics for the last 6 years (2020–2025). Source is shown per metric.
Merit value yr 9↑ +4.2 %
Trend: 220.8 to 230, up2020: 220.8 p2025: 230 p
Merit values have increased by 9.2 points since 2020.
Source: Kolada, compulsory school 2020–2025
Qualified teachers↑ +10.6 %
Trend: 55.6 to 61.5, up2020: 55.6 %2025: 61.5 %
Share of qualified teachers has increased by 5.9 percentage points since 2020.
Source: Kolada, compulsory school 2020–2025
Cost per pupil↑ +12.5 %
Trend: 179,665 to 202,192, up2020: 179,665 SEK2025: 202,192 SEK
Cost per pupil has risen by 22,527 SEK since 2020.
Source: Kolada, compulsory school 2020–2025
Common questions about schools in Pajala
- How many schools are there in Pajala?
- Pajala municipality has 18 school units (open; dormant excluded). A unit can offer more than one school form; 6 of the units offer compulsory education, 1 offers upper-secondary education and 7 offer preschool. 17 of the units are municipal and 1 are independent. A total of 767 pupils attend schools in Pajala.
- What are the merit values in Pajala?
- The municipality year-9 merit value in Pajala is 230 points (Compulsory school, Kolada 2025). The highest school-unit merit value belongs to Pajala Centralskola with 221.4 points.
- Which school in Pajala has the highest teacher qualification rate?
- Pajala Centralskola has the highest school-unit share of qualified teachers in Pajala at 72.6%. The municipality value is 61.5% (Compulsory school, Kolada 2025).
- How much does a school place cost in Pajala?
- The cost per pupil in compulsory school in Pajala is 202,192 SEK per year (2025). In municipal schools the cost is 179,155 SEK per pupil.
Municipal support functions for schools
Practical information about how Pajala organises school choice, mother-tongue teaching, student health and school transport.
The municipality has its own e-service for compulsory-school choice.
School choice window: usually 15 Jan–15 Feb. Check the municipality's own calendar.
School choice in PajalaThe municipality has an e-service for the preschool queue and place applications.
Preschool in PajalaThe municipality is responsible for school transport to and from compulsory school where distance, traffic safety or disability warrants it. Regulated by the Education Act (Skollagen) 10:32.
About school transport34.4% of compulsory-school pupils have a mother tongue other than Swedish. The municipality must offer mother-tongue tuition where at least five pupils request the same language (Education Act 10:7).
Cost per pupil in municipal compulsory schools: 6,147 SEK/year (2025).B
Nurse, counsellor, psychologist and special-needs teacher per Education Act 2:25.
Independent schools that admit pupils with special needs can apply for supplementary funding ("tilläggsbelopp") on top of the basic grant. The municipality of residence decides on each application from the provider.
How supplementary funding worksHow does Pajala compare to neighbouring municipalities?See the full table ↓
- Merit value 2025
- 1/7
- Qualified teachers 2025
- 2/7
- Cost/pupil 2025
- 7/7
Skolkoll score in Pajala
Where schools sit on the national 0-100 scale. Compulsory schools and upper secondary are shown separately because scores are calibrated by school stage.
Compulsory schools in Pajala
Skolkoll score · compared with all compulsory schools in Sweden
Compulsory schools in Pajala: 6 schools on the 0–100 national scale. Highest: Pajala Centralskola with Skolkoll score 57 out of 100. Lowest: Smedskolan with Skolkoll score 43 out of 100.
6 compulsory schools with Skolkoll score
Upper secondary schools in Pajala
Skolkoll score · compared with all upper secondary schools in Sweden
Upper secondary schools in Pajala: 1 schools on the 0–100 national scale. Highest: Lapplands Gymnasium Pajala with Skolkoll score 58 out of 100. Lowest: Lapplands Gymnasium Pajala with Skolkoll score 58 out of 100.
1 upper secondary schools with Skolkoll score
Compulsory schools and upper secondary in Pajala
Compare schools| School | Forms | Provider | Pupils | Qual. teachers | Skolkoll score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anpassad Grundskola | Adapted compulsory school | PAJALA KOMMUN | — | — | No score |
| Gårdbyskolan | Adapted compulsory school, After-school care, Compulsory school, Preschool class | PAJALA KOMMUN | 70 | 55.6% | Skolkoll score 47 out of 100. Composite index. |
| Kangos Kultur- o ekologiskola | After-school care, Compulsory school, Preschool class | KANGOS KULTUR OCH EKOLOGISKOLA | 50 | 45.4% | Skolkoll score 48 out of 100. Composite index. |
| Lapplands Gymnasium Pajala | Adapted upper secondary school, Upper secondary school | LAPPLANDS KOMMUNALFÖRBUND | 110 | 48.8% | Skolkoll score 58 out of 100. Composite index. |
| Pajala Centralskola | After-school care, Compulsory school | PAJALA KOMMUN | 230 | 72.6% | Skolkoll score 57 out of 100. Composite index. |
| Sattajärvi skola | After-school care, Compulsory school, Preschool class | PAJALA KOMMUN | 50 | 64.6% | Skolkoll score 50 out of 100. Composite index. |
| Smedskolan | After-school care, Compulsory school, Preschool class | PAJALA KOMMUN | 90 | 56% | Skolkoll score 43 out of 100. Composite index. |
| Tärendö Centralskola | After-school care, Compulsory school, Preschool class | PAJALA KOMMUN | 20 | 35.5% | Skolkoll score 45 out of 100. Composite index. Limited confidence. |
Preschools in PajalaPajala has 7 preschools. Group sizes, staff and after-school care are listed separately.
See preschools Neighbouring municipalities
The 6 closest municipalities by geographic distance. Each comparison cell shows both a value and status: better than neighbour average / in line with neighbour average / worse than neighbour average (±3 %).
| Municipality | Distance | Merit value (2025) | Qual. teachers (2025) | Cost/pupil (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pajala you | — | 230Better than neighbour average | 61.5%Better than neighbour average | 202,192 SEKWorse than neighbour average |
| Övertorneå | 84.7 km | 197.9Worse than neighbour average | 48.1%Worse than neighbour average | 165,357 SEKIn line with neighbour average |
| Överkalix | 97 km | 215.3Better than neighbour average | 45.7%Worse than neighbour average | 179,095 SEKWorse than neighbour average |
| Gällivare | 105.9 km | 218.4Better than neighbour average | 45.4%Worse than neighbour average | 171,982 SEKIn line with neighbour average |
| Kiruna | 141.2 km | 213.7In line with neighbour average | 53.2%In line with neighbour average | 189,849 SEKWorse than neighbour average |
| Kalix | 148.1 km | 204.4In line with neighbour average | 72.8%Better than neighbour average | 163,115 SEKBetter than neighbour average |
| Haparanda | 152.5 km | 196.2Worse than neighbour average | 61.1%Better than neighbour average | 149,277 SEKBetter than neighbour average |
| Neighbour avg | 207.7 | 54.4% | 169,779 SEK |
Merit value, qualified teachers and cost/pupil in the neighbour comparison come from Kolada, compulsory school. Only neighbour values from the same Kolada year as the selected municipality are compared (merit value 2025, qualified teachers 2025, cost/pupil 2025).For statistical peers (KNN) and SCB peer-group benchmark, see municipal data.
Explore the statistics in depth
Detailed statistics for Pajala municipality, organised by school form and theme. Click for full tables, trends and comparisons.
Compulsory schoolsAll compulsory schools with merit values, teachers and grade distribution.Upper secondaryProgrammes, graduation rates and pathways to higher education.Preschool and childcarePreschools, fritidshem and pedagogical care with key metrics.Safety and study environmentSchool Inspectorate survey results for safety and study peace.Demographics and youthPopulation, household types, child welfare and economic conditions.All municipal dataEconomy, society, environment, adult education and SCB peer benchmark.
Statistics: school year 2025/26. Source: Skolverket, SCB, Kolada.Glossary · About the data.
— = data not available from source.
National comparison
See how Pajala municipality compares in a national perspective.
Timeline — school events in Pajala
JÄGARENS FÖRSKOLA: Status changed from UPPHORT to AKTIV
JÄGARENS FÖRSKOLA: Status changed from UPPHORT to AKTIV
JÄGARENS FÖRSKOLA: Status changed from AKTIV to UPPHORT
JÄGARENS FÖRSKOLA: Status changed from AKTIV to UPPHORT
Pajala Lärcentra anpassad utbildning: Renamed from Pajala Lärcentra särvux to Pajala Lärcentra anpassad utbildning
Gårdbyskolan: School types changed from FKLASS, FTH, GR to FKLASS, FTH, GR, GRAN
Kangos Kultur- o ekologiskola: Address changed from skolvägen 4, 98063 Kangos to Skolvägen 10, 98497 Kangos
Anpassad Grundskola: Renamed from Grundsärskolan Pajala kommun to Anpassad Grundskola
Kangos Kultur- o ekologiskola: Operating name changed from unknown name to Kangos Kultur- och ekologiskola
Kangos Kultur- o ekologiskola: Operator name changed to: Kangos Kultur Och Ekologiskola (previously: Kangos Kultur- o Ekologiskola)
Anpassad Grundskola: Operating name changed from unknown name to Pajala Centralskola
Anpassad Grundskola: Address changed from Biblioteksvägen 1, 98492 Pajala to Biblioteksvägen 1, 98432 Pajala
Pajala Centralskola: Address changed from Biblioteksvägen 1, 98492 Pajala to Biblioteksvägen 1, 98432 Pajala
Smedskolan: Address changed from Biblioteksvägen 1, 98061 Pajala to Biblioteksvägen 1, 98432 Pajala
Gårdbyskolan: Address changed from Medborgarhusvägen 6, 98060 Korpilombolo to Medborgarhusvägen 6, 98433 Korpilombolo
Sattajärvi skola: Address changed from Sattajärvi 80, 98432 Pajala to Sattajärvi 80, 98492 Pajala
Tärendö Centralskola: Address changed from Skolvägen 2, 98061 Tärendö to Skolvägen 2, 98493 Tärendö
Tärendö Centralskola: Grades changed from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Lapplands Gymnasium Pajala: Renamed from Laestadiusskolan to Lapplands Gymnasium Pajala
Anpassad Grundskola: Start date changed from not_registered to 2019-08-16
Tärendö Centralskola: Grades changed from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Lapplands Gymnasium Pajala: Operating name changed from unknown name to Lapplands Gymnasium Pajala
Lapplands Gymnasium Pajala: Contact details changed from changed to changed
Pajala Lärcentra: Operating name changed from unknown name to Lapplands Lärcentra Pajala
Pajala Lärcentra: Register field changed from KOMMUN to KOMMFORB
Pajala Lärcentra: Contact details changed from changed to changed
Pajala Lärcentra anpassad utbildning: Renamed from Pajala Lärcenter särvux to Pajala Lärcentra särvux
Pajala Lärcentra anpassad utbildning: Operating name changed from unknown name to Lapplands Lärcentra Pajala
Pajala Lärcentra anpassad utbildning: Register field changed from KOMMUN to KOMMFORB
Pajala Lärcentra SFI: Operating name changed from unknown name to Lapplands Lärcentra Pajala
… and 26 older events.
Related
Move from the municipality page to the county, nearby municipalities, and the statistics views that help explain the local pattern.
Norrbotten CountyOpen the county page for a broader regional view around Pajala.Merit value year 9Compare Pajala with other municipalities on merit values.Upper secondary schoolsSee how upper-secondary provision and outcomes vary between municipalities.Teacher certification by countyFollow teacher qualification and regional differences.Municipality profileCompare municipality profiles across multiple dimensions at once.Upper secondary schoolsAll upper secondary schools in the municipality.PreschoolsAll preschools in the municipality.Best preschoolsTop preschools ranked by staffing density.ÄlvsbynCompare nearby schools and municipality-level results.ArjeplogCompare nearby schools and municipality-level results.ArvidsjaurCompare nearby schools and municipality-level results.BodenCompare nearby schools and municipality-level results.GällivareCompare nearby schools and municipality-level results.
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