For over 150 years, Åsa Folk High School has been educating and helping people to grow. Our vision is crystal clear: to be a natural choice in everything related to education and democratic societal development.
Åsa was founded in 1872 and is one of Sweden’s oldest folk high schools. It has over 200 students and is located in Sköldinge, in the county of Södermanland.
The school has classrooms in both historical and modern buildings, a boarding school and conference facilities, its own kitchen with a dining hall, art studios, a gym, and scenic outdoor environments.
Åsa represents a unique blend of education and training. And that blend is needed!
For the sake of democracy
The school is politically and religiously independent. It is run by Region Sörmland, which determines the direction of the activities.
The Swedish Parliament makes the overarching decisions on how all public education – folk high schools and study associations – should be structured. This is regulated in the Adult Education Ordinance, which you can download here.
Folk high schools are based on voluntary participation and is primarily aimed at adults. Åsa is free from control, central curricula, and grades. The teaching prioritizes dialogue, discussions, and democratic influence.
As a course participant, you study based on your own experiences and circumstances. You are given ample opportunities to influence your education, your life, and your society.
For the sake of humanity
At Åsa, we believe in community. Community is created in encounters: between people from different cultures and backgrounds, people with different interests and goals.
Folk high schools offer a second chance in life. Many who come to Åsa with interrupted or incomplete studies do so to improve and gain eligibility for higher education.
Others come to the school to deepen their knowledge in music, street dance, or writing, or to train as, for example, a massage therapist.
For the sake of the future
In addition to providing you with the subject knowledge you need, we want something more: for your time with us to boost your self-confidence and help you grow as a person.
At Åsa, you can discover yourself and your future opportunities.
Many former course participants have been amazed at where their time at the folk high school led them. Several of them are now found in politics, culture, and other important societal functions. The number of people who have found their voice and the courage to use it at Åsa is countless.
Welcome to visit us or apply to a course!
If you wish to know more about the school’s history, follow this link.