Skip to main content
To KTH's start page

Ladok and the principle of public access

The information in Ladok (student registry) is handled in accordance with the same rules that apply to other public documents kept by authorities. The information is as a rule public. The right to access the information may however be limited by regulations pertaining to secrecy.

In accordance with the Ordinance (1993:1153) concerning the Reporting of Higher Education Studies etc. at universities and university colleges, every university shall document information on students and keep a student registry. Information that must be documented for each student includes for example that related to eligibility, selection criteria, admission, credits awarded, grades and degrees.

KTH is a public authority and is as such subject to the principle of public access. The principle of public access means, among other things, that every citizen has the right to access public documents. The right to access public documents may however be limited via legal provisions. Provisions concerning the publicity of public documents can be found in Chapter 2 of the Freedom of the Press Act (1949:105) and the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (2009:400). There are also provisions in the General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR ((EU) 2016/679) that are intended to protect the individual's integrity.

The information in LADOK (student registry) is handled in accordance with the same rules that apply to other public documents kept by authorities. The information is as a rule public. The right to access the information may however be limited by regulations pertaining to secrecy. There are also provisions in the Ordinance (1993:1153) concerning the Reporting of Higher Education Studies etc. at universities and university colleges which regulate the disclosure of information in the registry.

Certain regulations on the disclosure of registry information

Personal data may not be disclosed if it can be assumed that it will be handled in a manner which violates the General Data Protection Regulation (Chapter 21, Section 7 of the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act).

In certain special cases, permission to disclose information on foreign citizens can be denied (Chapter 21, Section 5 of the Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act).

In accordance with Chapter 2, Section 6 of the Ordinance (1993:1153) concerning the Reporting of Higher Education Studies etc. at universities and university colleges, information stored on medium for automated processing may be disclosed from a university's register:

  1. another university, if the information concerns eligibility and the selection criteria or credits that a student wishes to have transferred or refer to in connection with admission to studies or obtaining a degree, or if the information is required for educational cooperation or other collaboration between universities,
     
  2. an institute of higher education in another state within the European Economic Area or Switzerland under the same conditions in which information may be disclosed to a university in accordance with 1,
     
  3. CSN (Centrala studiestödsnämnden), if the information is required in order to grant and pay out student finance,
     
  4. Universitets- och högskolerådet or other body that assists the university via automated processing of applications to a study course or programme, if the information is required to carry out the work,
     
  5. SCB, in accordance with the provisions of this ordinance,
     
  6. another authority, if the information is required to handle cases concerning the issuance of professional status qualifications or other eligibility for a profession,
     
  7. an authority in another state within the European Economic Area or Switzerland under the same conditions in which information may be disclosed to Swedish authorities in accordance with this paragraph,
     
  8. a students' union with the appropriate standing according to university decision as per Chapter 4, Section 8 of the Higher Education Act (1992:1434) or a student nation that has the appropriate standing in accordance with Chapter 4, Section 15 of the Higher Education Act, if the information concerns a student's registration for courses and is required so that the students' union or nation can determine whether he or she has the right to be a member of the student´s union or nation, and
  9. a student, if the information concerns him or herself.

In accordance with Chapter 2, Section 6 a of the same ordinance, a university must notify the Swedish Migration Board without delay if

  1. a student liable to pay tuition fees has been admitted to a course or study programme, or
  2. a student as per 1 has not registered for the course or study programme.

If based on registered information pertaining to a student liable to pay tuition fees there is reason to believe that the student has discontinued their studies, the university must inform the Swedish Migration Board of this.

Legislation

Freedom of the Press Act (1949:105) in Swedish (riksdagen.se)  

Public Access to Information and Secrecy Act (2009:400) in Swedish (riksdagen.se)

General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR (EU 2016/679) (eur-lex.eu)

Ordinance (1993:1153) concerning the Reporting of Higher Education Studies etc. at universities and university colleges in Swedish (riksdagen.se)

For questions about KTH's processing of personal data, please contact KTH's Data Protection Officer Robin Roy by e-mail at dataskyddsombud@kth.se  or by telephone 08-7908752.