In 2014, the number of students passing the 40-year mark was just under 105,000. Last year, 2018, the number had risen to just over 128,000, according to a new report from the Central Student Aid Committee (CSN).

The report also shows that the great majority of the 40-plus students read at college. The second most common is to read at the adult education, followed by folk high school and vocational college.

A majority of women are plugging

Women dominate - they make up a full 71 percent of the elderly.

Charlotta Svensson, 47, reads her third semester on the socionoma program at the Helsingborg campus, and is the oldest in the class.

- On the other hand, I did not feel that I did not progress to my previous job at the Swedish Church, I did not have the right education. On the one hand, I was embarrassed by the children and young people to read on, she says.

- I like to work as a curator because I am passionate about children and young people.

Charlotta Svensson's class includes several women over the age of 35, including Camilla Lundberg, 38.

- Without my education, I feel that I am easily interchangeable. I want legitimacy, a stamp on my profession, says Camilla, who previously worked in the tourism and service industries.

Loan terms for older students can be better

The government proposes that the loan rules for older students should be more generous - among other things, that the age limit for taking study funding is increased from 56 to 60 years. The background is that the retirement age is being raised.

According to the CSN report, many of the 40-plus students read part-time and were able to work and live on their payroll, while 36,000 people had study funding, according to the report.

Camilla takes CSN loans, but Charlotta does not.

- I work side by side and my children are quite large today. Ten years ago, I had never been able to afford to study full time, says Charlotta Svensson.