Гимназия
By a reform in 1870, women were given the right to study at universities. Pettersson was accepted as a student the same year, though she did not begin her studies on the first attempt. She graduated from "Nya elementarskolan" in Stockholm 16 May 1871 as the first of her sex to do so. This being a school for males, and no Gymnasium (school) being available yet for women (Wallinska skolan was the first girls' school given the right to administer the Studentexamen in 1874), she was forced to study in private, as a so-called privatist, and then graduate from the Nya elemantarskolan. Again a pioneer, she was accepted at Uppsala university 27 February 1872. Finally, she became historical upon her graduation on 28 January 1875. She was met with a great deal of dislike from many male fellow students.