Study in Norway

1. e world’s longest road tunnel at 24.5 km. It was opened in November 2000, and it is Happy Country. According to The Happiness Research Institute, Norway is the second happiest country on earth, only beaten by Finland (must be that extra coffee they consume!).
2. The Lærdal Tunnel is thwell-lit and pleasant to drive through.
3. Norwegian police officers do not carry firearms. Instead, they keep their weapons locked inside of their vehicles.
4. Norway’s plastic recycling scheme is the best in the world. It recycles 97% of its bottles! All supermarkets carry some sort of “reverse vending machine.” You insert the plastic bottle & are rewarded with 10-20 cents for recycling it!
5. IKEA names sofas, coffee tables, bookshelves, media storage and doorknobs after places in Sweden; beds, wardrobes and hall furniture after places in Norway; carpets after places in Denmark and dining tables and chairs after places in Finland.
6. Norway’s official country name is The Kingdom of Norway.

As a knowledge nation, Norway has a great need for people with high level professional skills, and it is an overall goal for the government to achieve quality education for Norwegian and international students. Our educational system is based on the principle that everyone should be able to get an education regardless of their social background. 

Norway currently has 9 universities, 8 university colleges and 5 scientific colleges owned by the state. Norway also has a large number of private higher education institutions receiving public funding.

The Norwegian system of higher education comprises all the institutions and/or programmes that are accredited. With the exception of some private university colleges, all higher education institutions are state-run. Since 2003 Norway has been following the objectives of the Bologna Process in the European higher education. Central has been implementing a 3 + 2 + 3-degree system with a Bachelor’s, Masters and PhD. structure following the European standards. With the introduction of the new degree system, it has become easier for international students who complete all, or part of their education in Norway, to obtain recognition for their qualifications in other countries.

Exceptions are the old university college two-year degree (college candidate), five-year consecutive master’s degrees, six-year professional programmes, master’s degrees of one to one and a half year’s duration, four-year bachelor’s degrees in performing music and performing arts and four-year programmes in teacher education. 

In addition to their teaching activities, all the higher learning institutions, and particularly the universities, are responsible for conducting basic research as well as researcher training, primarily by means of graduate-level studies and doctoral degree programmes. The main differences between the types of higher education institutions are related to their self-accreditation rights. Universities can offer study programmes without an external accreditation, while university colleges must apply for external accreditation for their study programmes. 

Although our institutions are few and relatively small compared to universities in many other countries in the world, they keep high standards and deliver quality education. In some fields, Norwegian institutions or academic communities are even considered to be in the absolute world-class.

1. Life Sciences and Biotechnology
2. Agricultural Science
3. Natural Sciences
4. Energy and Sustainability
5. Social Sciences
6. Digital Media, Animation and Visual Arts
7. Marketing & Management Studies
8. IT & Technology
9. Tourism & Hospitality
10. Ecology
11. Marine Studies
12. Architecture

Applications and admissions to higher education in Norway is handled by each institution, and the different institutions may have different requirements and deadlines.

Make sure you obtain all necessary information about requirements, documentation and deadlines for the different study programmes and institutions. Below you will find the minimum requirements for admission to higher education in Norway.

Bachelor's/ undergraduate studies

Completion of secondary education at advanced level, equivalent to passing the exam at the end of Norwegian secondary school, is the general basic requirement for entry to Norwegian universities and university colleges set by the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT). For students from some countries at least one year of completed studies at the university level is required in addition.

Some study programmes have special admission requirements, usually related to specialist subjects or fields of study from secondary school. Please check with the institution for information about these special qualifications.

Master´s/ postgraduate studies

Applicants for Masters programmes have normally obtained an undergraduate/Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent of at least 3 years’ duration. The degree must include courses equal to at least 1 1/2 years of full-time studies in a subject relevant to that of the programme applied for.

Please beware that for some countries the first (and sometimes the second) year of study at a foreign higher education institution will not be recognised as higher education in Norway (see above).

Language requirements

For courses where the language of instruction is English, all applicants should expect to document their language skills according to the requirements set by the institutions. Beware that the requirements may vary from institution to institution, and sometimes from study programme to study programme and that different English tests and scores may be required by different institutions.

For courses where the language of instruction is Norwegian, proficiency in the Norwegian language is required and should be documented.

• A copy of passport or ID card
• A passport picture
• A personal statement in English (should contain around 500-800 words answering questions such as: Why and what would you like to study at the university? What are your plans after graduation?)
• Copies of obtained secondary school diplomas, certificates and/or grade lists (uploaded diplomas and/or grade lists which are not in English need to be accompanied by an official English translation)
• Transcript of records
• Proof of English language proficiency

Some universities may require additional documents, such as:

• CV or resume (including two referees)
• Motivation letter
• Sample of academic written work

TUITION FEE

In Norway, public universities are tuition-free for all international students, regardless of their nationality. However, some programmes/courses may charge fees, such as those related to Business and Management, but only in a few schools and universities. Also, remember that living costs in Norway are pretty high. You will only have to pay a mandatory student union fee each semester, which is between 30 – 60 EUR. Most private institutions in Norway charge the same amount of tuition fees to both Norwegian and international students. Tuition fees usually range between 7,000 – 19,000 EUR/year.

COST OF LIVING

Your living costs will depend on where you choose to live in Norway. The bigger cities will be more expensive than the smaller cities and towns. You may be able to apply to the Norwegian State Education Loan Fund for a grant to help you cover your costs. On average, you should budget for between NOK 9,500 and NOK 20,000 per month. Students from an EU/EEA country can get part-time work without any permission. Students from anywhere else will be required to apply for a work permit before you can get part-time work. No matter where you are from, you are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week during term time, and full-time during the holidays.

Applicant require to prepare documents as per checklist

• Valid Passport
• Copies of passport’s data pages
• Signed cover letter from the application portal
• Two new/recent photograph (Passport size) with white background
• A letter of full time admission from an approved education institution
• University/College  degrees/Transcripts/Certificates
• Documentation that you have sufficient documents for your living expenses
• ITR (student/Parent/Sponsor).
• Documentation that you are able to pay the tuition fees
• Documentation which shows that you have somewhere to live in Norway
• UDI’s checklist, filled out and signed
• If you are between 15 and 18 years old

• UDI’s consent form for minors/children to study in norway, filled in and signed by both your parents

Book an appointment through VFS Global to submit visa documents at one of the Joint Schengen visa application centres.

Next step is to provide your biometrics and submit your visa application at vfs.

Applicants can track applications through the VFS website by their reference number and DOB as key in.

Applicants will be contacted by the embassy of VFS once the application has been processed.

Results can be picked up at the VFS Application centre office where the application was submitted or by courier.

If residence permit is granted a sticker will be placed in your passport which allows you to travel Norway. You will be notified once your passport is ready for collection.

International students may stay in Norway for one year after graduating from a Norwegian university or university college in order to look for work. Beware that you must apply for residence permit as a job seeker before your current permit expires and after completing your degree.

In addition to working in a safe and attractive job market with low unemployment and a progressive and modern working environment, you also gain access to a number of benefits, including parental leave, sickness benefits, employment protection, as well as high salaries.

Norwegians pride themselves on having an innovative workplace; we believe that flat organisations, a competent workforce and egalitarian values stimulate innovation.

The business sector is competitive, and ranks among the best on the World Competitiveness Scoreboard. It is easy to do business in Norway; the country is among the top 10 of 180 countries on the Ease of Doing Business ranking.