Norway 🇳🇴

Getting a high-quality education with cutting-edge technologies or experience a fantastic quality
of life – Norway is best!
Norway’s higher education institutions are home to modern facilities, ground-breaking research
in several fields and cutting-edge technologies. Nobel prizes in fields like literature, medicine,
chemistry, physics, economy and peace has been given to persons educated from or teaching and
researching at these institutions.

Why Norway?

About Norway

Norway is a narrow country in northern Europe. Norway officially the Kingdom of Norway, is
a Nordic country in Northern Europe, situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula with a population
of 5.5 million. Norway has two official names: Norge in BokmÃ¥l and Noreg in Nynorsk. The
English name Norway comes from the Old English word Norþweg mentioned in 880, meaning
“northern way” or “way leading to the north”, which is how the Anglo-Saxons referred to the
coastline of Atlantic Norway. Nearly half of the inhabitants of the country live in the far south, in
the region around Oslo, the capital. About two-thirds of Norway are mountainous, and off its
much-indented coastline lie, carved by deep glacial fjords, some 50,000 islands. Humans have
lived in Norway as early as 9,000 to 8,000 B.C. The earliest inhabitants lived in caves and tents. 

ndo-European peoples settled Norway’s coast in antiquity, establishing a permanent settlement
near the present capital of Oslo some 6,000 years ago. Half the world’s Sami population lives in
Norway. There are 4 seasons in Norway: winter, spring, summer, and fall. .

IThe weather changes
a lot between seasons in Norway. During winter, northern Norway has polar nights; a period
where the sun never rises above the horizon and you had 24 hours of dark. During summer,
however, it’s the exact opposite; the sun never sets.  The Norwegian economy is dependent
largely on the fortunes of its important petroleum industry. Norway’s economic turnaround is
exemplified by its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, which has surged from a relatively
modest level in the mid-20th century. Norway’s GDP per capita exceeds $80,000, placing it
among the top nations globally in terms of wealth and economic well-being. Norway is known to
be one of the safest countries in the world. Norway’s austere natural beauty has attracted visitors
from all over the world. The main attractions of Norway are the varied landscapes that extend
across the Arctic Circle. It is famous for its coastline and its mountains, ski resorts, lakes and
woods. Norway has become renowned for its progressive attitudes towards protecting the
environment. The country is a world leader in electric car use, and more than 95% of the
country’s electricity comes from hydropower. Many businesses and universities maintain
admirable principles of sustainability. The Kingdom of Norway has produced thirteen Nobel
laureates. Norway was ranked 21st in the Global Innovation Index in 2024.

Reasons for studies

The Norwegian higher education sector is known for its high academic standards, innovative
teaching methods and close, informal relations between students and lecturers.
Internationalizations are a priority within all sectors of the Norwegian education system.
Universities and university colleges are constantly working to facilitate for international students.
 Many universities in Norway are well-positioned in international rankings; most notably, the
University of Oslo usually ranks in the first 150 in the world. A number of degree programmers’
and courses are taught in English. Non-native-English students will see that their English skills
improve during their studies in Norway, while native-English students will not get bored. A high
level of English in the society in general makes it easy to both study and live in Norway. Despite
being a small country Norwegian universities and university colleges deliver quality education
which also international exchange and degree seeking students benefit from. Studying in Norway
will improve your career possibilities, both at home and abroad. Sustainability is a priority in
Norway: at its universities and also in society at large. That’s important to know if you’re a
student that wants to help save the planet. Norway is a modern society. Equality is a value deeply
rooted in the Norwegian society and is rooted in both legislation and tradition. In most cases the
Master’s programmes offered at Norwegian institutions go over 2 years. This allows students to
work on their thesis for a whole year, which means that the students get the chance to go deeper
into their field of study.

Variety of Institution

Higher education in Norway is comprised of a mixture of public and private universities. Some
are comprehensive, some specialized and some more focused on applied sciences.
The comprehensive universities often range high on the large international university rankings,
like QS world university rankings (external link) or Times Higher Education rankings (external
link), but even the smaller, more specialized institutions, rank high on rankings within their
specific academic field.

Historical Attraction

Bergen

Bryggen meaning ‘the dock’ in Norwegian is a series of picturesque hanseatic heritage buildings lining the VÃ¥gen harbour in Bergen, Norway. Bergen was founded in 1070 AD, and is the geographical centre of Norway’s stunning Western Coast but Bryggen has only been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. As the town grew into an ever-more important trading centre, the buildings were taken over by hanseatic merchants and the warehouses used to store goods, such as stockfish from the north and cereals from Europe. The notable and colorful buildings in Bryggen still stand, including the 300 year-old BellgÃ¥rden and the oldest, tallest building in the area, St Mary’s Church.  Historically, this was a factor that saw Bergen rise from a small settlement to a busy and thriving city; even named Norway’s capital from 1217 to 1299.

During the early 14th century the German merchant guild Hanseatic League established their northernmost bureau in Bergen. Their living-quarters in Vaagen remains (rebuilt and renovated throughout the centuries) and is today known as the famous Wharf – listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.


Rock Art Centre:

BLocated in Finnmark, the northernmost region of Norway, the Rock Art of
Alta comprises over 6,000 fascinating prehistoric carvings some of which dating back to 4200
BC. Among the man-made World Heritage Sites in Norway, the oldest one by far can be found
in the northernmost part of the country. This property contains 45  petroglyph  sites in five areas
around the Alta Fjord in Alta Municipality, far north of the Arctic Circle. The rock art includes
more than 6,000 carvings and 50 rock paintings, and the motifs range from animal figures and
humans to religious images and geometrical shapes. The rock carvings were likely made using
quartz chisels, likely hammered with harder rock – tools that continued to be used after people
started using metal tools. The largest occurrence of petroglyphs is found in Hjemmeluft, where
walking paths and guides make it easy to immerse oneself in this unique era of northern life. The
first of the carvings were discovered in 1973 in an area called Jiepmaluokta, which in Northern
Sami means ‘bay of seals’. The Rock Art of Alta is one of Norway’s 10 UNESCO World
Heritage Sites.


The Røros mining town

Røros is the administrative centre of  Røros  municipality in  Trøndelag  county, Norway. The mining town of Røros is sometimes called Bergstaden, which means “the rock town”, due to its historical copper mining. The town is named after the old Røros farm (“Røraas” around 1530), since the town was built on its ground. 333 years of
mining and urban agriculture had created a totally unique city on the mountain plains. The Røros
area has been used by the Southern Sami people for reindeer herding throughout history. Røros
and its people were made famous to Norwegians at the turn of the 20th century by semi-fictional
author Johan Falkberget, who told the story of the mining community from the perspective of the
hard-tested miners at the bottom of the social ladder. With its authentic wooden buildings, Røros
was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1980.


West Norwegian Fjords

The West Norwegian Fjords is the common name of
two fjords in Norway listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO: the  Geirangerfjord  and the  Nærøyfjord . The Geirangerfjord area is situated 60 km inland and constitutes the  Geirangerfjord  itself as the upper end of  Storfjorden  as well as  Tafjorden . The  Nærøyfjord  is situated 100 km inland and is the upper extremity of  Sognefjord . The two areas, though relatively distant, have a very similar climate, which is a transition between oceanic and continental climates. The area of Geirangerfjord had 230 inhabitants as of
2003, while Nærøyfjord had 243 inhabitants as of 2001. In addition to the breathtaking nature
where glaciers and waterfalls meet glimmering fjords and dramatic mountains, the cultural
landscape – often characterized by old farmhouses and outhouses – adds an extra dimension to
the area. The fjords were listed by UNESCO in 2005.


Opportunities

Tuition and accommodation

For a long time, studying in Norway used to be tuition-free for all students. But since autumn
2023, only citizens of the EU/EEA or Switzerland can study for free, while all other students
have to pay tuition fees. The tuition fees are based on the real cost of the respective study and
thus varies between institutions and study programmes. In Norway, most public universities
don’t charge tuition fees. This is valid for undergraduate degree courses, Master’s programmes
and PhDs, and for students from all countries, regardless if they are members of the EU/EEA or
not. There is only a student union fee that has to be paid in full, which is between 30 – 60
EUR/semester. Private universities charge tuition fees, and they vary between:
7,000 – 9,000 EUR/year for Bachelor’s programmes
9,000 – 19,000 EUR/year for Master’s programmes
As an important distinction to some other countries, PhD students in Norway are considered
employees and receive a salary while they research and teach.

Study Opportunities

A bachelor’s degree is awarded after three years of study and is equivalent to 180 ECTS credits.
A master’s degree is equivalent to 120 ECTS credits and is obtained after two years of study,
following completion of a bachelor’s degree. The exceptions are professional degrees within
certain disciplines, like medicine, law, and psychology – these are usually six-year programmes.  
Doctoral Degrees (PhD) are awarded after three or four years of study, following completion of a
masters or a professional degree.

Living Cost

On average, you can expect to pay anywhere between 800 – 1,400 EUR/month to live in
Norway. Expenses can be much higher in large cities. Here are some of the costs of living you
can expect to pay in cities like:
Oslo: 1,200 – 2,000 EUR
Bergen: 1,100 – 1,800 EUR
Tromso and Trondheim: 1,000 – 1,600 EUR
Other smaller cities in Norway usually have an average monthly living cost of 800 – 1,000 EUR.

Funding Opportunities

Norway is not an affordable country for international students. Due to the high living costs, it can
be quite expensive to get your education even if you do not have to pay the fees that apply to
non-European students. Scholarships might be an option to finance your studies.

Work permit

Norway offers very attractive employment opportunities to domestic and international students
alike. The country is home to many international companies, so it’s feasible to find a job without
fluent Norwegian – although the usual caveat applies: learning the local language is a must.
International students can work during their studies.  Students can apply for a job seeker visa
(apply at least a month before the study permit expires) to look for employment.  Norway is
home to a strong and diverse economy, which provides students with a wide range of job options
after graduation.

Top Universities

  • Nord University
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology
  • University of Bergen
  • University of Oslo
  • University of Stavanger
  • University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway
  • UIT the Arctic University of Norway 
  • Western Norway University of Applied Sciences 
  • University of South-Eastern Norway 
  • Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences 
  • University of Tromso
  • University College of Southeast Norway
  • University of Agder
  • Oslo Metropolitan University