The Ultimate Guide to Study in Norway for Foreign Students

Norway, a Scandinavian country, is well-developed and with forward thought. Norway has a long and interesting history, famed for its Viking ancestors. Norway is ideal for any foreign traveler, with stunning fjords, the famed Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), and a great reputation for education.

Reasons to Study in Norway

Norway gives you a special learning experience and Norwegian higher education institutions accept applications submitted by eligible students from around the world. You can come to Norway as a student through existing exchange programs, institutional arrangements or as a so-called “free mover,” where you manage the stay for yourself, beginning from the study form, duration to financing.

Let’s take five reasons why you should be studying in Norway.

1. Tuition-free universities

This doesn’t matter the state colleges in Norway are tuition-free. Although certain classes can charge tuition at certain colleges, most general study courses do not. Private colleges are chargeable, of course.

If all of this seems too good to be real, it is not, but it comes at a price. Norway is a pretty pricey place to stay with all its benefits, starting from housing, grocery shops, restaurants, bus fares, fuel, books, supplies, all is expensive. Commodities such as gas and liquor are heavily regulated, too.

2. Quality education

With a wide variety of high-quality classes and tremendous versatility, Norwegian universities are proving an perfect destination for study. There are many prospects for students to accomplish their goals, from vocational subjects to postgraduate and doctorate levels.

You can often benefit from the relaxed environment at Norwegian universities and university colleges, where professors are readily available and in small classes tuition is often held. Many universities do have computer facilities well fitted for free Internet access.

3. Plenty of scholarships offered

Many Norwegian universities have various partnership arrangements with international higher education institutions. These conventions are typically structured for graduates, scholars and teachers to share ideas.

There are, however, regional schemes providing grants and other forms of support to foreign students who wish to study in Norway. In all such services other requirements and prerequisites apply. In comparison, numerous stipends paid by private and non-profit organisations are eligible.

4. Good social system

The social system in Norway, regarded as one of the best in the country, touches every Norwegian, and even some transplants. This delivers social services to all; healthcare, public health care, assistance for unemployment, maternity leave, and child care.

While these schemes are not instantaneous for newcomers and take a considerable amount of time and energy, advantages will pay off. Bear in mind: There’s a explanation why the taxes and living costs are high.

Norway’s Education System

The Norwegian higher education system includes all of the approved universities and/or programs. Despite the exception of certain private university schools, all institutions of higher education are run by the Government.

Tuition is not usually necessary for studying at Norwegian higher education institutions, although fees can be levied at private universities for some vocational education courses, further and special education courses, and research.

In accordance to their teaching practices, all the higher learning institutions, and particularly the colleges, are accountable for undertaking both fundamental study and academic preparation, mainly through graduate studies and doctoral degree programs.

The school year normally runs between mid-August through mid-June. Courses are calculated according to the European Credit Transfer System Credits (ECTS) standard in “studiepoeng.” For one academic year the full-time workload is 60 “studiepoeng” / ECTS points.

Grades for undergraduate and postgraduate exams are given on a grading scale from A (highest) to F (lowest), with E as the minimum standard of passes. For certain exams a pass / fail mark is issued.

Application and Admission Process of Norwegian Universities

You may need to contact every university or university college to get the correct application forms and information about the submission deadlines. For general, the registration date for international students for courses beginning the next autumn (August) is from December 1 to March 15.

Please note that some institutions have separate pre-qualification deadlines that are earlier than this.

Undergraduate studies admission

Completion of advanced level secondary education, equal to completing the test at the conclusion of Norwegian high school, is the general minimum prerequisite for admission to Norwegian universities and college. Additionally, at least one year of completed university-level study is required for students from certain countries.

Some education programs have specific criteria for entry, typically related to specialty subjects or high school fields of study. Please check with the institution for information about these special qualifications.

Master programs admission

Requirements for admission are determined by each university and college based on the applicants’ academic assessment.

Masters students have usually earned an undergraduate/Bachelor’s degree or equivalent of at least 3 years. The degree must include courses equal to at least 1 1⁄2 years of full-time training in a subject similar to that applied for by the scheme.

For special cases, Norway does not accept the first (and often the second) year of study at a international higher education institution as being higher.

Application process

Norwegian universities, business schools, and other institutions of higher education each have their own regulations. If you go to the websites of their official institutions, you can find a full list of bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Norway. If you click on it, you can see the deadlines, the criteria and a link that will take you to the website of the university, where you will start your official application.

Language requirements for the application

Although you don’t need to master the Norwegian language, you’ll need an English certificate in Norway for your studies. Universities usually accept:

• C1 Advanced
• IELTS
• Pearson PTE
• TOEFL

You should ask the school of choice what test you should take and what score you should get, so you won’t have issues during your official application.

Required application documents

The list of documents for general application is fairly simple. A student has to provide:

1. An undergraduate/Bachelor’s degree or equivalent of at least 3 years of study which must include courses equal to at least 1 ½ years of full-time studies in a subject relevant to the program you applied for (for Master’s degree), or a completion of secondary education at advanced level which is equivalent to passing the exam at the end of Norwegian secondary school (for Bachelor’s degree); and
2. An English proficiency test.

In addition, certain unique entry documents are typically needed for applicant to apply. Norway has the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT), which sets the minimum criteria that differ on the home country of each applicant. For country-specific details you can search the GSU-list, the Norwegian index.

How to Get a Student Visa for Norway

You may issue permits to live. Visas are authorized for stays of up to 90 days, while students intending to remain longer than three months in Norway require this residency permit.

If you have been living in Norway for less than three months, and you’re coming from a country with a visa requirement to enter Norway, you’ll also need a visa. Specifications and processes for securing a residence permit for students will depend on the country of origin.

To be given a student visa for Norway, you must have been accepted to a field of study at a university or college (with certain exemptions). Upon getting your letter of entry, you will call the nearest Norwegian Embassy or Consulate for information on the approval process for the study permit, and apply from your country of origin.

The short list of documents for a student residence permit in Norway including:

1. An application form for student residence
2. A copy of your passport
3. Documentation of admission to an approved educational institution
4. A plan of study
5. A form stating the progress of your studies
6. Documentation of housing
7. Receipt of having paid the application fee (NOK 5,300)
8. Two recent passport photographs with a white background
9. Evidence of sufficient financial funds for the entire period of study, including funds to support any accompanying family, which should be in a Norwegian bank account
10. Completed and signed UDI document checklist, which you should print off and hand in along with your other documents

Processing times for residency permits for students can vary and may take around two months so it is best to apply as early as you can.

Living Costs in Norway

Is it expensive to live in Norway?

Yeah, Norway is incredibly costly. However, those costs are offset by higher incomes.

In Norway, the standard cost of living would depend on the lifestyle you have and where you want to settle in the country. However, generally speaking you can probably spend between 20,000 and 40,000 NOK (USD 2,176 – 4,352) per month living in this Nordic region.

Norway’s most costly cities are Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim. Hedmark, Telemark, Oppland and Østfold Rural are the most inexpensive.

Meal

Food is pricey since a lot of food is shipped into the Nordic world, so there are dining out costs. In this nation the service sector appears to be costly. It is as relative to other nations, the waiting staff were paying high salaries. Of this cause Norwegians are not getting used to dining out as much as other European countries might.

Healthcare

Public healthcare in Norway is free for people 16 and under, pregnant mothers and/or nursing women alike. Annual insurance equal to an amount of NOK 2,024 (USD 222) is charged to anyone involved. You can obtain an exempton card upon paying this, which entitles you to free healthcare for the rest of the year.

Personal health insurance is very small market. Currently it is so small that it is practically non-existent. Nonetheless, you can consider several local insurers with monthly policies totaling 508 NOK (USD 56).

Rent

The typical rent across the Norway is NOK 8,740 (USD 952). Note that you’ll be required to put down a large security deposit when renting in this country. This can vary from three to six months’ rent. This always comes as a shock to foreigners and at the beginning, it is something that you will need to prepare for.

Utility

Basic utility costs for electricity, heating, cooling, sanitation, and waste facilities pay around NOK 1,571 (USD 171) a month for an average apartment in Norway. The average cost of NOK 473 (USD 51) would be Internet with 60 Mbps or more of usable access. One minute local prepaid tariff is almost NOK 1 (around USD 1).

List of Norwegian Tuition-free Universities

1. Bergen University College
2. Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
3. Nord University
4. Norwegian Academy of Music
5. Norwegian School of Economics
6. Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
7. Oslo Metropolitan University
8. Oslo School of Architecture and Design
9. Oslo University
10. Østfold University College
11. The University Centre in Svalbard
12. University of Agder
13. University of Bergen
14. University of South-Eastern Norway
15. University of Stavanger
16. University of Tromsø
17. Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

List of Scholarships in Norway

1. Government scholarships in your country of origin
2. NORAM Scholarships
3. Norwegian University of Science and Technology Scholarships
4. University of Oslo Scholarships
5. University of Stavanger Scholarships

Bear in mind this is a concise generalities guideline, so don’t just base your decision and application archive on this post. Anyway, we send your application the best of luck and have fun during your foreign student journey!