Norway is a great place to get a quality education, as it is free to get. In addition, students enlist the support of student organizations and can receive a living stipend. We invite you to learn more about Norwegian education and student opportunities in this country.
Education system
As in many countries, the education system in Norway includes bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. With the exception of some private institutions, all universities in Norway are state-owned.
The main requirement for admission to a bachelor’s degree is graduating from high school with good results, which is equivalent to passing exams at the end of study at a Norwegian school. For students from some countries, completion of one year of undergraduate studies at another university is also required. Educational institutions set their own requirements for master’s programs. The main one is having a bachelor’s degree or equivalent education.
Teaching is conducted in Norwegian and English. For admission, the student must provide documents on language proficiency, depending on the program. Each university sets the minimum score individually, so information about the requirements must be found directly on the website.
Tuition payment
Education at public universities in Norway is free for foreign students, with the exception of some specialized programs, and upon admission, you only need to pay certain fees. This rule applies to all three levels of study. However, for each semester, students pay 300-600 CZK. What are these contributions for?
This fee allows the student to take exams and also provides membership in student organizations, which we will talk about a little later. Payment is also required to obtain a student card, which provides privileges in the form of reduced fares for public transport and discounts on tickets to cultural events.
More often than not, private universities charge tuition fees for their programs, but the required amount is significantly less than in other countries for comparable programs. Also, international students and students from Norway pay the same amount. In our article about spending while studying, you can learn more about all the financial nuances.
Scholarships
Most universities in Norway have bilateral agreements with institutions in other countries that allow students to study on exchange. There are also national programs and funding from private and non-profit organizations. Below you will find some scholarships that can help cover the costs.
Norwegian-Russian Scholarship
Master’s scholarships under the Norwegian-Russian Scholarship program are available to graduates of Russian universities. A total of 30 grants are available under this program: 15 for the study of Norwegian language and literature and 15 for other specialties. Students do not pay tuition fees, except for a semester fee of approximately NOK 600. Students receive monthly payments that are equal to those paid to students from Norway. As of January 2017, this amount was NOK 10,395 per month.
Grants are provided by:
- Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences
- UiT The Arctic University of Norway (merged with Narvik University College)
- University of Bergen
- Nord University (previously University of Nordland)
- University of Oslo
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Mobility Grants for Norwegian Language and Literature
This grant is available to international students for short-term studies in the Norwegian language and literature. The funding covers the researcher’s work in Norway and is issued for a period of one to three months. The grant for 2018-2019 is NOK 10,634 per month, and working in one of the three northern counties in Norway increases the stipend by NOK 1,000. The grant does not cover transport costs to and from Norway. The application deadline for candidates is March 31, 2018.
High North Fellowship Program
The High North Fellowship Program is designed for students from Russia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the USA who want to study in northern Norway for a short term. The program is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Each student receives a monthly stipend and travel expenses to Norway. There is no provision for applying for scholarships to the Ministry on your own: a student can only apply through the host university.