Study in Norway
Norway is one of the few countries offering free tuition to ALL international students at public universities.
Norway is one of the few countries offering free tuition to ALL international students at public universities.
Visa Information
- Apply to UDI online for a study permit after admission, then hand in your documents at the embassy or application centre
- Funds: NOK 15,488 a month, NOK 170,368 for the academic year (UDI), in a Norwegian account, the institution's deposit account, or loans and grants
- Work: up to 20 hours a week during studies and full-time in holidays, included in the study permit
- After graduating you can apply for a job seeker permit of up to 1 year (rules updated 6 July 2026) and work while you search
Study requirements
- An upper secondary certificate that meets Norway's general admission requirements for your country (the GSU list); some countries' certificates also need university study
- English-taught programs: IELTS, TOEFL or another test the university accepts; Norwegian-taught programs: Norwegian proficiency (for example the Bergen test)
- Apply through the university's own application portal (most use Soknadsweb)
- Official transcripts and certificates, with certified translations if they are not in English or Norwegian
- For the study permit: admission letter, a valid passport, housing and NOK 170,368 for the academic year (UDI) in an accepted account
Student life
Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Tromso and Stavanger are the main student cities, and student welfare organisations run housing and cafeterias. Norway is one of Europe's most expensive countries, especially for rent and eating out. Hiking and skiing are close to every campus, but winters are dark and Bergen is very rainy. Most people speak English well, though many part-time jobs need Norwegian.