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HIGHER EDUCATION

When will Norway’s universities announce tuition fee prices? 

The University of Stavanger has become one of the first Norwegian universities to reveal how much it will charge students from outside the EEA and Switzerland for a study place. So when are other institutions likely to follow suit? 

Published: 24 January 2023 14:59 CET
Pictured is a lecture hall.
Here's when universities will announce what it will charge in tuition. Pictured is a lecture hall. Photo by Dom Fou on Unsplash

Foreign students from outside the EEA and Switzerland will be required to pay fees to study at public universities from the autumn semester of 2023. 

This is due to a new law proposed in 2022 and introduced in the new year. Prior to this, all students studied at public universities for free.

Despite the change first being proposed in October 2022, prospective students have been left in the dark over how much they will be required to pay to study in Norway, beyond a few government estimates. 

However, the University of Stavanger announced how much students would be charged to study in Norway this week. 

Students from countries outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland who will be studying in the autumn must prepare to pay the following for one year of study at UiS:

  • Master’s degrees in technology, natural sciences and performing arts: 150,000 kroner
  • Master’s degrees at a business school, social science subjects, humanities subjects and all health subjects: 125,000 kroner
  • Bachelor and year studies: 80,000 kroner 

But when will other study places announce what they will charge students? 

The Local reached out to seven public universities in Norway, and they have yet to be able to provide clarity on what they will charge students from outside the EEA. 

Despite that, some have clarified when it will announce fees for students outside the EEA. 

The Arctic University of Norway (UiT) informed The Local that the higher education sector was collaborating and working out a model to calculate how much it would cost to study in Norway from autumn.

“UiT is collaborating with the rest of the sector to find a model for calculating the costs and will send this to applicants as soon as possible and at the latest by sending out the offer letter. What we now answer to those applicants who ask is that we currently do not have more information than what is on our website. We are working on getting the necessary clarifications, and we will update the website and send out information to all our applicants as soon as we know anything more. This is stated on the website,” Heidi Adolfsen, director of education, research and dissemination at UiT, told The Local.

The Arctic University of Norway is collaborating with the University of Oslo, the University of Bergen and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) to calculate a model for tuition fees. 

This means that those four universities, and possibly more, will inform students about fees closer to when study offers are sent out. 

Khrono, a higher education sector publication in Norway, reports that the four universities collaborating could release proposed tuition prices by the end of January. 

When it comes to the fees themselves, section manager Bjarte Hoem at the University of Stavanger told Khrono that he didn’t expect a significant fluctuation in prices between education institutes.

Students will decide in February whether they want to continue with their applications to study in Norway, and if they do accept a place at a Norwegian university will need to pay tuition for the coming semester in May. 

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STUDYING IN NORWAY

Everything you need to know if you want to study in Norway in 2024 

From applications to the immigration process to who has to pay tuition and whether degrees are taught in English. The Local has compiled all the key information on applying to university in Norway. 

Published: 31 January 2024 15:23 CET
Everything you need to know if you want to study in Norway in 2024 

The basics 

The Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (NUCAS) handles most applications to study at universities in Norway. 

The majority of universities in Norway are state-run. NUCAS handles applications for all state and some private universities in Norway at the bachelor’s level. 

Public universities are typically free (however, some students must pay steep tuition), and private universities charge fees. 

Applications to Norwegian universities open on February 1st, with a deadline of April 15th. Exam results need to be uploaded by July 1st in most cases, and on July 15th, you will find out if your application has been successful. 

Those from outside the EEA/EU will typically have a much earlier deadline. Furthermore, many master’s courses open for application earlier but will have the same deadline. 

When applying for a master’s course, you must apply directly to the university. 

Degrees taught in English

The overwhelming majority of bachelor’s programmes in Norway are taught in Norwegian. This means that you will find it challenging to find a course in English at all, never mind one relevant to your career path or interests. 

In addition, you will need to document Norwegian proficiency to be admitted onto a Norwegian language course. 

There are a large variety of master’s courses taught in English. The Study in Norway website has an overview of all the degrees in Norway that are taught in English. 

For many prospective students, the best opportunity to study in Norway will be at the master’s level because more degrees are taught in English. 

To study a degree taught in English, you need to document proficiency in the language either by being a native speaker, passing language tests, or having already obtained a degree taught in English. 

READ ALSO: Can I take a English-speaking degree in Norway?

Tuition fees 

Students from outside the EEU/EEA and Switzerland must pay tuition fees at Norwegian universities, regardless of whether they are public or private. 

Tuition fees generally vary depending on the type of degree and the kind of course. Individual universities have an overview of their fees on their websites. 

Generally, you’ll be expected to pay upwards of 140,000 kroner per year to study. The Study in Norway website has a list of universities that charge tuition on its website. 

Some courses will cost much more, with fees in excess of 300,000 kroner per year. 

There are some exemptions for non-EU/EEA citizens, these are typically for permanent residence holders, asylum seekers, those who are married or have a child with a Norwegian citizen, Brits who arrived before Brexit and those who have worked in Norway for a few years. 

Norwegian and all EU/EEA nationals do not need to pay tuition fees to study in Norway. 

The Norwegian government also has yet to make plans to introduce scholarship schemes for non-EEA nationals. 

Free tuition is one factor in extremely competitive admission to a Norwegian university.  

The immigration rules 

Non-EEA/EU citizens must apply for a study permit to live in Norway while they study. They will need to obtain this after receiving an offer to study. 

The permit comes with an application fee (for over 18s). You will also need to prove that you have the funds to live on during your time in Norway. These funds can be through loans or your own income. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration has an overview of the rules that apply on its website. 

Students from the EEA will need to register with the Norwegian police if they are going to live in and study in the country. They will need to have been admitted onto a course. Registration is free and comes with a certificate. 

Working while you study 

You can work while you study. When granted a study permit, you can work up to 20 hours per week alongside your studies.

Those from the EU/EEA/EFTA can work even more, and can work up to 50 percent of full-time hours. The work can also be remote, but you cannot be self-employed or run your own business in Norway.

The hours you work can be increased during the holidays though. 

READ MORE: Can you work on a Norwegian study permit?

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