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LEARNING NORWEGIAN

How to access free Norwegian lessons in 2024

Norway has recently earmarked 47 million kroner to subsidise Norwegian language education for immigrants. The Local delves deeper into who can access this scheme and how.

Published: 18 March 2024 14:43 CET
Updated: 4 April 2024 11:40 CEST
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The subsidy scheme targets immigrants who either lack access to Norwegian education under the Integration Act or have exhausted their allotted resources. Photo by Peter Hansen on Unsplash

The Norwegian government recently allocated 47 million kroner to continue subsidising Norwegian language education for immigrants, with the goal of promoting immigrant integration and workforce inclusion.

READ MORE: The language requirements for permanent residency in Norway

In a press release dated March 12th, 2024, Norwegian Minister for Employment and Inclusion Tonje Brenna emphasised the critical role of language proficiency in facilitating immigrants’ access to employment opportunities and socioeconomic stability.

The aim of the subsidy program is to enable immigrants, including Ukrainians and other migrant workers, to quickly attain a level of Norwegian proficiency (B1 or higher).

The subsidy scheme, managed by the Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi), targets immigrants who either lack access to Norwegian education under the Integration Act or have exhausted their allotted resources.

What you need to know about the program

The grant can be used by approved private and public providers of Norwegian education, and it offers up to 10,000 kroner per participant.

This funding is intended to cover between 80 and 100 hours of free training per person, with options for collaboration between providers, employers, and voluntary organisations.

That means that immigrants can access this subsidised language training through organisations that must first qualify for state funds allocated specifically for this purpose.

Current approved providers of Norwegian courses can apply and qualify for the subsidies, and it is up to each provider of the course to decide when the courses will be announced and provided throughout this year.

READ MORE: Why you should learn Norwegian even if you don’t need it for work

Sabrin Timraz, a communication advisor at IMDi, told The Local that applicants will be able to apply for the courses once official providers announce the details and dates of the lessons.

Each provider will publish the details on when the courses will be announced and how prospective candidates can apply.

“Providers include municipal adult education centres, private educational centres, NGOs and non-profit organisations,” Timraz said.

The IMDi also shared the full list of this year’s recipients of the subsidies.

Who qualifies for the courses?

According to IMDi, qualified candidates include adult immigrants (18+) who don’t otherwise have the right or obligation to attend free Norwegian courses as a part of their immigrant status, or those who have used up their rights can apply for the courses.

The courses are from level A2 and upwards, with the objective of reaching level B1 or higher.

You can find more information about the Norwegian training scheme on the website of the Directorate for Integration and Diversity.

Timraz also told The Local that immigrants can also inquire about other existing funds for Norwegian courses that NGOs and employers can apply for as part of the Kompetansepluss grant offer.

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FAMILY

‘Don’t let anything put you off’: How foreigners in Norway raise bilingual kids

Foreigners living and raising children in Norway, might want them to become native speakers of at least two languages. We asked our readers to share their tips and experiences.

Published: 9 April 2024 17:13 CEST
Updated: 27 April 2024 15:01 CEST
'Don't let anything put you off': How foreigners in Norway raise bilingual kids

Foreign residents in Norway with children spend a lot of time thinking about how to best make their offspring bilingual.

We recently put out a survey asking parents in Norway about their experiences with raising bilingual children, and many parents believed that raising their children to be bilingual or multilingual would help them succeed in life.

“I would like my son to become fluent in Norwegian from a young age so he can learn and flourish here,” Martin, who lives in Vestland, said.

While he is English, his wife is Lithuanian, meaning Martin and his wife hope for their one-year-old child to eventually be able to speak English, Lithuanian, and Norwegian.

He believed that his child would easily learn English and Norwegian and that he would attend a Norwegian language preschool once he was old enough.

However, he admitted that it would be harder for his son to pick up Lithuanian, as it isn’t taught in schools, and he would only have his mother to learn from.

Respondents also encouraged other parents to try their best to raise their children to be bilingual, especially as younger children can be adept at picking up languages.

“A child’s elastic brain can absorb languages, so it is always worth raising them bilingually or multilingually,” Russell, who lives in Oslo, said.

“Speak to your child in your native language, don’t let anyone or anything put you off,” he added when asked for advice.

READ ALSO: How to raise bilingual children: 7 language tips and tricks

Roxanne, who lives in Bergen, recommended prioritising the parents’ mother tongue, as children would absorb Norwegian just by living in the country.

Her daughter, who was 20 months old when they first moved to Bergen several years ago, is now fluent in English and Norwegian after first practising with a bilingual nanny and then attending a Norwegian preschool.

However, Roxanne and her husband also practised German, French, Spanish, and Farsi with their child, with English being the primary language at home.

Roxanne was one of several parents who said that one parent spoke to their child in one language while the other spoke in a different language. She said she was determined to raise a multilingual child to ensure that her daughter would always feel “seen and understood” by her family.

Daren lives in Bærum and moved to Norway with his three children when they were aged 8, 6 and 4. Now his kids are 21, 19 and 17 and fluent in Norwegian and English. He said that it took his children most of their childhood to master the language after moving.

He also said that going to a local school and his children making friends with Norwegian children and using the language conversationally boosted their skills.

“Try to integrate into the local community, sports teams, friendships, etc. Send your kids to local schools and avoid the international schools until VGS (high school),” Daren said.

He added that things are easier if the parents learn Norwegian, but in some cases, this is easier said than done, and he and his wife have yet to master the language.

Stef, who lives in Haugesund, warned that parents learning Norwegian alongside their kids may struggle to keep up with their children.

“Learn Norwegian as fast as you can because children will learn faster,” Stef said.

International schools are a popular option for many families who aren’t sure they will settle down in Norway, or only plan to live in the country temporarily, or who move with older children.

While many parents advised sending their children to a Norwegian school, some also pointed out kids could pick up the local language while attending an international school.

Ulrike, who lives in Oslo, said it was important that clubs and activities are in the local language.

“If they go to an international school, make sure they have extracurricular activities in Norwegian,” she said.

Her child attends the German School of Oslo, where German and Norwegian are spoken languages.

Gail, who lives in Australia but has taught at Oslo International School, recommended using a tutor and finding ways to make the Norwegian language fun.

“Use a tutor and ask the school your child attends what they suggest for integration and learning. Sports activities and social occasions help. Singing songs in Norwegian is a fun way to learn,” she said.

Paige, who lives in Sandefjord, suggested Norwegian television and language cafes to boost children’s Norwegian skills.

“If they go to an international school and they or you want them to develop their Norwegian language skills, find some programs on (Norway’s public broadcaster) NRK and watch them together, go to language cafes, go to local events, and take it one step at a time,” she said.

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