Public universities in Norway are typically free, though some students, particularly those from outside the EEU/EEA and Switzerland, face steep tuition costs.
The costs vary depending on the type of degree and course, with most universities providing detailed overviews of their fees on their websites.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know if you want to study in Norway in 2024
Generally, if there’s a tuition fee involved, students can expect to pay upwards of 140,000 kroner per year to study in Norway.
On top of this, living expenses in Norway – generally relatively high – have become even more steep in recent years. Rent, food, transportation, and other daily costs quickly add up.
This raises the question of whether you can cover your expenses without working during your studies in Norway.
Two-thirds of full-time students carried out paid work in 2022
According to the national statistics agency, Statistics Norway (SSB), two out of three full-time students in Norway had paid work in 2022, either periodically or throughout the semester.
While having a job alongside studies can provide relevant work experience, it can also reduce the time available for academic pursuits, as highlighted by figures from the most recent Eurostudent survey.
This trend is common among students in Nordic countries, where balancing paid work with education is a typical part of student life, but it has led to concerns in the context of the student standard in Norway.
Student organisation: Inflation affecting quality of life
Oline Sæther, president of the National Union of Students Norway (NSO), told The Local that the ongoing costs of living crisis has eaten away at the quality of life of students in the country – even with the recent increase in student financial support.
“Absolutely, with drastically increased prices and a basic financial support that can’t keep up, most students in Norway have felt the inflation close to their wallets,” she said.
“Even though the economic support for students was increased by 7 percent last year, it was still not a proper quality of life increase due to inflation.
“For the next academic year, the support will be increased by a further 10 percent; we hope that this will actually increase the quality of life for Norwegian students.”
‘Hard to make ends meet without a part-time job’
The head of the NSO also warned that, without external support, studying in Norway today without having a job on the side is becoming unfeasible.
“I would say that it is very hard to make ends meet without a part-time job alongside your studies in Norway,” Sæther said.
That is why our biggest demand is increased financial support for students. It is only through these means that we can secure equal rights to education,” she said.
She also noted that international students are being hit quite hard, considering the loans and funds they receive from their home countries may be lower than what Norwegian students get.
“Many international students in Norway are having a hard time covering their expenses. Some of the student housing is often reserved for international students, but Norway is an expensive country, and many work as much as they are allowed to in their part-time jobs in order to cover their expenses.
“The situation is particularly difficult for students from outside of the EU/EEA because they have to pay tuition fees on top of everything else,” the NSO leader said.
However, in the context of foreign students in Norway having their working hours restricted – meaning that they can lose their permit if they exceed the limit – Sæther noted that the working hour rules should apply equally.
Still, she noted that it was “unfortunate that international students are forced to work as much as they are in order to cover their living expenses.”
When granted a study permit, international students in Norway can work up to 20 hours per week while they study.
READ MORE: Can you work on a Norwegian study permit?
Students from the EU/EEA have more flexibility and can work up to 50 percent of full-time hours.
During holidays, all students can work full-time. This allows students to plan out summer internships or pick up extra work to save money for the upcoming academic year.
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