Norway, officially known as the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Europe. Finland and Russia border the country to the northeast, while Sweden borders the country to the east.
Oslo is the capital and largest city of Norway, and the national currency is the NOK (Norwegian Krone). One of the many reasons Norway has become a popular destination for international students is that most of its public universities do not charge tuition, which applies to all international students from any country.
Norwegian scholarships are available to students from any country in the world because the Norwegian government prioritizes equal and high-quality education. Here is information on its tuition-free universities, as well as scholarship information for 2023 enrollment. The scholarships cover Masters and undergraduate degrees.
List of Scholarship bodies in Norway
The following is a list of scholarship programs to sponsor studies in Norway
- BI Norwegian Business School Scholarships
- Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarships
- Erasmus+ Program
- High North Fellowship Program
- Lakselaget Foundation Scholarship
- Leiv Eriksson mobility program
- NORAM Scholarship
- Nord University Postdoctoral Fellowship
- Norwegian- Russian Scholarship Scheme
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences
- Norwegian-Russian Scholarships
- Oslo Metropolitan University Scholarships
- Sons of Norway Student Residence Permit
- The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Scholarships
- University of Bergen
- University of Oslo Scholarships
- University of Stavanger Scholarships
List of Tuition-Free Universities in Norway
Below are the Norwegian universities with no tuition fees, which also apply to international students.
- Bergen Academy of Art & Design, Norway
- Bergen University College
- BI Norwegian Business School
- Hedmark University of Applied Science
- Lillehammer University College
- MF Norwegian School of Theology
- Molde University College – Specialized University in Logistics
- Narvik University College
- Nesna University College
- NLA University College
- Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
- Norwegian School of Veterinary Science
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
- Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences
- Oslo School of Architecture and Design
- Østfold University College
- Stord/Haugesund University College
- The Arctic University of Norway
- The University Centre in Svalbard
- University of Agder (UiA)
- University of Bergen
- University of Nordland
- University of Oslo (UiO)
- University of Stavanger (UiS)
- University of Tromsø (UiT)
Private university tuition fees
- 7,000 – 9,000 EUR/year for Bachelor’s programmes
- 9,000 – 19,000 EUR/year for Master’s programmes
Information for prospective applicants
- No language proficiency test like TOEFL, or IELTS is needed if the previous degree of education has been taught in English.
- Students who have completed their previous studies at an institution where the English Language was the medium of instruction can fulfill the requirements of studying without IELTS.
- Students need to provide an official declaration or certificate printed on headed and stamped paper as evidence that their previous education was in English
- Once your application is accepted, you will need to take an online interview scheduled by your university.
Cost of Living
On average, the living cost could be between 800 – 1,400 EUR/month to live in Norway. Expenses can be much higher in large cities. Here are some of the costs of living you can expect to pay in cities like:
- Oslo: 1,200 – 2,000 EUR
- Bergen: 1,100 – 1,800 EUR
- Tromso and Trondheim: 1,000 – 1,600 EUR
Student Housing
In Norway, housing for students typically accounts for 36% of total living expenses. The most popular choices are renting, which typically costs between NOK 3,000 and 5,000, and student housing.
A Student union fee is between 30 – 60 EUR/semester.
Transportation costs
In Norway, 41% of college students commute by public transportation and take advantage of the discounts offered by their student ID cards. A monthly transportation pass ranges in price from 55 to 72 euros. There are options like Taxis, which start at 10 euros and cost 1.5 euros per kilometre. Renting a bike costs between 12 and 25 euros per day.
So, either way, you have the option of applying to one of its tuition-free universities or applying for a scholarship to study in Norway. Check the website of each institution and each scholarship body for more information.
