Norway for sure is a country of hidden treasures. Not so many people travelling to Europe or Scandinavian region end up in Norway. Aside from the extreme cold temperatures and dark winters for which Norway is known, the country has some of the best universities globally.
Any ambitious man or woman who wishes to get the best higher education can confidently turn to Norway. In fact, if someone tells you that Norway is too cold, reply back that the cutting edge research and learning given by schools, colleges and universities there warms it up… Ahaah!
As if the high level of education provided in Norway is not enough, the public universities in the country do not charge tuition fees whatsoever.
While other universities in Scandinavia want international students, Norway gives ambitious and talented students from all over the world to actualise their education tuition free. Any focused and determined student from across the world can get admissions to the tuition fees free public universities in Norway.
Universities in Norway
Assuming that you have never known so much about Norway, at least you should be adequately aware that it is among the Scandinavian countries. Saying it is within Scandinavia here is deliberate because the level of education, research, innovation and development throughout the countries stand out, and Norway is no exception.
Interested in studying in Norway? You can always look out for the various study programs offered in the universities. Some of these highly ranked institutions in Norway include the University of Oslo, University of Bergen, Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the University of Tromsø & The Arctic University of Norway which are globally ranked at 135th,, 171st, 363rd and 369th respectively.
This ranking of Norwegian university just shows the high level of investment that the universities and government of Norway put in ensuring that students always get the best match of expertise for a fast changing world.
Study in Norway in English
As the name suggests, Norwegian is the predominant language in Norway yet there are several courses and programs that are taught in English. Maybe any prospective student is worried about how to manage education in Norway without knowing how to speak Norwegian.
The truth about the universities in Norway have faculty members with a high competency in conversation and academic English. You will never be out of place as an English speaking student in Norway.
Knowing Norwegian will not be a must for you to qualify for a program that is taught in English. Anyone will tell you that English is the language of science so once you have it, it is possible to cope. In this case, your ability to speak Norwegian will only be to help you in your daily life and maybe getting a job after study is finished.
An English speaking student can apply to the more than 200 master programs that are offered in English. There is also quite a good number of undergraduate courses taught and examined in English.
The courses offered by universities in Norway include fields such as humanities, social sciences, law, theology, mathematics, technology, natural sciences, education, health sciences, dentistry, energy, development, engineering and gender studies .
Diversity and inclusivity is a core element of the Norwegian universities and has resulted in a high of over 15000 foreign students enrolling to study there. You will be warmly welcomed and treated to the best academic and social environment that only Norway can offer.
As a student in Norway, you will be enchanted with the great landscape and nature as well as thrilled with interactive learning. I guess your will be surprised how fast your studies will run.
Admission to Universities in Norway
In most cases, an academic calendar in Norway runs from August every year. This means that you will have a chance to send in your application for admission the previous year.
If you want to get admission for studies in Norway beginning August of 2021, your deadline for submission of application should be sometime running from December of 2020 around March 2021. The deadlines are always strictly observed and cannot be overrun whatsoever.
In case you miss the deadlines; it will only be proper for you to consider correcting the mistakes that you made and send them the next time. Also, know that some universities may need you to submit a pre-qualification.
Due to the strict timelines within which you have to submit all the documents and proofing, it is proper that you identify the universities and courses of interest well in time.
With a timely decision on what courses to take and in which university, it is easy to know their specific requirements, gather the documents and submit.
To make a successful application to study in Norway, it is advisable that you apply to a program which matches your previous education. You do not want to keep the admission board struggling to find a match between your past education and what you are currently applying for. In most cases, a mismatch will lead to a denial of admission chance.
Cost of studies in Norway
One thing that makes studying in Norway important for international students is that its public universities do not charge any tuition fees. Undergraduate, master and PhD studies in Norway are all tuition free.
All students from all over the world can study undergraduate, masters and PhD in Norway free of tuition fees. The only precondition for admisson to the university is that the applicant meets the minimum set admission requirments.
To apply for and get admitted to the Norwegian Public universities, an international applicant only require to pay a semester student union fee of 30 – 60 EUR per semester.
Costs of living in Norway as a student
As you may expect, Norway is largely an urban country which means that everything comes at a cost. The cost of living for a student in Norway includes what they spend on housing, food, study materials, utilities, travel and miscellaneous expenses.
The living cost in Norway is slightly above the average for European nations but this is compensated by the high quality of life and standards of living. All you need to do is spend wisely and avoid things that you can do without.
If you want to live n a budget in Norway, its important to get smart. For example, identify a cheap grocery, do not buy that new cloth if it’s not necessary, take a small apartment if you are all alone and minimise travel.
On average you will spend between 800 –1,400 EUR monthly on expenses but this varies depending on which city you live. Of course, the costs are higher in Norway and cheaper in smaller cities like to live in Norway.
The expenses in Norway can be much higher in large cities. Here are some of the costs of living you can expect to pay in cities like Tromsø and Trondheim.
