NorgeStart
Studying in Norway as an international student
Public universities in Norway charge no tuition to students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland; students from elsewhere have paid tuition since 2023, and how much varies widely by institution and programme, so take the figure from the university's own page rather than from any national average. What you actually need to budget for is living costs, and a non-EU student permit requires you to prove you can cover them. Applications for most programmes close in the spring for an August start.
NorgeStart is an independent private service. It is not a government agency and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or operated by any Norwegian public authority. NorgeStart brings information from many official Norwegian sources together in one place, and we work to keep it up to date. Even so, rules, rates and amounts can change at any time, and we cannot guarantee that a page here always matches the authority's latest wording. Always confirm with the responsible authority before you act. We give general information, not professional advice on legal, tax, immigration or medical matters, and we take no responsibility for differences between this page and the official source, or for decisions taken on the basis of it.
Getting in & what it costs
- Public universities in Norway are tuition-free for students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland, and have charged tuition to everyone else since 2023. How much varies widely by programme and institution — take the figure from the university's own page rather than from any national average.
- Bachelor admission runs through Samordna opptak — deadline 15 April (1 March for some groups). Master's: apply directly to each university (deadlines Dec–Mar for international).
- A semesteravgift (semester fee) gives you student status, discounts and health perks. Each student welfare organisation (samskipnad) sets its own rate, so check your own institution's current figure before you enrol.
- Many master's programmes are fully in English (NTNU, UiO, UiB, OsloMet, BI for business).
What studying in Norway actually costs
- Public universities are free for EU/EEA and Swiss citizens — no tuition, at bachelor, master and PhD level. This is the reason Norway appears on so many "study abroad free" lists.
- Students from outside the EU/EEA pay tuition since 2023. It varies widely by programme and institution, so check the university's own page rather than any summary.
- Everyone pays the semesteravgift to their student welfare organisation (samskipnad) each semester. Each samskipnad sets its own rate, so look up your institution's current figure rather than budgeting from an average. It buys health services, counselling, sports and cheap student housing, and it is what makes you eligible for a student card.
- The money you must prove for a study permit is the figure that surprises people: for 2026/2027 UDI requires 170 368 kr for a full academic year of living costs, or 77 440 kr for the autumn semester and 92 928 kr for spring. It must be in a Norwegian bank account or the institution's deposit account.
- Living costs are the real expense either way — student housing through the samskipnad is far cheaper than the private market, and the queues open long before term starts.
- Lånekassen, the state loan fund, is mainly for Norwegian citizens and certain EU/EEA students with work history here. Most international students should plan without it.
Student life & money
- Lånekassen (state loan/grant — the basic loan for a full-time student is around 170 000 kr for the 2026–2027 academic year, paid over eleven months; check lanekassen.no for the exact current rate. Part becomes a grant if you pass) — for Norwegians and some foreigners incl. EU workers/their children; check your rights.
- Student housing via samskipnaden (SiO, Sammen…): NOK 4–7k/month, queue as early as possible; private rooms 6–9k.
- Student discounts: 40% off public transport, cheap gym (SiO Athletica etc.), cheap campus food, cinema/museum deals — always ask "studentrabatt?".
- Study permit (non-EU) allows 20h/week part-time work; typical student jobs: retail, warehouses, care assistants, food delivery.
Moving to Norway or just arrived? NorgeStart explains Norwegian bureaucracy, work, taxes, housing, healthcare and daily life in plain language — with an AI assistant that explains important documents and gives clear, source-based answers.