Apart from the breathtaking scenery and trendy cities, Norway offers students a high-quality and standard education. Norway has become one of the most popular and preferred locations for studies by students from all across the globe. Despite being a small country with only less population, Norway has placed most of its universities in decent positions in the world rankings. Another major reason for international students to opt for universities in Norway is that most public universities here offer education absolutely free of cost. With a high standard of living, friendly natives, dazzling cities, and low crime rates, Norway is a safe and best place to take up studies for international students. 
Reasons to Take Up Studies in Norway for International Students
Taking up studies in Norway is a rewarding yet challenging experience. It adds much value to setting up a career and is also a worthy addition to the Curriculum Vitae. Apart from the low tuition costs, there are a lot of reasons why a student should consider taking up studies in Norway like the below:
- Tuition Fee – Most public universities in Norway offer free education to students for all programs under UG, PG, and Doctorate. This is for all students regardless of their country and whether they are EEA/EU members.
- High Standard of Living- Norwegians are known for having fewer crime and unemployment rates. They also balance their work-life effectively and also are friendly.
- Quality Education – Norway has a wide range of universities and colleges that offer excellent training. Norwegians have a different approach to education; that is, they follow an informal campus atmosphere, small batches, and friendly teachers
- Natural Environment – Norwegians prefer to keep up their amazing natural setup. The country has around 5M + population, and there is always fresh air and amazing sightseeing views
- Tolerant and Friendly People – Norwegians are known for being friendly, tolerant, and laid back. People in Norway speak great English, and therefore Communication is very easy.
Tuition Fee and Cost of Living in Norway
Higher education in Norway is well renowned and is preferred by most Indian and International students. Norwegians follow a Bologna process in the case of education, where the higher education system is divided into three tiers. When it comes to staying in the country, students must keep in mind the finances for living and education. The following are some of the cost estimations for living in Norway:
- Tuition Fee – Education in public universities in Norway is totally free of cost. However, tuition fees in business schools and private universities in Norway cost approximately around €7000- €15000.
- Cost of living – The cost of living in Norway can include costs of books, accommodation, food, and other utilities. With all these into consideration, the cost of living in Norway can be around €800 – €1400
The cost of living expenses can be further broken down into the following:
- Accommodation costs – Students can use accommodations in student housing or rent/share apartments with friends. This can cost around €300 – €700 per month.
- Food and Shopping – Students can always save on food by learning to cook independently. Groceries can be purchased at discounts and accessible supermarkets. This will cost around €250 – €400 per month. However, having dinner plans in restaurants can cost around €20 – €70 for two meals.
- Transportation Costs – Most students in Norway use public transport to commute and also use the discount on the university student card. The pass costs around €55 – €72. The taxi charges are around €1.5 per kilometer, and the bike rentals start from €12 for a day.
Best Undergraduate Courses to Take Up in Norway
Norway universities offer varied fields and disciplines in Bachelor’s degrees for aspirants. The public universities in Norway offer free education to every student, whether they are from the EU or not. However, students should pay around €30 - €65 as a semester fee to get the ID, library card access, sports facilities, and to write the exams. The universities in Norway offer training in both English and Norwegian language. The following are some of the top Bachelor’s programs in Norway preferred by international students:
- Bachelor in Cyber Security - Noroff School of Technology and Digital Media
- Bachelor of Music - Ansgar University College
- Bachelor's degree in Theatre and drama - Volda University College
- Bachelor in Applied Data Science - Noroff School of Technology and Digital Media
- Bachelor of Psychology - Ansgar University College
- Bachelor’s Degree Animation - Volda University College
- Bachelor in Emu Biology - Emu School for Unicorns
Top Master’s Courses in Norway for International Students
Norway has a lot of well-renowned public universities and reputed colleges that offer exceptional Master’s degree courses. The state entirely funds the courses offered by public universities. Master’s degree in Norway includes programs like entrepreneurship, management, business, political science, engineering, media, informatics, and media. A student pursuing a master’s in Norway, full-time (one year for completion) and online part-time programs (one or more years, depending on the university). The following are some of the top Master’s programs in Norway preferred by international students:
- International Master of Science in Health Management in Aquaculture - Ghent University
- Master in Biology - UiT The Arctic University of Norway
- European MSc Agroecology - ISARA Lyon
- MA in Migration and Intercultural Relations (Campus-Erasmus Mobility)- European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations
- MSc in Marine and Maritime Intelligent Robotics - Université de Toulon
- MSc in International Business and Marketing - NTNU Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- Master of Business Administration - major in Business Analytics- Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
Top Universities in Norway for Higher Education
Norway is one of the most preferred destinations to take up studies for international students. Despite having a high cost of living, Norway offers exciting wild and urban life, nature, and perhaps a free education. Though a small country with only a population of 5M+ people, the universities in Norway have managed to acquire top positions in the university rankings. Some of those reputed universities and their rankings are as follows:
|
Universities |
QS Ranking 2023 |
|
University of Oslo |
Rank 101 |
|
University of Bergen |
Rank 207 |
|
Norwegian University of Science and Technology |
Rank 352 |
|
University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway |
Rank 454 |
Apart from these, there are also other top-notch universities that offer quality education to students from all around the globe:
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
- NHH Norwegian School of Economics
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences
- University of Stavanger
- Nord University
- University of Agder
- Western Norway University of Applied Sciences
- Hedmark University of Applied Sciences
- Elverum, Norway
- Lillehammer University College
- The Oslo School of Architecture and Design
- University College of Southeast Norway
Application Process and Eligibility to Apply for Norwegian Universities
Norway is one of the best destinations for International students to take up studies. Most of the universities in Norway have secured great positions in the world ranking and are well known. Applying to these universities can either be an easy or a challenging process, depending on the preparations taken up by the candidate. The universities in Norway follow quite a strict timeline; therefore, applying to these universities well in advance is mandatory. The following are the requirements and eligibility to apply to Norwegian universities.
Admission Intakes:
- December – March – Application Period
- August – Courses start in autumn
Requirements:-
The following are the basic requirements to acquire admission into Norwegian universities:
- Appropriate academic qualifications and equivalent degrees
- Required English Proficiency tests like IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, and Cambridge Advanced.
- Proof of finance availability.
- Require documents like below:
- Secondary education mark sheets and Degree certificates.
- Test scores of the English proficiency tests
- Duly filled application form
- LOR
Apart from these, certain institutions ask for certain eligibility documents from students across various countries like below:
- Nigerian Students – Senior school certificates
- American Students – High school graduation diploma
- English Students – General certificate of education
- South African Students – National senior certificate
Application Process:
- Research the universities in various top cities in Norway that offer your desired course and visit the official website of the selected university
- Fill out the application in the International Admission tab of the university’s portal with the appropriate information.
- Submit the required documents, including the scorecard English language proficiency tests.
- Pay the required fee. The candidate can also look out for scholarships provided by the university if needed
- The next step is to submit the application and then patiently wait for the results
- Once the application is accepted, the candidate must confirm the slot and start the visa application process.
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