Public vs Private — A Key Distinction
Norway has roughly ten public universities and a handful of private institutions. Until autumn 2023, every student—regardless of nationality—paid zero tuition at public universities. That changed. Non-EU/EEA students now pay tuition at public institutions, and each university sets its own rates. The fees vary quite a bit.
Private universities charge all students, including Norwegians and EU/EEA citizens. But here is the counterintuitive part: some private universities actually charge less than certain public universities do for non-EU/EEA students. So the assumption that “public equals cheaper” does not always hold anymore.
Quality is high across the board. Norway invests heavily in higher education, and both public and private institutions are well-funded, well-equipped, and internationally respected. Norwegian universities consistently rank in the top tier globally for research output per capita.
- Free for EU/EEA/Swiss students
- NOK 60,000–205,600/yr for non-EU/EEA (since 2023)
- Strongest research infrastructure
- Most do NOT offer institutional scholarships
- Tuition for ALL students (including Norwegians)
- Some charge LESS than public for non-EU/EEA
- May offer institutional scholarships
- Strong in business and specialised fields
Major Public Universities
These are the main public universities you will encounter when researching study options in Norway. Each sets its own tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students, and the differences can be striking.
Norway’s oldest and largest university. UiO consistently ranks highest among Norwegian institutions globally. It is the country’s strongest institution for law, humanities, medicine, and natural sciences. The downside: Oslo is the most expensive city in Norway, and UiO does not offer institutional scholarships for international degree-seeking students. You are on your own financially.
NTNU is the go-to institution for engineering and technology in Norway. If you are studying anything in the STEM fields, NTNU is probably where you want to be. Trondheim is a genuine student city—about 20% of the population are students—and living costs are meaningfully lower than Oslo. The trade-off: no institutional scholarships for degree students, and winter in Trondheim is cold, dark, and long.
Bergen is Norway’s second-largest city, surrounded by mountains and fjords. UiB is globally recognised for marine biology, geosciences, and climate research. The city itself is famously rainy—expect around 230 days of rain per year—but strikingly beautiful. No institutional scholarships for degree-seeking students. Living costs sit somewhere between Oslo and the smaller cities.
If Arctic research is your thing, there is nowhere better. UiT specialises in Arctic studies, fisheries science, indigenous studies, and space physics. Tromsø offers the Northern Lights from September to March and midnight sun from May to July. UiT participates in the High North Fellowship program, which funds students from specific partner countries. A genuinely unique academic and life experience—but you need to be comfortable with serious cold and extended darkness in winter.
NMBU is based in Ås, a small town about 30 kilometres south of Oslo. The university focuses on agriculture, environmental science, veterinary medicine, and life sciences. It participates in NORSTIP and NORPART programs, which provide funded opportunities for students from developing countries. Ås is quiet and affordable compared to Oslo, though its social scene is limited outside the student community.
UiS stands out for one very practical reason: it has deliberately reduced tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students to the NOK 60,000–85,000 range—roughly a third of what UiO or NTNU charge. This makes it one of the most affordable public university options in Norway. Strong in petroleum engineering and health sciences, reflecting Stavanger’s role as Norway’s oil capital. Stavanger itself is not cheap (oil-economy pricing), but the tuition savings are significant.
Southern Norway. Known for mechatronics, renewable energy, and teacher education. Kristiansand is one of Norway’s sunniest cities, with a more moderate climate than the north. Relatively affordable by Norwegian standards.
Northern Norway, spread across several campuses. Strong in aquaculture, business, and nursing. Bodø offers Northern Lights and a dramatically affordable cost of living compared to the big cities. Smaller international community.
Oslo’s metropolitan university, focused on applied sciences. Strong in social work, nursing, engineering technology, and education. More vocationally oriented than UiO. Oslo location means higher living costs, but also more job opportunities.
One of Norway’s newest universities, formed from merged university colleges. Campuses in Drammen, Kongsberg, Notodden, and several other towns. Strong in maritime studies, optometry, and systems engineering. Generally affordable areas.
Private Universities
Private universities in Norway charge tuition to everyone, but they also tend to have better scholarship availability than public institutions. The two most prominent are BI and NHH.
BI is the largest business school in Norway and one of the largest in Europe. It charges around NOK 125,000 per year for everyone—which, counterintuitively, makes it cheaper than several public universities for non-EU/EEA students. BI offers the Presidential Scholarship, one of the few merit-based institutional scholarships available in Norway. Strong industry connections, particularly in Oslo’s finance sector. Triple-accredited (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA).
NHH is technically a state-owned specialised university, but it operates more like a private institution in terms of fees and focus. It is Norway’s top school for economics and finance, with a very strong reputation among Scandinavian employers. NOK 180,000 per year for non-EU/EEA students. Some scholarships exist for economics programs specifically. Bergen campus is compact but well-resourced. NHH graduates have among the highest starting salaries in Norway.
Finding English-Taught Programs
Most university instruction in Norway happens in Norwegian. That is not negotiable at the bachelor’s level—there are only about 20 English-taught bachelor’s programs in the entire country. At the master’s level, however, the picture changes dramatically. There are over 359 English-taught master’s programs across Norwegian universities, and this is where the vast majority of international students end up.
PhD positions in Norway work differently from most countries. They are salaried employment positions, not traditional student programs. PhD vacancies are listed on jobbnorge.no as job openings. You apply for them the way you would apply for a job: cover letter, CV, research proposal. You get a salary (typically NOK 530,000–580,000 per year), pension, and full employee benefits.
How to Choose a University
Ranking obsession does not serve you well in Norway. The quality gap between universities is much smaller here than in many other countries. What matters more are practical considerations that directly affect your daily life and finances for two years (or more).
This is not a joke. Many programs that look available are actually taught in Norwegian. Double-check the language of instruction on the university’s own website, not just the aggregator. If it says “Norwegian” or “Scandinavian languages,” it means Norwegian. There is no English alternative within that program.
The range is dramatic. UiS charges NOK 60,000–85,000 while NTNU charges NOK 176,000–206,000 for the same type of degree. That is a difference of over NOK 100,000 per year. For a two-year master’s, you could save NOK 200,000+ just by choosing a different university.
Oslo is Norway’s most expensive city. Rent alone can be NOK 3,000–5,000 per month more than in Trondheim, Tromsø, or Ås. Over two years, that is NOK 72,000–120,000 in additional living costs. Smaller cities save you real money.
Norwegian universities have clear research strengths. UiT for Arctic research. UiB for marine science. NTNU for engineering. NMBU for agriculture. If your field aligns with a university’s specialty, you will have better labs, more engaged faculty, and stronger career networks.
Some universities guarantee housing for international students in their first year. Others do not, and finding private housing in Norway—especially in Oslo and Bergen—can be brutal and expensive. A housing guarantee can save you weeks of stress and thousands of kroner.
This is the uncomfortable truth: most Norwegian public universities do not offer institutional scholarships for international degree students. If scholarships are important to your financial plan, focus on UiS (lower fees), BI (Presidential Scholarship), or programs connected to NORSTIP/NORPART/High North Fellowship. Do not assume scholarships exist just because a university is well-known.
Norwegian universities are closer in quality than their fee structures suggest. A degree from UiS carries weight in Norway and Scandinavia, even though tuition is a fraction of UiO’s. Employers in Norway care more about your field, your skills, and your Norwegian language ability than which university name sits on your diploma. Pick the university that fits your budget, your field, and your lifestyle preferences—not the one with the highest international ranking.