Best universities in Norway 2024

Norway is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe, whose mainland territory includes the western and northernmost part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Unlike many Western European countries, there are no ancient medieval universities in Norway. The oldest university in Oslo was founded in 1811. It was based on the progressive model of the University of Berlin at that time, created at the initiative of the largest reformer of higher education Friedrich Wilhelm Humboldt. Such a dynamic start partly explains the innovative nature of the development of higher education in the country.

Norway is a constitutional monarchy. University status can be assigned to an educational institution only with the consent of the reigning monarch of Norway.

 Below the advantages of studying in TOP universities in Norway are provided:

• Innovation of Master's programs

Norwegian universities pay great attention to the most pressing problems and interdisciplinary research: from marine architecture and Arctic urban planning to global journalism and geotechnics. It is no coincidence that Norway ranks 19th in the world according to the Global Innovation Index. Specialties in the oil industry, renewable energy, responsible ("sustainable") management, and information technology are particularly popular. Global warming, Arctic and Scandinavian studies are popular in the country.

• Modern campuses and facilities

In terms of one university student, Norway spends almost 22,000 USD per year and in this indicator it is second only to Sweden and Luxembourg in Europe. Norwegian universities are equipped with libraries, laboratories, leisure and sports centres, which are located in picturesque coastal cities all over the country: from dynamic Oslo to polar Tromso.

• Free doctoral studies

The foreign students can get a PhD at a public university in Norway for free. The remaining programs for international students from March 2023 are paid.

All universities in Norway are divided into three types:

• Universities

There are only 10 research universities in Norway and all of them are exclusively state-owned. This status implies that a wide range of fundamental sciences (natural, humanitarian, social) can be studied at the university. Since 2005, in order to obtain university status, at least 5 master's and 4 PhD programs must be accredited at the university. Over the past 15 years, 6 state universities have received university status, including the prestigious Norwegian University of Technology.

• Profile universities

Specialized universities provide studying of specialists of a certain profile. Here the foreign students can study architecture, design, business, management, music, sports sciences, theology or economics at a high level. They are well suited for those who want to fully immerse themselves in the environment of their future profession.

• University colleges

Colleges were created by combining smaller technical and vocational schools. They are, as a rule, small educational institutions where specialized programs in applied sciences are widely presented. The main purpose of creating colleges is to prepare nurses, teachers, educators, engineers and managers. Colleges are located in every region of Norway, including in very small towns.

University colleges in Norway are equivalent in status to higher education institutions and include both elements of vocational schools and university functions. Colleges have two-year diploma programs in Norwegian, after which the graduates can transfer to a university and continue their studies from the third year. The colleges also offer bachelor's and master's degree programs in applied sciences and arts (teaching, IT, nursing, accounting, logic, acting, journalism, etc.).

Undergraduate studies at university colleges in Norway are conducted mainly in Norwegian, but the students can find up to 20 master's degree programs in English. English-speaking students are invited to familiarize themselves with research at the colleges of Estfold, Molde, North Carolina, the West Norwegian University of Applied Sciences and the University of Applied Sciences of Inner Norway.

State profile universities in Norway are extremely in demand among applicants and it is difficult to enter them not only for a foreign student, but also for a local student. The competition for universities such as the Norwegian School of Economics, the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences and the School of Architecture and Design in Oslo ranges from 4.5 to 9.5 people per place.

Also, there are specialized private universities: two theological universities and the Norwegian School of Management (one of the largest universities in Norway — more than 19 thousand students). There are also 6 private university colleges in Norway. If the program is not funded by the state, the tuition fee can reach USD 23,727 per year of study, depending on the type of program.

Sam Jones

Recruitment Director for Partnership with INTO Universities (Europe and Central Asia)

What firstly should be considered when choosing a university? Subjects, employer value, percentage of employment in the first year after graduation?

It depends on the student - everyone determines the most important criteria for himself. I would advise you to take several rankings and compare them with each other, plus take into account the cost of the course, the location of the university and its scale, the percentage of graduates' employment. See where graduates continue their studies or where they go to work.

Requirements vary from university to university in Norway, but the standard package of documents includes:

• Completed online application;
• Official documents on education, certified by apostille and notarized translated into English or Norwegian: school certificate and all diplomas of higher education together with appendices;
• Motivation letter;
• Resume;
• Recommendation letters.

Additionally, an academic essay, a research plan and other documents may be required.

• The University of Oslo is famous not only for the fact that it is the oldest higher education institution in Norway, which is why locals call it simply "university". In various rankings, it appears as one of the best universities in the Scandinavian countries. Media studies are considered to be the strongest discipline at the university.
• Norwegian University of Natural and Technical Sciences appeared due to the merger of several educational institutions in 1996. The Norwegian University of Natural and Technical Sciences is the largest educational institution in the country: its campuses are located in Trondheim, Jevik and Aalesund. Here the student will face the most practically oriented courses. Architecture and engineering are recognized as the best disciplines.
• If an applicant is looking for a strong research institute in Norway, then he will certainly pay attention to the University of Bergen. Modern laboratories, a large number of research grants and academic freedom — all this attracts scientists and students interested in scientific activity. For its research, the university was awarded by the Ministry of Education in 2011. Today, the University of Bergen has focused on the development of the following fields: oceanology, archaeology and anthropology.
• The University of Tromso is the northernmost university, but this does not prevent it from being popular among international students: 17% of the students came from abroad. The higher educational institution was founded in 1968. Linguistics stands out positively against the background of the disciplines taught at the university.
• BI Norwegian Business School, established in 1943 in Norway, is today one of the largest in Europe. This is the only private institution among the top 5 universities in the country. BI offers both MBA, Bachelor's and doctoral programs. Applicants to the bachelor's degree can study in Norwegian, at the other stages of education is conducted exclusively in English. Employers all over the world highly value BI graduates. The best areas are sociology and management.

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