1 : Universiteter : Universities

Description:Universities may without external accreditation establish programmes at all levels.

2 : Akkrediterte høyskoler : University colleges with institutional accreditation (Universities of Applied Sciences)

Description:University colleges with institutional accreditation have the right to establish study programmes at bachelor level. They have to apply to NOKUT for the accreditation of programmes at master and doctoral levels. In those fields where the university colleges with institutional accreditation have the right to award doctorates or corresponding degrees, they may themselves decide which study programmes and disciplines the institution shall provide. Since 2015 can the university colleges call themselves in English 'universities of applied sciences'.

3 : Høyskoler med akkrediterte studietilbud : University colleges with programme accreditation

Description:University colleges without institutional accreditation must apply to NOKUT for accreditation of study programmes at all levels.

4 : Vitenskapelige høyskoler : Specialized university institutions

Description:In the field of their specialization the specialized university institutions may decide themselves which study programmes and disciplines the institution shall provide.

entry:6

exit:19

Primary : Grunnskole, Barnetrinnet; Primary School

Length of program:7

Age level from:6

Age level to:13

Lower Secondary : Grunnskole, Ungdomstrinnet; Secondary School

Length of program:3

Age level from:13

Age level to:16

Certificate/Diploma awarded at end:Vitnemål

Upper Secondary : Videregående Skole; Upper Secondary School

Length of program:3

Age level from:16

Age level to:19

Certificate/Diploma awarded at end:Vitnemål videregående opplæring

Apprenticeship : Apprenticeship

Length of program:0

Age level from:0

Age level to:0

Certificate/Diploma awarded at end:Kompetansebevis; Trade Certificate; Journeyman's Certificate

Apprenticeship : Yrkesopplæring/Lærling; Vocational Education / Apprenticeship

Length of program:4

Age level from:16

Age level to:20

Certificate/Diploma awarded at end:Fagbrev/Svennebrev: Craft Certificate/Journeyman's Certificate

As from 1997, Norwegian children start school during the calendar year in which they reach the age of 6. Compulsory education covers ten years and consists of two stages: primary stage grades 1 - 7 (age 6 - 13) and lower secondary stage grades 8 - 10 (age 13 - 16). It leads to Vitnemål (for grunnskolen), Primary School Leaving Diploma. Upper secondary education lasts for three or four years. It consists of either general or vocational studies.

General studies comprise three years leading to the Certificate of Upper Secondary Education (Vitnemål videregående opplæring), which gives access to higher education. Vocational education normally comprises two years at school and two years of apprenticeship, but variation from this scheme is possible.

Completed vocational education leads to the Craft Certificate or the Journeyman's Certificate (Fagbrev, Svennebrev). It is possible for pupils graduating from vocational courses to obtain the additional qualifications which gives access to higher education by studying for one extra year.

Higher education in Norway and the main relevant legislature:
The Ministry of Education and Research has overall responsibility for higher education in Norway. Higher education is offered by four types of higher education institutions: university (universitet), specialized university institution (vitenskapelig høyskole), accredited university college (akkreditert høyskole), and university college with accredited study programmes (høyskole med akkrediterte studier). The differences between the types of higher education institutions are related to their self-accrediting authority.

All public and private higher education in Norway is subject to the Act Relating to Universities and University Colleges (Lov 2005-04-01 nr 15). An institution’s right to award specific degrees and the prescribed lengths of study are codified in Regulations on Degrees and Titles protected by Law (FOR 2005-12-16 nr 1574). The awarding of master’s degrees is regulated by the Regulations on requirements for awarding a master’s degree (FOR 2005-12-01 nr 1392).

Since 2002, Norway has adhered to the objectives of the Bologna Process in the European Higher Education Area. Most of the elements have been implemented through the reform of the Norwegian higher education system carried out in 2003. Central to the reform has been a transition from the former degree system to the bachelor's, master’s and doctoral degree structure, with a few exceptions. The national accreditation agency NOKUT was established in 2003.

Norwegian higher education qualifications make up the levels from 6 to 8 of the Norwegian Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (NQF) from 2011, which is the national overarching qualifications framework. NQF describes the levels of qualifications as defined by the total learning outcomes in terms of the knowledge, skills and general competence that graduates at various levels should have achieved. Learning outcomes for a specific NQF level show the minimum of what each learner should know, understand and be able to do after completing a learning process. NQF was referenced to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) in 2014.

Quality assurance and accreditation of institutions and programmes:
The Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) is an autonomous governmental agency which provides external supervision and control of the quality of Norwegian higher education, as well as of all tertiary vocational education3. NOKUT accredits new study programmes, controls the existing ones, and provides a cyclic evaluation of the institutions’ quality assurance systems for educational provision.

An accredited higher education institution is granted the right to offer educational provision, without having to apply to the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) for specific programme accreditation, in accordance with the authority that its institutional category implies.
a) Universities may without external accreditation establish study programmes at all levels.
b) Accredited university colleges have to apply for the accreditation of programmes at master and doctoral levels.
c) In those fields where specialized university institutions and accredited university colleges have the right to award doctorates or corresponding degrees, they may themselves decide which study programmes and disciplines the institution shall provide.

University colleges without institutional accreditation must apply to NOKUT for accreditation of study programmes at all levels.

Lists of all accredited institutions, as well as of all accredited study programmes at the university colleges without institutional accreditation (akkrediterte studietilbud) are available on www.nokut.no.

Academic credit system:
All Norwegian higher education institutions use a system of credits (studiepoeng) for measuring study activities, considered equivalent to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). 60 ECTS credits (studiepoeng) are allocated to the workload of a full year of academic study, equivalent to 1500-1800 hours of study. 30 ECTS credits are normally allocated to one semester’s full-time study. The academic year normally lasts for 10 months and runs from August to June.

In addition, Norway has a system of tertiary vocational education (høyere yrkesfaglig utdanning), maks up level 5 of the NQF, provided by 'fagskole'-institutions, which are considered as tertiary vocational education institutions. It is based on upper secondary education and training or equivalent competence. Course duration is from six months to 2 years. Holders of some 1 and 2 year fagskole-qualifications can after individual assessment continue their studies in some bachelor programs.

Forskrift om opptak til høyere utdanning: FOR-2007-01-31-173 (2007)

Lov om universiteter og høyskoler (Universities and University Colleges Act), last revised in 2019: LOV-2005-04-01-15 (2005)

Description:All public and private higher education in Norway are subject to this act.

Forskrift om krav til mastergrad (Regulations on requirements for awarding a master’s degree): FOR 2005-12-01 nr 1392 (2005)

Royal Decree - FOR-2002-10-11-1124 (2005)

Description:Degrees and titles in higher education

Norwegian, English

University level first stage : Bachelor, Høgskolekandidat

Description:The bachelor's degree is awarded after three years of full-time study (180 ECTS). Some bachelor’s degrees, in the field of music and performing arts, consist of four-year bachelor’s programmes (240 ECTS). Teacher education for primary and lower secondary school, years 1-7 and years 5-10 hasd been a four-year professional programme (240 ECTS) - prior to it’s reform of 1 January 2017, when it became five-year master’s degree. University college graduate (høyskolekandidat) is a two-year degree (120 ECTS), a short cycle degree within the first cycle. Holders of this degree may in some cases continue their studies in a bachelor programme and thus obtain a bachelor’s degree.

University level second stage : Master, Candidata/Candidatus

Description:The master's degree is normally obtained after two years of study (120 ECTS), following the completion of a bachelor’s degree. A master’s degree programme includes independent work (normally a thesis) of between 30 and 60 ECTS. Some experience-based master’s degrees have a scope of 90 or 120 ECTS (including independent work of at least 20 ECTS). A one-tier (integrated/long-term) master’s degree is a five-year study programme (300 ECTS) which results in a master's degree, with no intermediate bachelor's degree. An exception is the Master of Architecture programme at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, which has a score of 330 ECTS. In the fields of medicine, psychology and theology, professionally oriented degrees/qualifications of six years’ duration (360 ECTS) are awarded; in the field of veterinary science - after 5 1/2 -6 years. The title of candidata/candidatus has been retained from the former degree system.

University level third stage : Doktorgrad

Description:Philosophiae doctor (ph.d.) is awarded after three years of study, following the completion of a master's degree or a five to six-year professionally oriented degree/qualification. Philosophiae doctor in artistic research (ph.d. i kunstnerisk utviklingsarbeid) is awarded after three years of study in the field of creative and performing arts. In 2018, the degree replaced former Diploma, artistic development programme, which will be phased out by 2025. Doctor philosophiae (dr. philos.) is conferred on graduates who have qualified for a doctoral degree on their own, without formal research training.

The general criteria/requirements for the higher education teachers are given by the Regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts (FOR-2006-02-09-129), updated in 2019. The general requirement is a higher university degree, with some exceptions for art disciplines.

Distance higher education as an internet-based variant of a campus-based program can be offered of all HEIs with a status of accredited institution. University colleges without institutional accreditation must apply to NOKUT for study program accreditation. Some institutions have specialized themselves within distance or eCampus-education.

UTFORSK Partnership Programme

Norwegian Programme for Development, Research and Education (NUFU)

Erasmus +

Comenius

EEA Grads and Norway Grands

NordPlus

Norwegian Partnership Programme for Global Academic Cooperation (NordPart)

Kunnskapsdepartementet

Role:Responsible for all higher education institutions

Street:Kirkegata 18 Postboks 8119 Dep

City:Oslo

PostCode:0032

Tel:+47 2224 9090

Fax:+47 2224 7707

www:https://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/kd/id586

Contacts:- Ole Borten Moe (Head), Job title : Minister of Research and Higher Education
- Tonje Brenna (Head), Job title : Minister of Education

Nasjonalt organ for kvalitet i utdanningen - NOKUT

Role:Through evaluation, accreditation and recognition of quality systems, institutions and course provisions, the purpose of NOKUT is to supervise and help to develop the quality of higher education in Norway. In addition, it considers individual applications for general recognition of foreign qualifications. NOKUT is also the Norwegian ENIC-NARIC Centre responsible for providing foreign institutions and partners with information on the Norwegian educational system and the system for recognition of foreign higher education qualifications.

Street:Drammensveien 288 Postboks 578

City:Lysaker

PostCode:1327

Tel:+47 2102 1800

Fax:+47 2102 1801

www:http://www.nokut.no

Contacts:Kristin Vinje (Head), Job title : Chief Executive

Norges forskningsråd

Role:The Research Council seeks to promote an integrated R&D system that supplies high-quality research, develops knowledge for dealing with key challenges to society and the business sector, fosters dynamic interaction within the R&D system nationally and internationally, and creates a framework for learning, application and innovation.

Street:Postboks 564

City:Lysaker

PostCode:1327

Tel:+47 2203 7000

www:http://www.forskningsradet.no

Contacts:Sundli Tveit (Head), Job title : Chief Executive

  Direktoratet for høyere utdanning og kompetanse - HK-dir

Role:Created in July 2021 following a merger between the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (DIKU) and Skills Norway and part of Unit - the Norwegian Directorate for ICT and Joint Services in Higher Education and Research. The Directorate also receives tasks from the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) and the Norwegian Centre for Research Data (NSD) and takes over the Universell - National Coordinator of Accessibility of Higher Education in Norway at NTNU.

www:https://hkdir.no

Contacts:Sveinung Skule (Head), Job title : Deputy Director General

Universitets-og høgskolerådet - UHR

Role:UHR was founded in 2000, following the merger of the Norwegian Council of Universities and the Norwegian Council of University Colleges. Its main tasks are: to help develop and promote higher education, research and academic and artistic development work; to promote coordination and division of work within the higher education sector and in relation to other national players; to create meeting places between the higher education sector in Norway and national authorities and national and international research and the education environment.

Street:Stortorvet 2

City:Oslo

PostCode:0155

Tel:+47 4091 4969

Fax:+47 2245 3951

www:http://www.uhr.no

Contacts:Nina Sandberg (Head), Job title : Secretary General

International Council for Open and Distance Education - ICDE

Role:Global membership organization for open, distance, flexible and online education, including e-learning, that draws its membership from institutions, educational authorities, commercial actors, and individuals. ICDE was founded in 1938 in Canada as the International Council for Correspondence Education

Street:Drammensveien 211

City:Oslo

PostCode:0281

Tel:+47 2206 2632

www:https://www.icde.org

Contacts:- Neil Fassina (Head), Job title : President
- Torunn Gjelsvik (Senior Administrative Officer), Job title : Secretary-General

Nasjonalt organ for kvalitet i utdanningen - NOKUT

Recognition for institution:no

Recognition for profession:no

Street:Drammensveien 288 Postboks 578

City:Lysaker

PostCode:1327

Tel:+47 2102 1800

Fax:+47 2102 1801

www:http://www.nokut.no

Contacts:Dag Hovdhaugen (Senior Administrative Officer), Job title : Director of Foreign Education

Norsk Studentorganisasjon - NSO

Role:NSO’s goal is to ensure students’ academic, social and economic rights.

Street:Holbergs gate 1

City:Oslo

PostCode:0166

Tel:+47 2204 4970

www:http://student.no

Contacts:Tuva Todnem Lund (Head), Job title : President

Direktoratet for høyere utdanning og kompetanse - HK-dir

www:https://hkdir.no

Contacts:Sveinung Skule (Head), Job title : Deputy Director General

Vitnemål for videregående opplæring

Minimum mark:Completed and Passed ("Fullført og bestått")

Requirement for:All higher education programmes

The Higher Education Entrance Qualification is the successful completion of Norwegian upper secondary education with some specified courses - the Certificate of Upper Secondary Education and Training (Vitnemål for videregående opplæring) is based on 13 years of schooling.

Applicants who do not have a Certificate of Upper Secondary Education and Training (Vitnemål for videregående opplæring), but who: 1) are 23 or over 2) can prove 5 years of work experience and education 3) have passed the required 6 basic subjects (Norwegian; English; civics; modern history; natural sciences and mathematics), are eligible for admission to higher education.

Admission may also be gained by means of other qualifications recognized as being on a par with the Higher Education Entrance Qualification, such as recognition of prior learning and work experience. For more information, please visit https://www.samordnaopptak.no/info/english/ (the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service).

Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Psychology.

Some fields of study have additional entrance requirements.

Definition:Foreign citizens who do not have a permanent residence permit in Norway.

Admission Requirements:Foreign students should have qualifications equivalent at least to a completed general education at the upper secondary level. For some countries, there may be additional requirements. For more information, refer to the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service (NUCAS) at http://www.samordnaopptak.no/info/english/

Language Proficiency:The official Requirements for Proficiency in English and Norwegian are provided on the thematic pages related to the Higher Education Entrance Qualification for foreign applicants (GSU-list) - http://www.nokut.no/en/Facts-and-statistics/Surveys-and-databases/GSU-list/

The Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) is a professionally independent government agency that contributes towards quality assurance and enhancement in higher education and tertiary vocational education. NOKUT’s tasks include the evaluation of foreign higher education. Their assessment leads to general recognition decisions that show how a foreign education is comparable to Norwegian higher education.

Other recognition schemes provided by NOKUT:
(i) Evaluation of foreign vocational education and training – VET, since 2016,
(ii) Recognition procedure for persons without verifiable documentation (UVD-procedure),
(iii) NOKUT’s Qualifications assessment for refugees (an advisory statement),
(iv) and the newest recognition scheme, since 2018: Recognition of foreign tertiary vocational education (fagskole-level).
For more information see https://www.nokut.no/en/application-services--foreign-education/

For Access to University Level Studies:Academic recogntition is divided between NOKUT (Norwegian ENIC-NARIC) and the higher education institutions. NOKUT is responsible for general recognition while institutions are responsible for subject specific recognition.

The Lisbon Recognition Convention: The Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region (ETS No.165) (1999)

Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education, 2019 (2020)

Institutions of higher education. For professional degrees leading to regulated professions: various competent bodies.

Is there social security:Yes

Is there social security:Yes

Details:Does not cover costs for medication (except for chronic conditions), dental work or hospital stays. Requires a co-payment for consultations.

By Road:No

By Rail:Yes

By Air:Yes

Available to Foreign Students:Yes

Average Living Costs:82900

National Students - Min Tuition Fees:800 Norwegian Krone

Foreign Students - Min Tuition Fees:800 Norwegian Krone

Vitnemål for videregående opplæring

Description:The Certificate of Upper Secondary Education and Training (Vitnemål for videregående opplæring) is based on 13 years of schooling. It documents the successful completion of a 3-year course of education and training that gives access to higher education, as well as vocational competence. The Higher Education Entrance Qualification (generell studiekompetanse) is the successful completion of Norwegian upper secondary education with some specified courses. The Certificate of Competence (Kompetansebevis for videregående opplæring) is the documentary basis for completed and assessed upper secondary education and training which does not entitle the holder to a Certificate of Upper Secondary Education and Training, a Craft Certificate or a Journeyman’s Certificate. A Certificate of Competence can also be issued for all secondary education and training, at whatever level, regardless of whether it was successfully completed or not.

Høgskolekandidat

Description:University college graduate (høyskolekandidat) is a two- year degree (120 ECTS), a short cycle degree within the first cycle. Holders of this degree may in some cases continue their studies in a bachelor programme and thus obtain a bachelor’s degree.

Entrance exam test at National level:no

Credential required for entry:Vitnemål for videregående opplæring

Type of institution where credential is offered:Akkrediterte høyskoler (University colleges with institutional accreditation (Universities of Applied Sciences))

Bachelor

Description:Bachelor's degree is awarded after three years of full-time study (180 ECTS). Some bachelor’s degrees, in the field of music and performing arts, consist of four-year bachelor’s programmes (240 ECTS). Teacher education for primary and lower secondary school, years 1-7 and years 5-10 has been a four-year professional programme (240 ECTS) prior to its reform on 1 January 2017, when it became a five-year integrated master’s degree.

Entrance exam test at National level:no

Credential required for entry:Vitnemål for videregående opplæring

Master

Description:Master's degree is normally obtained after two years of study (120 ECTS), following the completion of a bachelor’s degree. A master’s degree programme includes independent work (normally a thesis) of between 30 and 60 ECTS. Experience-based master’s degree has a scope of 90 or 120 ECTS (including independent work of at least 20 ECTS). Integrated master’s degree is a five-year study programme (300 ECTS) which results in a master's degree, with no intermediate bachelor's degree. An exception is the Master of Architecture programme at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, which has a scope of 330 ECTS. In the fields of medicine, psychology and theology, professionally oriented degrees/qualifications of six years’ duration (360 ECTS) are awarded; in the field of veterinary science - after 5 ½-6 years. They have retained the title/degree candidata/candidatus from the former degree system.

Entrance exam test at National level:no

Credential required for entry:Bachelor

Candidata/Candidatus

Description:In the fields of medicine, psychology and theology, professionally oriented degrees/qualifications of six years’ duration (360 ECTS) are awarded; in the field of veterinary science - after 5 ½-6 years. They have retained the title/degree candidata/candidatus from the former degree system.

Credential required for entry:Vitnemål for videregående opplæring

Type of institution where credential is offered:Universiteter (Universities)

Doktorgrad

Description:Doctoral degree, PhD (philosophiae doctor, ph.d.), is awarded after three years of study following the completion of a master's degree or a five to six-year professionally oriented degree/qualification. Philosophiae doctor in artistic research (ph.d. i kunstnerisk utviklingsarbeid) is awarded after three years of study in the field of creative and performing arts. In 2018, the degree replaced the former Diploma, artistic development programme, which will be phased out by 2025. Doctor philosophiae (dr. philos.) is conferred on graduates who have qualified for a doctoral degree on their own, without formal research training.

Acronym:PhD

Credential required for entry:Master
Candidata/Candidatus

Type of institution where credential is offered:Universiteter (Universities)
Akkrediterte høyskoler (University colleges with institutional accreditation (Universities of Applied Sciences))
Vitenskapelige høyskoler (Specialized university institutions)

From:2021

To:2022

IAU from NOKUT - the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education, March 2022.