Study Abroad in Norway

Qualified students of Indiana University have the opportunity to enroll at Telemark University College as non-degree students in the following program tracks for international students at Telemark:

Scandinavian Studies in Telemark (Norwegian Literature, Language, and Life)
Alpine Ecology and Environmental Management
Business Administration for Exchange Students
Outdoor Life and Ecophilosophy

University of Bergen

Program Information
The University of Bergen is located on the top of a hill in the center of the city. The University itself was established in 1946, but certain buildings on campus date back to the early 1800s. With over 25,000 students it is the second largest university in Norway.
Also, visit the UiB website for: Exchange Students.

Requirements
Lysefjord in NorwayJuniors, seniors, and exceptional sophomores are eligible to participate. Applications are welcome from students in all majors. A grade point average of 3.0 is preferred. Students with strong preparation in the field they wish to study are likely to be accepted. Since coursework is available in English, there is no language requirement.

Academics
Course offerings include a program in Scandinavian Area Studies, taught in English, with courses in communication studies, Norwegian history, Norwegian language, and Scandinavian anthropology, geology, geography, information science, literature, marine studies, mathematics, music, physics, politics, and sociology. Students with advanced Norwegian language skills can enroll in regular university classes. Bergen Course Information

General Education Information for UAlbany students: credits earned on this program will automatically satisfy the International Perspectives requirement. Three credits of foreign language study will satisfy the Foreign Language requirement. No additional approval is required for you to earn these General Education credits. You may file a request to have additional courses approved.

Support Services
HousesOn-site support is provided by the foreign student office's staff. The University of Bergen conducts orientation in person and by means of its website, where you will find information about housing, student life, administrative details, and activities. Orientation dates and holidays will be available on Bergen's web page once they have been determined. In addition, the University at Albany hosts an orientation prior to the start of the program, and advisers are available to you throughout the semester.

Housing
Students have the option of living in university-owned dormitories or in apartments with native and international students.

What to Expect if You Study in Norway

According to StudyPortals International Student Satisfaction Awards 2014, Norway is a highly appreciated study destination in Europe. The awards are based on the views of almost 7,000 students who shared their impressions on the world’s largest database of international student experiences, STeXX.eu.

Norway received a final score of 9 out of 10, taking seventh place in Europe terms of international student satisfaction. The results are based on the reviews of 155 international students, who commented on their experience of what it was like to study in Norway. The Student Satisfaction Awards offer interesting information about how international students view their experiences of studying abroad in Norwegian universities and elsewhere in Europe.

Six universities in Norway received a distinction as part of the awards. BI Norwegian Business School ranked first and was rated excellent, with a score of 9 out of 10, followed by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), UiT The Arctic University of Norway and the University of Oslo, also with an ”excellent” rating. Other awarded Norwegian universities, regarded as very good, are the University of Agder and the University of Bergen.

University of OsloWhat do Norwegian universities offer students?
According to international students, Norwegian universities seem to have something to offer for everyone. Universities in Norway provide a great number of high-quality English-taught programs in a wide range of specializations. The majority of students have only good things to say about the teaching staff and the university services offered to those who study in Norway. Teaching focuses on student interaction, independent project-work and independent thinking. Facilities are well equipped with the latest technology. The great amount of practical experience opens the way to a multitude of career opportunities.

Some Norwegian universities are accredited by the U.S. Department of Education, and this enables students to apply for financial support from the American student loan program (FFELP).

Norway’s cost of living is typically more expensive than the United States and many other countries. The country uses the Norwegian Kroner (NOK). Many discounts around town help out towards food, activities, and travel for students. My current rent is almost half that of something equivalent to Southern California market rent for a student; student housing may be subsidized.

Integrative Biology - Study Abroad in Norway
The Departments of Integrative Biology and Molecular & Cell Biology have academic relationships with four universities in Norway. These universities offer a wide range of courses, ranging from marine sciences and aquaculture, to microbiology, physiology, evolution, and bioinformatics. Norwegian universities provide a great study aboard opportunity for our students because the unique educational specialties and their education system does not charge tuition to foreign students. Once a student is accepted to the program, the student is only responsible for living expenses, student fee, and travel.

Universities that you can study at:
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
University of Bergen (UiB)
University of Oslo (UiO)
University of Stavanger (UiS)​

Admission & Application
In order to obtain the necessary application forms and information about the application deadlines you will have to contact each university or university college. In general the application deadline for foreign students is between December 1 to March 15 for courses starting the following autumn (August). Please note that some institutions have separate "pre-qualification" deadlines that are earlier than this.

Below you will find the general requirements to previous education. These are minimum requirements determined by NOKUT - the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education. Please note that institutions may have higher and/or additional requirements for all or some programmes.

Academic requirements
A compilation of country-specific information called the GSU-list (formerly SIS list) states what level of education applicants from different countries need to meet for entry into Norwegian higher education, including any requirements concerning proficiency in English. For courses where the language of instruction is Norwegian, proficiency in the Norwegian language is also required.

An updated pdf-version of the GSU list can be found here.

Undergraduate studies
Completion of secondary education at advanced level, equivalent to passing the exam at the end of Norwegian secondary school, is the general basic requirement for entry to Norwegian universities and university colleges. For students from some countries at least one year of completed studies at the university level is required in addition.

Please check the GSU-list for detailed information regarding additional requirements for your country.

Some study programmes have special admission requirements, usually relating to specialist subjects or fields of study from secondary school. Please check with the institution for information about these special qualifications.

Masters programmes
Admission requirements are decided by each university and university college based on an academic evaluation of the applicants.

Applicants for Masters programmes have normally obtained an undergraduate/Bachelor's degree or equivalent of at least 3 years' duration. The degree must include courses equal to at least 1 1/2 years of full-time studies in a subject relevant to that of the programme applied for.

In special cases, the first (and sometimes the second) year of study at a foreign higher education institution will not be recognised as higher education in Norway.

University Study in Norway: University of Bergen — Dates

Academic year August 10, 2017 — June 20, 2018 April 1
Fall semester August 10, 2017 — December 20, 2017 April 1
Spring semester January 5, 2018 — June 20, 2018 September 21
If the deadline falls on a weekend, submit your materials by the following business day.

Late applications are accepted on a case-by-case basis.

Visas

In Norway, visas are only issued for 3 month periods, making them only suitable for international students on summer courses. Instead, all international students who plan to study in Norway will need to gain a student residence permit. You’ll want to apply for this as soon as possible, as it can take a while to get things sorted and to gain your Norwegian student residence permit. Unfortunately, without this you will not be allowed into Norway to study.

If you’re from the EU/EEA/EFTA, you’ll have to gain a student visa to study in Norway, however there are no processing fees. As a non-EU/EEA international student, you’ll also be required to gain a student residence permit to study in Norway, but there is an application fee of NOK 1,100 (around USD $180). Included in your application form, you’ll have to provide a copy of your passport, an admission letter or other proof that you have been accepted to study in Norway by an approved educational institute, documentation of housing that shows you have somewhere to live, along with proof that you have enough money to support yourself through your studies. You’ll need around NOK 90,000 for this and as a general rule, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration prefer the money to be deposited in a Norwegian bank account, which is in your name. For more detailed information, it is worth looking through the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) website.

What do Norwegian universities offer students?
According to international students, Norwegian universities seem to have something to offer for everyone. Universities in Norway provide a great number of high-quality English-taught programs in a wide range of specializations. The majority of students have only good things to say about the teaching staff and the university services offered to those who study in Norway. Teaching focuses on student interaction, independent project-work and independent thinking. Facilities are well equipped with the latest technology. The great amount of practical experience opens the way to a multitude of career opportunities.

Norwegian Government/EU Scholarships for International Students »


Norwegian Quota Scheme
The Quota Scheme awards scholarships for students from developing countries and countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia through the Quota Scheme. The main objective of the Quota Scheme is to contribute to capacity building through education that will benefit the home country of the students when they return. The scheme normally includes courses taught in English at Masters and Ph.D. level, in addition to certain professional degrees. Each student receives the same amount of money as a Norwegian student would do in an equivalent educational programme. About 40 per cent of the amount is given as a grant and 60 per cent as a loan. However, the loan portion is waived when the student returns to his/her home country after completing the course of study.

Erasmus+ Scholarship Program in Norway
Erasmus+ offers grants to students from programme and partner countries who wish to pursue Bachelor, Master or PhD studies at a university or university college in Norway as a part of their education. Each successful student receives a monthly grant between € 250 and € 850. The monthly grant is based on a fixed rate for each country. As an Erasmus student you are exempted from paying fees for tuition, registration, examinations and access to laboratory and library facilities at the host institution.