Top Scholarships for Norway 2026

Here is the honest starting point: Norway is not a scholarship-rich destination. The famous Quota Scheme that funded thousands of non-EU students was scrapped in 2016, and since autumn 2023 non-EU/EEA students pay tuition of NOK 130,000-340,000 per year. That makes funding more important than ever — and harder to find. The good news: EU/EEA students still study tuition-free, Erasmus+ covers exchange students, and a handful of real fee waivers and external scholarships exist. This guide lists every legitimate route for 2026 and tells you which are worth your time.

The Big Picture: Why Norway Is Different

Most countries fund international students to attract them. Norway's model was different: it made public university free for everyone, so it never built a large scholarship system. Now that non-EU students pay, the country has not yet replaced free tuition with a broad scholarship scheme. So your funding strategy depends heavily on your nationality.

If You Are an EU/EEA or Swiss Citizen

You already have the best "scholarship" in Europe: NOK 0 tuition at public universities. Your only real cost is living, around NOK 12,000-15,000/month. For you, the question is covering living costs — through part-time work, family support, or a grant from your home country — rather than tuition.

If You Are a Non-EU/EEA Citizen

You face full tuition, so scholarships genuinely change whether Norway is affordable. The options below are limited and competitive, but they exist.

1. Erasmus+ (Exchange Students)

If your home university has an Erasmus+ or bilateral exchange agreement with a Norwegian institution, you study in Norway for a semester or year tuition-free and receive a monthly mobility grant. Even non-EU students can benefit through international credit mobility agreements. This is by far the most accessible "scholarship" for short stays.

• Covers: tuition waiver plus a monthly grant (amount varies by country and agreement)
• Best for: students who want a semester or year in Norway without committing to a full degree
• How to apply: through your home university's international office, not directly to Norway

2. University Fee Waivers and Scholarships

Several Norwegian universities run small scholarship or fee-waiver schemes for outstanding non-EU applicants. These are competitive and limited in number, but they are the most direct way to cut tuition for a full degree.

• NTNU: offers some scholarships and fee waivers for selected international master's students in priority fields.
• University of Oslo (UiO): a limited number of merit-based fee reductions for non-EU master's applicants.
• University of Bergen (UiB): occasional programme-specific funding, especially in marine and climate sciences.
• BI Norwegian Business School: as a private school, BI runs its own merit scholarships covering part of tuition for strong applicants.

Check the exact scheme on each programme's admissions page — availability and amounts change yearly, and many are decided as part of the admission process rather than via a separate form.

3. Lanekassen (State Educational Loan Fund)

Lanekassen is Norway's state loan and grant body. It is generous — but mostly for Norwegian citizens, Nordic citizens, and certain long-term residents. As a fresh international arrival you almost certainly will not qualify in your first year. If you stay long enough to gain the right residence status, Lanekassen can later become a major source of support, so it is worth knowing it exists. Do not, however, build your first-year budget around it.

4. External and Home-Country Scholarships

Some of the best funding for studying in Norway does not come from Norway at all:

• Your home government: many countries fund citizens to study abroad. Check your national education ministry's scholarship portal.
• Fulbright (US students): the Norway-US Fulbright programme funds American graduate students and researchers.
• DAAD (German students): some DAAD grants support study in the Nordic region.
• Private foundations and employer sponsorship: worth investigating if you work before studying.

5. Nordic and Bilateral Programmes

The Nordplus programme funds mobility between Nordic and Baltic countries, and various bilateral cultural agreements offer occasional funded places. These are niche but real — if you are from a Baltic or Nordic neighbour, check Nordplus first.

How to Build a Realistic Funding Plan

Because no single scholarship is likely to cover everything, most funded non-EU students in Norway stack several sources:

1. Apply to a programme that offers a fee waiver as part of admission (NTNU and BI are good starting points).
2. Search your home country for an outbound-study scholarship.
3. Plan for 20 hours/week of part-time work to cover living costs — see our working guide.
4. Budget conservatively using our cost-of-study calculator so you know exactly what gap a scholarship needs to fill.

What Makes a Strong Fee-Waiver Application

Since most Norwegian university scholarships are merit-based and decided alongside admission, your scholarship strategy is really an admission strategy. The committees reward the same things that win a place — done exceptionally well:

• Strong, consistent grades in coursework directly relevant to the programme.
• A specific, well-argued motivation letter that shows genuine fit with the programme's research strengths, not generic enthusiasm.
• Relevant experience: research projects, internships, publications, or work that demonstrates you will succeed in a demanding Norwegian master's.
• Credible references from people who can speak to your academic ability.

Because the pool of waivers is small, being merely "good enough to admit" is rarely enough — you need to be among the strongest applicants in your cohort. Put your full effort into the application itself rather than hunting for separate scholarship forms that, in Norway, often do not exist.

Application Timeline

Funding deadlines usually align with admission deadlines — for international master's applicants that often means around 1 December for the following autumn. Many fee waivers are awarded automatically to the strongest admitted applicants, so a strong application is your scholarship application. Start preparing transcripts, references, and your motivation letter at least three months ahead. See the full calendar in our application guide.

PhD Positions: Norway's Best-Kept Secret

If you are aiming for a doctorate, Norway is one of the most attractive places in the world — and it has nothing to do with scholarships. In Norway, a PhD is a salaried job, not a stipend or a self-funded degree. PhD candidates are employed by the university with a full salary, typically starting around NOK 530,000-560,000/year, plus pension, holiday pay, and full social benefits. There is no tuition to pay, and you are treated as staff.

This applies regardless of nationality — non-EU PhD candidates earn the same salary as Norwegian ones. Positions are advertised on university websites, finn.no, and euraxess.no, and they are competitive, but the package is exceptional. If a funded master's looks unrealistic for you, a salaried PhD a few years later can be the route that makes Norway affordable.

Funding Living Costs vs Funding Tuition

It helps to separate the two problems, because the solutions differ:

• Tuition (non-EU only): NOK 130,000-340,000/year. This is the hard part — only a university fee waiver, an Erasmus+ exchange, or a home-country scholarship realistically covers it. Part-time work will not.
• Living costs (everyone): around NOK 12,000-15,000/month. This is much more solvable — part-time work at 20 hours/week earns NOK 14,000-18,000/month gross, which can cover it in a cheaper city.

So even without a scholarship, an EU student studies free and works to cover living costs. A non-EU student's real challenge is the tuition, which is why a fee waiver is the single most valuable thing to target.

Realistic Expectations

I will not oversell this: most non-EU students in Norway pay full tuition and fund it through savings, family, part-time work, and home-country support — not a Norwegian scholarship. If full funding is essential to you, neighbouring Nordic options or other European countries with broader scholarship schemes may suit better. But if Norway is where you want to be, a fee waiver plus part-time work can make a non-EU degree workable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Norway offer scholarships for international students?

Limited ones. EU/EEA students study free; non-EU students rely on a small number of university fee waivers, Erasmus+ for exchanges, and external or home-country scholarships. The old Quota Scheme no longer exists.

Is studying in Norway free for international students?

Only for EU/EEA and Swiss citizens at public universities. Non-EU/EEA students have paid NOK 130,000-340,000/year since autumn 2023. See our cost breakdown.

Can I get a Lanekassen loan as an international student?

Usually not in your first year. Lanekassen mainly serves Norwegian citizens, Nordic citizens, and certain long-term residents. It can become available later if you gain the right residence status.

What is the easiest funding route for a non-EU student?

Erasmus+ or a bilateral exchange, because it waives tuition for a semester or year. For a full degree, target a university that offers fee waivers (NTNU, BI) and combine it with part-time work.

Do scholarships have a separate deadline from admission?

Often not — many Norwegian fee waivers are awarded to the strongest admitted applicants automatically. Treat your admission application (deadline often around 1 December) as your scholarship application too.

Are there scholarships specifically for PhD students?

Yes — but in Norway most PhD positions are salaried jobs, not scholarships. You are typically employed by the university with a full salary, which is one of the best deals in academia worldwide.

For everything else about studying here — costs, the study permit, and life after graduation — start at Study in Norway or read the detailed costs and funding guide.

Related guides

• Cost of Studying in Norway: Full Breakdown 2026
• How to Apply to Norwegian Universities 2026
• Norway Study Permit Guide 2026
• Working While Studying in Norway 2026
• Best Student Cities in Norway 2026