Programs and Universities in Norway - Study in Norway

Universities and Programs in Norway

Norway has a compact but high-quality higher education system: ten universities, several specialized institutions, and a handful of private colleges. For international students, five institutions account for the bulk of enrolment. This guide breaks down who's who, what each is good at, and how to choose the right program — including the honest detail on tuition by nationality.

The Five Institutions That Matter Most

University of Oslo (UiO)

Norway's oldest (founded 1811) and highest-ranked university overall.

• Strongest in: medicine, law, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, informatics
• Location: Oslo — the capital, most jobs, highest cost of living
• Size: ~27,000 students
• English master's: Informatics, Data Science, Peace and Conflict Studies, Molecular Biosciences, and more
• Vibe: classical research university, internationally connected

NTNU — Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Norway's engineering and technology powerhouse.

• Strongest in: engineering (all branches), computer science, natural sciences, architecture, marine technology
• Location: Trondheim (main), plus Gjøvik and Ålesund
• Size: ~40,000 students (Norway's largest)
• English master's: dozens across engineering, energy, cybernetics, information security, and more
• Vibe: classic student city, strong industry ties, big international community

University of Bergen (UiB)

A research-intensive university on the beautiful western coast.

• Strongest in: marine research, climate science, medicine, humanities, social sciences
• Location: Bergen — coastal, rainy, scenic, surrounded by fjords and mountains
• Size: ~18,000 students
• English master's: Marine Biology, Energy, Computer Science, and others
• Vibe: relaxed, outdoorsy, internationally minded

UiT — The Arctic University of Norway

The world's northernmost university.

• Strongest in: Arctic studies, marine and fisheries science, climate, medicine, indigenous (Sámi) studies
• Location: Tromsø (main), with campuses across northern Norway
• Size: ~16,000 students
• English master's: Arctic and marine sciences, biology, and more
• Vibe: small, tight-knit, northern lights, polar night and midnight sun

BI Norwegian Business School

Norway's leading private business school.

• Strongest in: finance, business, strategy, leadership, analytics
• Location: Oslo (main campus)
• Accreditation: AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA (triple-crown)
• English master's: MSc in Business, Finance, Strategy, Applied Economics
• Note: Private — charges tuition for all students, including EU/EEA citizens

Tuition by Nationality (Important)

The autumn 2023 reform introduced tuition for non-EU/EEA students at public universities. EU/EEA/Swiss students still study free at public institutions. Always confirm your fee status with the specific program — there's more detail in our costs and funding guide.

What's Taught in English vs Norwegian

This is the single most important thing to understand before you apply.

• Master's level — hundreds of English-taught programs. This is where Norway is genuinely accessible to international students.
• Bachelor's level — mostly Norwegian. You typically need Norwegian proficiency (Bergenstest / Norskprøve B2) to enrol. English bachelor's are rare exceptions.
• PhD level — usually English, and salaried. PhD candidates are employees, not fee-paying students.

If you don't yet speak Norwegian and want an undergraduate degree, Norway will be frustrating. If you want a master's or PhD, the door is wide open.

Strongest English-Taught Master's by Field

Engineering and technology

• NTNU — Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Marine Technology, Cybernetics, Sustainable Energy
• University of Stavanger — Petroleum, Energy, Offshore Technology
• UiT — Arctic and marine engineering

Computer science and data

• UiO — Informatics, Data Science, Programming and Systems Architecture
• NTNU — Computer Science, Information Security, Artificial Intelligence
• UiB — Computer Science, Software Engineering

Business and economics

• BI — MSc Finance, Business, Strategy, Business Analytics
• NHH (Bergen) — Norway's top economics school, MSc in Economics and Business Administration
• UiO — Economics, Economic Theory and Econometrics

Sciences and environment

• UiB — Marine Biology, Climate Dynamics, Energy
• UiT — Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Climate Science
• NMBU (Ås) — Environmental Science, Agroecology, Sustainable Biology

Social sciences and humanities

• UiO — Peace and Conflict Studies, Political Science, Development Studies
• UiB — Comparative Politics, Media Studies
• NTNU — Globalization, Social Work

How to Choose

A few practical filters:

1. Field first. Pick the university that's strongest in your subject — NTNU for engineering, BI/NHH for business, UiB/UiT for marine and climate, UiO for sciences and humanities.
2. English availability. Confirm the program is fully English-taught at the level you want (especially for bachelor's).
3. City and cost. Oslo has the most jobs but highest rents; Trondheim, Bergen, and Tromsø are cheaper and very student-friendly.
4. Fee status. Non-EU/EEA students should compare tuition across programs — it varies a lot.
5. Career links. NTNU and BI have the strongest industry connections; check internship and project options.

Other Notable Institutions

Beyond the big five, several specialized institutions are excellent in their fields and worth considering:

• NHH (Norwegian School of Economics), Bergen — Norway's top school for economics and business administration, with a respected English-taught MSc. Highly competitive and strongly connected to industry.
• University of Stavanger (UiS) — the go-to for petroleum, energy, and offshore engineering, reflecting Stavanger's role as Norway's energy capital.
• NMBU (Norwegian University of Life Sciences), Ås — strong in environmental science, agriculture, biology, and veterinary medicine, on a green campus just outside Oslo.
• OsloMet — a large applied university in Oslo with practical, profession-oriented programs in health, technology, and social sciences.
• University of Agder (UiA), Kristiansand — a growing university with English-taught master's in engineering, ICT, and development studies.

For a niche field, the right specialized institution can beat a bigger-name university. If you want energy, look hard at UiS; if you want economics, NHH is the benchmark; if you want life and environmental sciences, NMBU leads.

A Practical Note on Applying

Remember the routing once more, because it shapes everything: international master's programs are applied for directly at each university, while most bachelor's programs run through Samordna opptak. Each university publishes its own program pages with exact entry requirements, English thresholds, and deadlines — often around December 1 for the August master's intake. Check fee status carefully if you're a non-EU/EEA applicant, since tuition varies widely between programs (NOK 130,000-340,000/year). The full process is laid out in our admissions and application guide.

Rankings in Perspective

Norwegian universities sit solidly in global rankings without topping them. UiO is usually Norway's highest-ranked, typically in the QS World Top 150-200. NTNU and UiB also feature in the global top tiers, especially in subject rankings for engineering, marine science, and earth sciences. For most fields, the quality of teaching and research far exceeds what the headline ranking number suggests — and the small class sizes and accessible faculty are a real advantage. Don't over-index on the headline number: a program with strong industry links, good supervision, and the right specialization will serve your career better than a slightly higher-ranked but generic alternative. One useful filter is to check where a department's recent graduates ended up and which companies sponsor its projects — that tells you far more about your prospects than a global rank ever will.

Next Steps

1. Admissions and application — deadlines, documents, and how to apply directly to each university
2. Why study in Norway — the broader case, including the tuition reality
3. Costs and funding — tuition by nationality, living costs, and scholarships
4. Living in Norway — choosing your city and settling in
5. The 10-step guide — the full roadmap from decision to enrolment