In Norway, a bachelor's degree takes three years and is worth 180 ECTS credits. A master's degree takes two years and is worth 120 ECTS credits. One ECTS credit is roughly 25 to 30 hours of study work, so a full year of full-time study is 60 credits.
How the ECTS system works in Norway
Norway uses the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). A year of full-time study at university level is generally worth 60 ECTS credits. That year is defined as 1,500 to 1,800 hours of study work, which means one ECTS credit equals 25 to 30 hours. This makes it easy to compare courses and workloads across institutions.
Bachelor's degrees: three years, 180 ECTS
A bachelor's degree is awarded after three years of study and is equivalent to 180 ECTS credits. Most programmes are built as a full-time course load of 60 ECTS per year. For example, the bachelor's programme in Academic Esports at the University of Agder is listed as 3 years and 180 ECTS in the Study in Norway register.
Admission to bachelor's degrees taught in English is handled through the institutions' own systems. If you apply to a bachelor's taught in Norwegian, you go through the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service (NUCAS). You can browse English-taught bachelor's programmes and more on our English-taught programmes page.
Master's degrees: two years, 120 ECTS
A master's degree is equivalent to 120 ECTS credits and is obtained after two years of study following a bachelor's degree. The exception is professional degrees in disciplines such as medicine, law and psychology, which are usually six-year programmes. For instance, the University of Stavanger master's in Economics and Business Administration is listed as 2 years and 120 ECTS. Full-time master's programmes at BI normally last two academic years, and BI scholarship holders must complete 30 ECTS in each semester to keep their scholarship.
Postgraduate programmes are not part of the NUCAS coordinated application service, so master's applicants apply through the websites of the institutions. Our guide for international students explains the application steps.
Doctoral degrees: three or four years after a master's
Doctoral degrees (PhD) are awarded after three or four years of study following a master's or professional degree. PhD candidates in Norway are normally considered employees rather than students, so PhD opportunities are mainly advertised as jobs. That means you apply for a position rather than a study place, and you should check the institution's job listings.
Grades and assessment
Grades for undergraduate and postgraduate examinations run from A (highest) to F (lowest), with E as the minimum pass grade. Some examinations are marked pass or fail. This applies across institutions and programmes.
Where to find programmes and institutions
This site lists 27 Norwegian higher education institutions and 353 programmes imported from the Study in Norway register (studyinnorway.no). The register lists English-taught bachelor's programmes, master's programmes, and one- and two-semester programmes. You can see all institutions on our universities in Norway page.
Tuition fees, application deadlines and programme details on this site are shown as listed in the Study in Norway register: readers must confirm them with the institution. Degree-seeking students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland must normally pay tuition fees at Norwegian institutions, and the fees vary. Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland who wish to study in Norway for three months or longer must apply for a residence permit for studies. The Norwegian government offers no individual scholarships to degree students.
Sources
- Study in Norway, education system
- Study in Norway, why Norway
- Study in Norway, University of Agder, Academic Esports bachelor
- Study in Norway, University of Stavanger, Economics and Business Administration master
- BI Norwegian Business School, tuition for master's
- BI Norwegian Business School, master's international scholarship
- Study in Norway, work after degree
- Study in Norway, admission to degree programmes
- Samordna opptak, English home
- Study in Norway, tuition fees
- Study in Norway, cost and requirements
- Study in Norway, scholarships for degree students
Frequently asked questions
How many ECTS credits is a bachelor's degree in Norway?
A bachelor's degree in Norway is equivalent to 180 ECTS credits and takes three years of full-time study. This is standard across institutions and fields. For example, the Academic Esports bachelor at the University of Agder is listed as 3 years and 180 ECTS.
What is the difference between a master's and a PhD in Norway?
A master's degree is 120 ECTS over two years following a bachelor's degree, while a doctoral degree (PhD) takes three or four years after a master's or professional degree. PhD candidates are normally considered employees rather than students, so PhD positions are advertised as jobs.
How do ECTS credits convert to study hours in Norway?
One ECTS credit equals 25 to 30 hours of study work, so a full year of 60 ECTS is defined as 1,500 to 1,800 hours. This includes all study activities such as lectures, seminars, self-study and exams.
Are professional degrees like medicine longer than a standard master's?
Yes, professional degrees in disciplines such as medicine, law and psychology are usually six-year programmes. They are exceptions to the standard two-year master's structure, which normally follows a three-year bachelor's.