You apply directly to the institution for almost everything you will find in English. English-taught bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and shorter programmes all have their own application pages, and you upload your documents there. The one big exception is a bachelor's degree taught in Norwegian, which goes through NUCAS, also called Samordna opptak.
So the first question is not "which university?" but "which system?" Get that right and the rest is mostly paperwork, deadlines and documents.
Work out which application route applies to you
There are three routes, and they are not interchangeable.
- English-taught bachelor's degree: the institution's own system.
- Norwegian-taught bachelor's degree: NUCAS (Samordna opptak), which coordinates admission to undergraduate programmes at all universities, state university colleges and some private university colleges.
- Master's and other postgraduate programmes: never NUCAS. The process is described on the institution's own website.
Some private institutions sit outside the coordinated service too. BI Norwegian Business School, for example, handles its own admissions: you start on the page of the programme you want, click Apply now, log in and upload your documents.
If you are still choosing where to study, start with the guide for international students before you commit to a route.
Find the programme before you worry about the form
The programme page is the real instruction manual. It tells you the deadline, the documents, the English test requirement and any subject-specific conditions. Nothing you read elsewhere overrides it.
Study in Norway lists more than 350 English-taught programmes, particularly at master's level, plus selected bachelor's programmes, one- and two-semester programmes and summer schools. You can browse them in our list of English-taught programmes, drawn from the Study in Norway register, and see which institutions offer what across all universities in Norway.
To get a sense of scale and structure: a bachelor's degree is three years (180 ECTS), a master's is two years (120 ECTS) after a bachelor's, a doctorate takes three or four years, and a full-time year is generally worth 60 ECTS. That matters when you read entry requirements, because some master's programmes expect a specific number of credits in a subject.
Check that you meet the entrance requirements
The basic requirement for a bachelor's degree is the Higher Education Entrance Qualification, usually shortened to GSU. The GSU list shows what your own school-leaving qualification corresponds to in Norway. Check your country's entry on that list before anything else, because if you do not hold the equivalent qualification, the rest of the application does not matter.
On top of the GSU, specific fields can add requirements. Technical and artistic subjects are the obvious examples, and each programme page explains what is expected.
For every degree taught in English you also have to document your English skills to the standard the institution sets. Accepted tests and scores vary between institutions and sometimes between programmes at the same institution, so read the programme page rather than assuming one score covers everything.
Put the application together
Once you know the route and the requirements, the actual work is fairly predictable.
- Open the programme page and note the deadline and the document list exactly as written.
- Log in to the right system: the institution's own portal for English-taught and postgraduate study, NUCAS for Norwegian-taught bachelor's degrees.
- Upload your transcripts, your GSU documentation, your English test result and your identification as asked.
- Check whether the programme wants anything extra, such as a portfolio or subject-specific documentation.
- Submit before the deadline and keep the confirmation.
Deadlines, fees and programme details shown in our catalogue are as listed in the Study in Norway register, and they change. Confirm every date and every fee with the institution itself before you rely on it.
Money, permits and what to sort out after you are offered a place
Two practical things catch people out, and neither is part of the academic application.
| Issue | What applies |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees | Degree-seeking students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland must normally pay tuition fees at Norwegian institutions. Fees vary between institutions and programmes. EU/EEA and Swiss students are normally exempt from tuition fees at public institutions. |
| Residence permit | If you are from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland and will study for three months or longer, you need a residence permit for studies, also called a study permit. |
| Scholarships | The Norwegian government offers no individual scholarships to degree students, so plan your funding accordingly. |
Tuition figures for individual programmes are shown in the Study in Norway register as listed; treat them as a starting point and confirm with the institution. For permit rules and paperwork, UDI decides, so read udi.no rather than second-hand summaries. For questions about loans and support for study in Norway, lanekassen.no is the body to check, and hkdir.no publishes official information about Norwegian higher education.
The order matters: get admitted first, then pay what the institution invoices, then apply for the permit with the documentation UDI asks for. Do not give notice at work or book anything non-refundable until the permit is granted, because the institution decides on admission and UDI decides on the permit, and neither decision is yours to predict.
A realistic timeline
Work backwards from the programme deadline, not forwards from today. English test results and document collection are the slow parts, so leave room for both. If your qualification needs to be matched against the GSU list, do that early, while there is still time to request missing paperwork.
Then keep the three decision points separate in your head: the institution decides admission, the institution decides what you pay, and UDI decides the study permit. Everything you can control sits in the application itself, so make that part clean and complete.
Sources
- Study in Norway, admission to degree programmes
- Samordna opptak, English home page
- Study in Norway, why Norway
- BI Norwegian Business School, how to apply
- Study in Norway, education system
- Study in Norway, tuition fees
- Study in Norway, cost and requirements
- Study in Norway, scholarships for degree students
- This site's catalogue, imported from the Study in Norway register
Frequently asked questions
Do international students apply through NUCAS?
Only if you are applying for a bachelor's degree taught in Norwegian. NUCAS coordinates undergraduate admission at all universities, state university colleges and some private university colleges. English-taught bachelor's degrees and all postgraduate programmes are applied for through the institution's own system.
Do I need to pay tuition fees in Norway?
Degree-seeking students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland must normally pay tuition fees, and the amount varies between institutions and programmes. EU/EEA and Swiss students are normally exempt from tuition fees at public institutions. Confirm the figure for your programme with the institution.
Can I get a scholarship to study in Norway?
The Norwegian government offers no individual scholarships to degree students, so you should plan how you will fund your studies before you apply. Check with the individual institution about any funding it offers, and lanekassen.no for official information on support.
When do I apply for a study permit?
If you are from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland and will study for three months or longer, you need a residence permit for studies. Apply once you have been admitted and have the documents the institution and UDI require, and follow udi.no for the current rules.