If you hold a passport from outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland and you want to take a full degree in Norway, you should expect to pay tuition. The rule applies at Norwegian institutions from the autumn semester of 2023, and the amount varies between institutions and between study programmes. There is no single national price list.
Some groups are exempt, and a few institutions let you apply for exemption after you are admitted. The catch is that you usually have to ask, and you have to ask on time.
Who normally pays
Degree-seeking students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland must normally pay tuition fees at Norwegian institutions. That covers bachelor's, master's and doctoral applicants who fall outside the exempt groups. Because the fee is set locally, two programmes with the same name at two institutions can cost different amounts. Check the figure for your exact programme rather than budgeting from a general rule.
Our own catalogue lists 27 Norwegian higher education institutions and 353 programmes imported from the Study in Norway register. Where a fee is shown on this site, it is as listed in the Study in Norway register, so confirm the final number with the institution before you plan your finances.
Who is normally exempt
Students from the EU/EEA are normally exempt from tuition fees at public institutions. Indigenous students at the Sámi University of Applied Sciences are also exempt.
Study in Norway also lists these exempt groups:
- Doctoral candidates
- Students on an institutional exchange programme
- Students on NORPART, NORHED, StAR or Fulbright
- Students on Erasmus Mundus joint degrees and some other joint degrees
- Foreign citizens entitled to equal treatment with Norwegian citizens under international agreements, or who may receive loans and grants on the same terms as Norwegian citizens under the Student Financial Aid Act
If you think you fit one of these, say so early. Your institution decides on admission and on your fee status, and the paperwork usually has to match the category you claim. For the full official wording, read our tuition fees guide.
Exemptions you apply for after admission
Some institutions run their own exemption route for applicants who are not in the automatic groups. NTNU, for example, lists exemptions you must apply for, including permanent residence in Norway, protection (asylum), marriage to or a child with a Norwegian citizen, family immigration, 24 months of full-time work in Norway before your studies, and 180 ECTS studied in Norway in the past three years.
NTNU says you can apply once you have been admitted, and you must apply within three weeks of receiving your admission letter. The documentation you send depends on the reason for the exemption.
UiO says its fees do not affect students admitted to a study programme before 2023. It also says the fees do not affect exchange students from partner universities.
How and when you pay
Payment practice differs by institution. UiO says it invoices admitted applicants by email, the deadline to pay is two weeks after the invoice is issued, and the fee must be paid in full before each academic year. Second-year students may pay per semester.
That two-week window is short. Plan how you will transfer money before your admission letter arrives, and keep proof of payment. If you have questions about tuition fees, Samordna opptak tells you to contact the institution you apply to, and that is the only body that can give you a binding answer about your own fee.
| Question | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Does my programme charge a fee? | The institution and the Study in Norway register |
| Am I in an exempt group? | The institution, and our tuition fees guide |
| Can I apply for exemption? | The institution's own pages, for example NTNU's rules |
| How much money must I show for the permit? | udi.no |
| Can I get a loan or grant? | lanekassen.no |
The fee is not your whole budget
The tuition fee comes on top of the proof of funds for living costs that UDI requires for a study permit. Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland who plan to study in Norway for three months or longer must apply for a residence permit for studies. UDI decides on that permit, so check the current amount and rules on udi.no rather than relying on an old figure.
Be realistic about scholarships too. The Norwegian government offers no individual scholarships to degree students. There are other funding routes, and you can browse them in our scholarship directory, but don't build a budget around a government grant that does not exist.
Practical steps before you apply
- Open the programme page for each course you are considering and find its fee. Start from our list of English-taught programmes to see what is available.
- Read the institution's own tuition rules. The universities in Norway overview is a good place to find the right institution, then go to its site.
- Check whether you might qualify for an exemption, and note the deadline and documents. NTNU's three-week window is a warning about how tight these can be.
- Confirm the fee with the institution. Our figures come from the Study in Norway register and can change.
- Budget for tuition plus the proof of funds UDI requires, and confirm both amounts before you accept an offer.
One timing note: admission routes differ. Bachelor's degrees taught in English are handled through the institutions' own systems, while Norwegian-taught bachelor's degrees go through NUCAS. Postgraduate programmes are not part of the NUCAS coordinated application service, so master's applicants apply through the institution's website. Whichever route you use, the institution is the one that sets and confirms your fee, and it decides on admission.
Know before you apply: the tuition question has a clear answer for most non-EU/EEA students, and the exemptions are real but narrow. Confirm both with the institution rather than guessing.
Sources
- Study in Norway, tuition fees
- University of South-Eastern Norway, tuition information
- University of Oslo, tuition information
- NTNU, tuition fees and exemptions
- Samordna opptak, studieavgift (tuition fee) page
- Samordna opptak, English home page
- Study in Norway, education system
- Study in Norway, admission to degree programmes
- 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 non-EU students pay tuition fees in Norway?
Yes, normally. Degree-seeking students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland must normally pay tuition fees at Norwegian institutions, and the rule applies from the autumn semester of 2023. The amount varies between institutions and programmes, so check the figure for your own course with the institution.
Who is exempt from tuition fees in Norway?
Students from the EU/EEA are normally exempt from tuition fees at public institutions, as are Indigenous students at the Sámi University of Applied Sciences. Study in Norway also lists doctoral candidates, exchange students, students on NORPART, NORHED, StAR or Fulbright, and students on Erasmus Mundus and some other joint degrees.
Can I apply for a tuition fee exemption after I am admitted?
At some institutions, yes. NTNU lists exemptions you must apply for, such as permanent residence in Norway, protection (asylum), marriage to or a child with a Norwegian citizen, family immigration, 24 months of full-time work in Norway, or 180 ECTS studied in Norway in the past three years. NTNU says you must apply within three weeks of receiving your admission letter.
Does the tuition fee cover my living costs in Norway?
No. The tuition fee comes on top of the proof of funds for living costs that UDI requires for a study permit. Students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland staying three months or longer need a residence permit for studies, and UDI decides on it, so check the current amount on udi.no.