About this programme
Master's programme in Dance is a Master's Degree programme at Oslo National Academy of the Arts in Oslo, taught in English. It runs for 2 years and carries 120 ECTS credits. The register gives Oslo as the campus town. It lists the degree as Master. Oslo National Academy of the Arts is an arts, music and architecture academy in Oslo.
What you will study
The Master's Programme in Dance at Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHiO) is a two-year full-time study for dancers who want to work as independent artists. It builds on a performing bachelor's degree in dance and is taught in English. The programme code is MADA and it carries 120 ECTS credits.
What you study
The curriculum is built around five course areas: Movement Practice, Performing and Creative Method, Project and Performance Practice, Performance Theory and Philosophical Aesthetics, and the Independent Project. In the first year you take Movement Practice 1 (10 ECTS), Performing and Creative Methods 1 (15 ECTS), Project and Performance Practice 1 (15 ECTS), Performance Theory and Philosophical Aesthetics 1 (10 ECTS) and an Independent Project Proposal (10 ECTS). The second year continues with Movement Practice 2 (10 ECTS), Performing and Creative Method 2 (5 ECTS), Project and Performance Practice 2 (5 ECTS), Performance Theory and Philosophical Aesthetics 2 (5 ECTS) and the Independent Project (35 ECTS).
Workshops and courses cover corporeal literacy, creative methods, performance skills and daily physical practice; memory, history and the archive; critical theory and dramaturgy; social choreography; feminist and decolonial art and social practices; performance scores and choreographic poetry. You also work with writing and dramaturgical tools for your own practice.
How the programme is organised
Teaching happens through workshops and study trips, lectures and seminars, projects and performances. You work in groups and through self-study, in continuous dialogue with teaching staff, other students, research fellows and guest teachers. The programme has an intake of just five students, so individual tutoring is central and the content is adapted to your interests. You can take an exchange semester in semester 2 or 3.
Assessment is ongoing and based on teacher assessments, your reflection on your own development and fulfilment of coursework requirements. Courses may end with a written reflection, an assessment of artistic results in a performance or exhibition, or a practical demonstration. The Independent Project is assessed by three examiners (two internal, one external). The grading system is pass/fail. You must pass all first-year courses to progress to the second year, and all courses to earn the degree.
Who it suits
This programme is for dancers who want to move from craftsperson to artist and performer, and who are ready to take responsibility for their own learning and for the group's progression. It suits people with diverse backgrounds in dance and performance cultures and versatility in dance languages and techniques. The programme explicitly does not tolerate sexism, racism, classism, ableism or other kinds of discrimination. It collaborates closely with the master's programme in choreography and other programmes at KHiO and beyond.
Admission, language and next steps
You need a three-year bachelor's degree (180 ECTS) in dance or other relevant education, with at least 80 ECTS in dance and the performing arts. If your degree has less dance content, you may still apply if you can document equivalent scope and level through practice or work experience. In exceptional cases other documented qualifications may be approved as equivalent.
You must document English proficiency, for example TOEFL with a minimum score of 500 or IELTS with a minimum score of 5.0, or equivalent. Applicants with an educational background from another Nordic country or from an English-language country do not need further documentation.
Submit a letter of motivation and Vimeo uploads (or equivalent) where you act as a performer. Based on your application you may be called for an admission test and interview. The overall assessment looks at your reflection on practising as an independent dance artist, expressiveness, individuality and creativity within dance, technical skills, motivation and personal suitability. The application deadline is 01 December 2026. Check the programme page for the application system and any updates.
Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland are normally exempt from tuition fees at state institutions. Other degree students normally pay a fee set by the institution. KHiO is a state arts academy.
Job opportunities after graduating
- Independent dance artist
- Performer in established dance companies
- Dance maker and creator of performances
- Artist working across art, culture and everyday life
- Doctoral researcher in artistic research (PhD)
- Collaborator in cross-disciplinary artistic projects
Before you apply
Master’s applications go straight to Oslo National Academy of the Arts, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme. Deadlines are set by each institution for each programme, so confirm yours. Entry requirements and language tests are also set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, study permits and housing.
Facts on this page come from the Study in Norway register, the official English-programme list run by HK-dir, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Fees are in NOK as the institution lists them. "Not listed" means the register has no figure, not that the programme is free. Always confirm requirements, fees and deadlines with the institution.
Quick answers
Is Master's programme in Dance taught in English?
Yes. The Study in Norway register, run by HK-dir, lists it as an English-taught programme at Oslo National Academy of the Arts. Only English-taught degree programmes are included here.
How long does it take?
The register records 2 years of study and 120 ECTS credits. Sixty ECTS credits are one academic year of full-time study.
Where is it taught?
The register lists Oslo as the campus town for this programme at Oslo National Academy of the Arts.
How do I apply?
Master’s applications go straight to the institution, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme, and some programmes require a minimum grade average. Oslo National Academy of the Arts publishes its requirements on the programme page.
When is the application deadline?
Each institution sets and publishes its own deadline for each programme, and the dates can differ between applicants from outside the EU/EEA, EU/EEA applicants and Nordic applicants. Confirm the date for your own situation on the programme page at Oslo National Academy of the Arts.
What does it cost?
No annual fee is listed for this programme. Degree students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland normally pay tuition at Norwegian institutions, and the fees vary by institution and programme, so ask Oslo National Academy of the Arts what applies to you. For students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland the record shows no tuition fee. Fees are in NOK as the institution lists them. Every student also pays a semester fee of about NOK 1,000 to the student welfare organisation linked to the institution.
Do I need a permit to study there?
Students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland need a study permit from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). UDI asks for proof of admission, housing and funds of NOK 15,488 a month or NOK 170,368 a year (2026/27), on top of any tuition fee. A study permit allows work of up to 20 hours a week during term and full time in the holidays. Students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland register with the police within three months of arrival instead.
Is this programme officially listed?
It comes from the Study in Norway register at studyinnorway.no, the English-programme list run by HK-dir, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. The programme page at Oslo National Academy of the Arts is linked from this page so you can compare.
More at Oslo National Academy of the Arts
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