About this programme
Arctic Nature Guide - one year programme is a One-year Programme programme at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø, taught in English. It runs for 1 year and carries 60 ECTS credits. The register gives Tromsø as the campus town. It lists the degree as One-year programme. UiT The Arctic University of Norway is a state university in Troms.
What you will study
This one-year programme is taught in English at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, but the teaching happens on Svalbard, in cooperation with UNIS, the University Center in Svalbard. It combines arctic friluftsliv with practical training in tourism and guiding, and it is built around the profession standard set by the Norwegian Nature Guide Association (NNGA).
What you study
The programme is a full-time course of 60 ECTS credits. It mixes arctic friluftsliv with a practical programme in tourism and guiding, and it is given on Svalbard. The content follows the profession standard defined by the Norwegian Nature Guide Association. The courses involve a large degree of activity and long outdoor expeditions, so you will spend a lot of time in the field. You will experience Svalbard's nature and culture at close hand.
Admission, language and next steps
Teaching is in English. Entry requirements are published by the institution, and you should check the programme page for the exact requirements. The application deadlines are: Nordic applicants 15 April, EU/EEA and Swiss applicants 1 March, non-EU/EEA applicants 15 November. You need to be in good physical shape and able to carry equipment for multiday expeditions in the arctic. You must be able to maintain a physical and mental surplus during long and cold outdoor excursions, sleeping in tents and snow caves. Most field excursions involve Nordic mountain skiing, so you must be an experienced skier and physically fit for Nordic mountain skiing over long distances. You must have your own personal equipment according to the individual equipment list. By completing the programme and the required amount of nature guide work experience, you can become a member of the NNGA and an approved Arctic Nature Guide and International Mountain Leader (UIMLA) through the Norwegian Nature Guide Association. Note that Arctic Nature Guides educated in this programme have work limitations: they do not have competence to work in nature where there is a particular risk of falls with serious consequences, or in terrain steeper than 30 degrees on layered winter snow.
Job opportunities after graduating
- Arctic Nature Guide (with the work limitations described by the programme)
- International Mountain Leader (UIMLA) through the Norwegian Nature Guide Association, after required work experience
- Guiding in arctic tourism
- Outdoor activities in Svalbard's nature and culture
Before you apply
UiT The Arctic University of Norway sets the entry requirements and the application route for this programme, so follow the steps on its programme page. The institution lists its deadline as: Nordic applicants: 15 April, EU/EEA + Swiss applicants: 1 March, Non-EU/EEA applicants: 15 November. The register shows 15 November 2026 as a deadline date for this 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 Arctic Nature Guide - one year programme taught in English?
Yes. The Study in Norway register, run by HK-dir, lists it as an English-taught programme at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Only English-taught degree programmes are included here.
How long does it take?
The register records 1 year of study and 60 ECTS credits. Sixty ECTS credits are one academic year of full-time study.
Where is it taught?
The register lists Tromsø as the campus town for this programme at UiT The Arctic University of Norway.
How do I apply?
UiT The Arctic University of Norway sets the entry requirements and the application route for this one-year programme. Read the steps on the programme page before you apply.
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. As UiT The Arctic University of Norway lists it: Nordic applicants: 15 April, EU/EEA + Swiss applicants: 1 March, Non-EU/EEA applicants: 15 November. The register shows 15 November 2026 as a deadline date for this programme. Confirm the date for your own situation on the programme page at UiT The Arctic University of Norway.
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 UiT The Arctic University of Norway 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 UiT The Arctic University of Norway is linked from this page so you can compare.
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