Are you looking to study in Norway and do you need financial support and aid? If yes, then this post will teach you the best way and places to find financial aid to help you fund your education in Norway. Education in Norway is free for all students domestic and foreign included. Although, what is not cheap in Norway is the cost of living which is generally regarded as very high and expensive.
Students get free education when they apply to government universities and colleges, but they still pay for their accommodation, transportation, books, and feeding. Just to give you a rundown of just how much international students pay to study in Norway, we mentioned some of the things you should know about what it costs to study in Norway.
Cost of Studying in Norway
The first question students ask and want to get answers to is whether or not education in Norway is completely free. For most public colleges and universities in Norway, you do not need to pay any tuition fees. However, Private Universities charge some amount as tuition, so, if you intend to study for free in Norway you should look out for universities that offer education for free.
Here is what Private universities charge for tuition fees, they vary between:
7,000 – 9,000 EUR/year for Bachelor’s programs
9,000 – 19,000 EUR/year for Master’s programs
Top Tuition-Free Universities in Norway You Should Check Out
▪ University of Oslo
▪ University of Bergen
▪ BI Norwegian Business School
▪ Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
▪ NHH Norwegian School of Economics
▪ UIT The Arctic University of Norway
▪ University of Stavanger
▪ University of South-Eastern Norway
▪ The Oslo School of Architecture and Design
Read Also: Full Funding Scholarship in Germany
How Much Does It Cost to Live in Norway
The cost of living comprises accommodation, study material, book costs, feeding, transportation, and other miscellaneous expenses. Although the cost of living is high, it can become very high or moderate depending on your lifestyle. For accommodation, some students prefer to share rooms or houses with others to reduce cost, some others prefer staying alone which would mean more accommodation costs for you.
So on average, students pay between 800 – 1,400 EUR/month to live in Norway. This amount varies depending on the city you reside in as well. The larger cities will take up more cost for accommodation, and the smaller cities may cost you lesser.
Top Cities in Norway and the Cost of Living
Oslo: 1,200 – 2,000 EUR
Bergen: 1,100 – 1,800 EUR
Tromso and Trondheim: 1,000 – 1,600 EUR
Feeding Costs in Norway
If you know how to cook, you can save a lot of money yourself on food, otherwise, you will most likely spend anywhere between 250 – 400 euros every month on food. Buying groceries from supermarkets and cooking your own meal can provide a cheaper option for you.
Enough talk about the cost of living in Norway, let us now talk about some of the financial aids provided in Norway for Students.
Aside from the fact that education is free in Norway, students are also eligible for the different financial aid and support provided in the country. The financial aids come as scholarships and a monthly stipend for students which can be very useful to pay off some living cost bills.
Types of Financial Aid Provided in Norway
Quota Scheme
This is a type of aid provided by the Norwegian government for international students to promote higher education in the country. The government provides scholarship opportunities for 1,100 international students who enroll in a course program each year. International students from developing countries are eligible for 800 out of the 1,100 scholarships, while 300 of the 1,100 scholarships are for students from Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
Norwegian Government Scholarship
This is another scholarship opportunity provided by the government in Norway to support international graduate and doctoral students. It is a means to attract more talented students and young researchers to study in Norway.
More Scholarship and financial aid options include:
Norad’s Program for Master Studies (NOMA)
Fellowship Program for Studies in the High North
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Program
The Norwegian State Educational Load fund
You can also find private scholarships and financial aid provided by private organizations in Norway. You can start your search here. http://www.iefa.org/scholarships/NO/