Norway Education System Explained for International Students | Qogent Global

Academic Structure

Understanding the Norway Education System

Gain insights into the Norway higher education framework, academic culture, teaching methods, and grading system to prepare for your studies.

Norway's Degree Structure

Bachelor's degree

3 years

180 ECTS (credits). 60 ECTS is one full study year.

Master's degree

2 years

120 ECTS, after a bachelor's.

Professional degree

Usually 6 years

A degree that trains you for one job, such as medicine, law or psychology.

PhD

3 or 4 years

After a master's or professional degree.

Norway uses three degree levels: bachelor's, master's and PhD.

Higher Education Framework

Degrees and Institutions

Norway has four main kinds of higher education institutions.

Types of Higher Education Institutions

Universities

Such as UiO, NTNU, UiB and UiT.

Specialised universities

Such as the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) and BI Norwegian Business School.

University colleges and universities of applied sciences

One of the four main kinds of school in Norway. Check each school's courses before you apply.

University colleges with approved programmes

One of the four main kinds of school in Norway. Its study programmes are approved (accredited).

Academic Degree Structure

Bachelor's

3 years (180 ECTS)

The first degree.

Master's

2 years (120 ECTS)

After a bachelor's.

PhD

3 or 4 years

After a master's or professional degree.

Academic Experience

How Teaching Feels

Norwegian universities have strong standards. They try new ways of teaching. Students and teachers work closely together.

Grading System

Grades in Norway

Exams are graded from A (highest) to F (lowest). E is the lowest pass grade. Some exams are pass or fail.

Letter Grade	Description
A	Highest grade
C	A good grade. Many master's programmes ask for grade C or better.
E	Lowest pass grade
F	Fail

Special Grade Designations

Designation	Meaning
Pass (bestått, the Norwegian word)	Pass
Fail	Fail

Your Grades from India or Pakistan

The University of Oslo (UiO) checks each foreign degree on its own. It does not turn your grades into Norwegian ones. The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) turns foreign grades into Norwegian grades and puts applicants in order.

Academic Calendar

The Academic Year

The year has an autumn and a spring semester (a semester is half a study year). Master's courses for students from other countries start in August. The EU/EEA is the EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. India and Pakistan are outside it.

Key Academic Dates

Application Deadlines

•UiO, NTNU and the University of Bergen (UiB) master's, from outside the EU/EEA: Deadline 1 December
•UiT The Arctic University of Norway (UiT) master's, from outside the EU/EEA: Deadline 15 November 2026, for August 2027

Registration Periods

•Sign up for the autumn semester and pay the fee at UiO: By 1 September
•Sign up for the spring semester and pay the fee at UiO: By 1 February

Credit System

Norway uses the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). ECTS is the European way of counting course work.

What 1 ECTS Means

Credit definition:

•1 ECTS is 25 to 30 hours of study.
•A full-time year is 60 ECTS, or 1,500 to 1,800 hours of study work.

Credit Load & Status

•Full-time student: 60 ECTS a year

Institutional Quality

Quality and Recognition

NOKUT, the agency that checks the quality of universities and courses, also approves them. Your university must be on NOKUT's approved list to get a study permit. The study permit is the permit to live in Norway as a student. Many people call it the student visa.