To finance your studies and your stay in Norway, you will need a sound and realistic financial plan that covers the full length of your study period.
funds for study permit
The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) requires all citizens who are not EU/EEA/Swiss nationals to provide documentation of sufficient funds to cover tuition and living expenses for one academic year in Norway, as part of the study permit application.
Sammen, the student welfare organisation in Bergen, has established a deposit account in a Norwegian bank, as part of their services to incoming international students. Details about the account are distributed in April.
For the academic year starting in August 2026, you must be prepared to transfer the following amount, to cover tuition and living expenses for your first year:
- Bachelor’s programme: 308 859 NOK (166 859 NOK to cover living costs and 142 000 NOK to cover tuition).
- Master’s programme: 370 859 NOK (166 859 NOK to cover living costs and 204 000 NOK to cover tuition).
After arrival in Norway, you must establish a Norwegian bank account, and the deposit will be returned to you.
When you re-new your study permit for the next academic year, you will again have to document towards UDI that you have the sufficient means available to cover living costs and tuition fee for the upcoming year. At this point you will have your own Norwegian bank account and should not transfer funds to the deposit account.
TUITION FEE
Students who are not nationals of a country belonging to the EU/EEA or Switzerland are required to pay tuition fees. The tuition rates are as follows:
Tuition fees for students beginning in cohort 2026/2027:
- Bachelor's programme: 142 000 NOK per year
- Master's programme: 204 000 NOK per year
Tuition fees for students beginning in cohort 2025/2026:
- Bachelor's programme: 136 000 NOK per year
- Master's programme: 196 000 NOK per year
Tuition fees for students beginning in cohort 2024/2025:
- Bachelor's programme: 130 000 NOK per year
- Master's programme: 180 000 NOK per year
Tuition fees are set per cohort and are based on the year you begin your studies. The fee remains the same for the nominal duration of your programme (three years for a bachelor's degree and two years for a master's degree).
The invoice for the tuition fee is sent to your student email address at the start of each semester. Payment deadlines are 1 September and 1 February.
Please note: If your funds are in Sammen’s deposit account when you receive the first tuition fee invoice, you may forward the invoice to Sammen and request that they pay it from the deposit, on your behalf.
Tuition fee exemptions
Incoming exchange students, CEMS students and double degree students do not have to pay tuition.
Full-degree students may apply for exemption. These exemptions are:
- You have a permanent residence permit in one of the Nordic countries
- You have a residence permit due to protection (asylum)
- You have a residence permit as a family member of an EU/EEA citizen
- You have a residence permit due to family immigration
- You are cohabiting and have children with a Norwegian citizen
- You are married to a Norwegian citizen
- You have worked in Norway for at least two years full-time
- You have studied in Norway for at least three years full-time
- You are a UK citizen and moved to Norway before 31 December 2020
DETAILED QUALIFICATION INFORMATION AND HOW TO APPLY FOR AN EXEMPTION
PART TIME WORK
As a new international student in Norway, finding part-time work will be challenging. You can therefore not base your financial plan on finding employment, and need to arrive with the necessary financial security in place for the full length of your stay.
Although the study permit allows you to work part-time, and you may be fortunate and find employment, please keep in mind that you are not guaranteed to find work, and that your main purpose of stay in Norway is to study.
When you receive the study permit, you will normally also be issued a part-time work permit that allows you to work up to 20 hours per week, and full-time during the holidays. The immigration authorities will only renew your study permit and part-time work permit if your study progression has been satisfactory.
You may consult the web pages of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) for more information.