If you hold a passport from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, a year at a Norwegian public institution costs between $5,220 (NOK 50,000) and $30,810 (NOK 295,000) in the 2026/27 academic year. Only medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy and some arts programmes cost more, up to $59,420 (NOK 569,000) for medicine at the University of Oslo. On top of tuition, UDI requires you to show living funds of $17,790 (NOK 170,368) per academic year for a study permit. That puts the first year of a master's at roughly $28,000 at a regional university and $49,000 or more in Oslo. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay only the semester fee of about $100 (NOK 1,000).
This guide breaks down the budget, explains what tuition covers, works through three first-year scenarios and outlines lawful ways to pay from Russia. For language, work rules and the permit in brief, see the Norway destination page.
What goes into the first-year budget
| Item | 2026/27 amount | Paid to whom, and when |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition fee | $5,220 to $30,810 (NOK 50,000–295,000); some programmes cost more | the university, by invoice after admission and before the permit application |
| Living funds | $17,790 (NOK 170,368) for 11 months | the deposit account your university specifies (SiO for UiO, Sammen for UiB, NTNU's own account) or a Norwegian bank account |
| Study permit fee | $560 (NOK 5,400) for applicants over 18 | UDI, online when you register the application |
| Semester fee | about $100 (NOK 1,000) per semester; $70 (NOK 670) at UiT, where it is included in the invoice for fee-paying students | the student welfare organisation, when you register each semester |
| Insurance | depends on length of stay | private cover if you stay less than 12 months |
| Flights, first days, temporary housing | as incurred | yourself |
UDI calculates the living-cost requirement as 11 months at $1,620 (NOK 15,488). For a single semester the requirement is lower: $8,090 (NOK 77,440) for autumn or $9,700 (NOK 92,928) for spring.
Tuition in three price bands
Since the law changed on 1 August 2026, each institution decides whether to charge full cost. It is therefore more useful to compare price bands than the country as a whole.
Under $10,000 a year. Universities that cut their 2026/27 rates: the University of South-Eastern Norway at $5,220, $6,270 or $9,400 (NOK 50,000, 60,000 or 90,000); the University of Stavanger and Nord at $6,270 or $8,880 (NOK 60,000 or 85,000); OsloMet at $7,000–9,920 (NOK 67,000–95,000); and the University of Inland Norway at $6,080 or $7,150 (NOK 58,200 or 68,500). NMBU's bachelor's in international environment and development studies costs $8,350 (NOK 80,000).
$14,000 to $24,000. Comprehensive and technical universities that kept their approach: NTNU at $18,410 (NOK 176,300) in its first category (humanities, social sciences, business) and $21,470 (NOK 205,600) for natural sciences, technology, sport and health sciences; the University of Bergen at $20,570 or $23,600 (NOK 197,000 or 226,000); NMBU master's programmes at $15,660 (NOK 150,000); and NHH at $14,830 (NOK 142,000) for the bachelor's and $21,300 (NOK 204,000) for the master's.
Over $25,000. Science and technology master's programmes at the University of Oslo at $30,810 (NOK 295,000), UiO pharmacy at $45,110 (NOK 432,000), design, art and music at UiB at $41,950 (NOK 401,704), medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine at NTNU at $55,210 (NOK 528,650), and medicine and dentistry at UiO at $59,420 (NOK 569,000), the highest rate quoted in this guide.
Expensive universities have exceptions. NTNU runs four master's programmes at $2,760 (NOK 26,445) or $6,440 (NOK 61,705) a year and its fine art master's at $3,220 (NOK 30,840).
Private institutions set their own prices. BI Norwegian Business School charges non-EU/EEA students 30% more than Europeans, since the state does not subsidise their places; see the BI Norwegian Business School profile.
How fees change in the second year
Most institutions set fees for one academic year, not for the whole degree. UiO has published its 2027/28 rates: most master's programmes fall to $19,420 (NOK 186,000) or $22,770 (NOK 218,000), while humanities bachelor's programmes rise from $15,460 to $19,420 (NOK 148,000–186,000). The University of Agder applies its new 2027/28 rates to all fee-paying students regardless of year of study. USN says its 2027/28 fee will rise slightly after the state budget in October. NHH works differently: it fixes the fee for each cohort for the nominal length of the programme (three years for a bachelor's, two for a master's) and will set the 2027/28 cohort rate in the first quarter of 2027.
When planning a two-year master's, budget the second year at the next year's published rate or, if it is not out yet, with a margin for indexation; BI, for example, raises its fees each year in line with inflation.
What tuition covers and what it does not
- Included: teaching and ordinary exams. BI notes that the first exam attempt is normally included.
- Not included: re-sits (at BI, $34 (NOK 330) per ECTS credit in 2026/27), books and materials, field trips, the semester fee and housing.
- Payment terms: UiO requires the full year in advance within two weeks of the invoice; from the second year, payment per semester is allowed. Neither UiO nor NTNU offers instalments.
- Refunds: at UiO you can request a refund if you withdraw by 1 September (autumn) or 1 February (spring).
- Discounts and scholarships: UiO and NTNU give none, and there is no national scholarship open to all international students.
Three first-year master's budgets
Assumptions for a non-EU/EEA citizen in 2026/27: tuition, $17,790 (NOK 170,368) in living funds, the $560 (NOK 5,400) UDI fee and two semester fees of about $210 (NOK 2,000). Flights and insurance are extra.
| Scenario | Tuition | First-year total |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering master's at USN, $9,400 (NOK 90,000) rate | $9,400 | about $27,960 (NOK 267,768) |
| Technology master's at NTNU, Trondheim | $21,470 | about $40,030 (NOK 383,368) |
| Science master's at UiO, Oslo | $30,810 | about $49,370 (NOK 472,768) |
The living-cost requirement is the same nationwide, but real spending differs: private rentals in Oslo cost considerably more than in regional towns. UDI's figure is a visa minimum, not a promise that it covers any flat.
Can part-time work cover your costs?
A study permit allows up to 20 hours of work a week during the semester and full-time work in holidays. UDI counts income from a job already offered in Norway towards the funding requirement, but most students have no such offer when they apply. Plan the first year on your own funds and treat earnings as a buffer.
Paying from Russia
University invoices and the living-cost deposit are in Norwegian kroner. Russian bank cards do not work abroad, and transfers depend on the individual bank and its sanctions status. Plan the route early, usually through your own account at a bank in a third country. Pay from an account in the student's name: under anti-money-laundering rules, UiT accepts tuition only from the student's own account, so a sponsor first transfers the money to the student. The exception is a sponsor who lives in Norway and pays from a Norwegian account. Avoid intermediaries who offer to "route" payments around restrictions — such schemes breach EU and Norwegian sanctions and can cost you your place. The UDI fee is paid online by Visa or Mastercard; according to the Norwegian embassy in Moscow, it can be paid by the applicant or their contact person (reference) in Norway. Our article on paying tuition from Russia goes through the lawful options.
How to reduce the cost
- Compare programmes, not countries. The same field can cost three to five times more in Oslo than in Stavanger.
- Look for programmes with a separate low rate. Universities publish them in their fee tables, as NTNU does.
- Check whether you fall into an exempt group. Permanent residence in Norway, family ties to a Norwegian citizen, two years of full-time work in Norway and other grounds remove the fee. All the grounds are set out on our free education in Norway page.
- Consider Erasmus Mundus joint master's programmes. Their students at NTNU pay no tuition, but selection is a separate competition.
- Compare with neighbours. Sweden also charges non-EU students; see the cost of studying in Sweden.
FAQ
In 2026/27, public institutions charge non-EU/EEA students $5,220 to $30,810 (NOK 50,000–295,000) for standard programmes, with only medicine, pharmacy and the arts costing more. With UDI's living-cost requirement, the first year of a master's costs about $28,000–49,000.
$17,790 (NOK 170,368) for the 2026/27 academic year, plus the tuition amount unless you have already paid it. UDI counts your own money only if it sits in the deposit account your university specifies or in a Norwegian bank account; student loans and scholarships can also make up the amount.
Yes, every student pays it, including Norwegians and Europeans. It is usually about $100 (NOK 1,000) per semester to the student welfare organisation; at UiT it is $70 (NOK 670), and for fee-paying students UiT includes it in the tuition invoice.
The most expensive are medicine and dentistry at the University of Oslo: $59,420 (NOK 569,000) a year in 2026/27 and $60,460 (NOK 579,000) in 2027/28. At NTNU, medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine cost $55,210 (NOK 528,650) in 2026/27; pharmacy at UiO costs $45,110 (NOK 432,000) and drops to $22,770 (NOK 218,000) in 2027/28. All of these programmes are taught in Norwegian.
In the first year, UiO requires the whole year to be paid before studies begin; from the second year, semester payments are allowed. NTNU does not offer instalments at all, and other universities set their terms on the invoice.
No. Housing is paid separately to a student welfare organisation or a private landlord. UDI's living-cost figure is designed to cover rent among other expenses.
UiT says it returns the deposit if a student cannot start, minus a $37 (NOK 350) service fee, and the final amount depends on exchange rates and bank charges. Tuition refund rules differ by university; at UiO the cut-off dates are 1 September and 1 February.
Sources
- UDI: study permit funding requirement for 2026/27 and UDI fees — checked 29 September 2026
- Study in Norway: cost and requirements, 2026/27 — checked 29 September 2026
- University of Oslo: 2026/27 and 2027/28 rates and payment rules — checked 29 September 2026
- NTNU: 2026/27 fees, exemptions and no instalments — checked 29 September 2026
- UiB, NMBU, NHH, UiS, USN, Nord, OsloMet, INN, UiA 2027/28 — checked 29–30 September 2026
- BI: what tuition covers and re-sit fees — checked 29 September 2026
- UiT: deposit, service and semester fees, payment rules — checked 29 September 2026
- Norwegian embassy in Moscow: fee payment and applications — checked 29 September 2026
- Universities and University Colleges Act, section 2-6, as in force from 1 August 2026 — checked 29 September 2026
- All dollar amounts use the ECB rate of 29 September 2026 — €1 = $1.1355 and €1 = NOK 10.8735, roughly NOK 9.58 per dollar; sums below $100 are rounded to the whole dollar, bigger ones to the nearest ten.
Budget planning for specific programmes, shortlisting universities within your price range and document preparation are provided under an agreement with StudyU. The university sets its fee; UDI decides whether your funds meet the permit requirement.
Next steps
- Free Education in Norway: Who Still Studies Without Tuition in 2026
- How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026
- Cost of Studying in Sweden: Tuition, Living Costs and a Full Budget
- Studying in Norway for international applicants
- BI Norwegian Business School
- Master's Degrees in Norway: English-Taught Programmes, Requirements and Costs
