Canonical HTML: https://www.studyu.org/en/university-bergen
Markdown URL: https://www.studyu.org/en/md/university-bergen.md
Language: en
Meta title: University of Bergen: Master's Admission 2027 | StudyU
Meta description: University of Bergen for non-EU applicants: one master's application, 1 Nov–1 Dec 2026, about 8% admitted, fees from $20,570, funds proof and housing.
Last modified: 2026-09-30

# University of Bergen (UiB)

The University of Bergen admits citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA only to English-taught master's programmes: roughly twenty of them, with one application for one programme per year. For an August 2027 start, the application window runs from 1 November to 1 December 2026, and results arrive in April. Competition is tough: UiB says about 8% of international applicants receive an offer. Tuition for 2026/27 is $20,570 (NOK 197,000) or $23,600 (NOK 226,000) a year, or $41,950 (NOK 401,704) for fine art, music and design. Your application must already prove you can pay both tuition and living costs.

The University Museum of Bergen building. Photo: Sveter / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bergen_museum_Norway_2009_3.JPG), [CC BY-SA 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0).

| Quick facts | Details |
| --- | --- |
| City and founding year | Bergen, Norway's second-largest city; university since 1946 |
| Size | more than 20,000 students; eight faculties including the University Museum; city-centre campus |
| Ranking | THE World University Rankings 2027: joint 273rd |
| Open to applicants without Norwegian | English-taught master's programmes and exchange; bachelor's programmes are in Norwegian |
| Application window, non-EU/EEA | 1 November to 1 December 2026, one programme; documents by 15 December |
| Tuition, 2026/27 | $20,570 (NOK 197,000), $23,600 (NOK 226,000) or $41,950 (NOK 401,704) a year |
| English | IELTS Academic with 6.5 in every section; TOEFL iBT 90; PTE Academic 62 |
| Admission rate | about 8% of international applicants |
| Scholarships | UiB offers no scholarships or grants |

## What UiB offers applicants without Norwegian {#section-1}

For most international applicants, UiB means a master's degree. Its bachelor's programmes are taught in Norwegian and filled through the national Samordna opptak system, which requires documented Norwegian; there is no English-taught international bachelor's. Applicants whose school certificates need an extra year of university under Norway's GSU list, as is the case for Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, face that hurdle as well. Russian citizens meet a further obstacle: UDI and the Norwegian embassy in Moscow state that a study permit below master's level is difficult to get without exceptional circumstances.

Bergen is a good match for research-oriented master's students in the university's strongest areas: earth science, meteorology and oceanography, applied and computational mathematics, biomedicine, geography and sustainable development, system dynamics, digital culture, languages and linguistics. The city sits on the North Sea coast, and marine and climate research underpins several faculties.

## Master's programmes open to non-EU/EEA citizens {#section-2}

UiB publishes a separate list of programmes open to non-EU/EEA citizens living outside Norway. Below is the 2026/27 list with that year's fees.

| Faculty | Programmes | Fee per year, 2026/27 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Humanities | Digital Culture, Philosophy, Linguistics, English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish Language and Latin-American Studies | $20,570 (NOK 197,000) |
| Medicine | Biomedical Sciences | $23,600 (NOK 226,000) |
| Science and Technology | Earth Science, Mathematics, Applied and Computational Mathematics, Meteorology and Oceanography | $23,600 (NOK 226,000) |
| Psychology | Global Development, Theory and Practice | $20,570 (NOK 197,000) |
| Social Sciences | Human Geography and Sustainable Development, Politics and Governance of Global Challenges, System Dynamics | $20,570 (NOK 197,000) |
| Social Sciences | Physical and Environmental Geography, Media and Interaction Design | $23,600 (NOK 226,000) |
| Fine Art, Music and Design | Design, Fine Art, Music Performance and Composition (separate deadlines) | $41,950 (NOK 401,704) |

UiB's fee table also lists Biology and Molecular Biology at $23,600 (NOK 226,000), but they do not appear on the list of programmes for non-EU/EEA applicants, so confirm whether they are open in the new cycle. Most programmes last two years, with the second year largely devoted to the thesis.

UiB had not published 2027/28 fees by late September 2026; fees are adjusted every year, and the exact amount comes with the offer. UiB expects the whole amount in one payment, and you may ask for a refund if you give up your place by 1 September.

## Degree requirements: length, 80 ECTS and a C average {#section-3}

- Degree length. Your bachelor's must be comparable to a Norwegian bachelor's, which builds on Norway's general entry qualification (GSU). If your country's school certificate needs one or two years of university to meet GSU, a three-year degree may not be enough. UiB's country list says "3 or 4 years depending on your educational background" for Russia and Belarus and "4 years" for Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. A four-year bachelor's or a specialist degree normally meets this condition.
- Recognition. The degree must come from an officially recognised, accredited institution; UiB checks this in the German Anabin database and requires H+ status.
- Specialisation. At least 80 ECTS (about a year and a half of full-time study) in a subject relevant to the programme, plus any programme-specific requirements, which cannot be waived.
- Grades. An average comparable to a Norwegian C, which UiB likens to an American B grade or a UK 2:1. Meeting the minimum does not mean admission: only around one international applicant in twelve gets an offer.

UiB makes no conditional offers to non-EU/EEA applicants because of immigration rules. If you graduate in June, you cannot apply in the preceding December; your degree must be complete and documented by the documentation deadline. This is a key difference from NTNU, which accepts interim transcripts.

## English requirements {#section-4}

| Test | Minimum |
| --- | --- |
| IELTS Academic or IELTS Online | 6.5 overall and 6.5 in each section; One Skill Retake not accepted |
| TOEFL iBT, including Home Edition | 90; MyBest scores not accepted; add UiB as recipient with code 9367 |
| PTE Academic | 62; send the score report via your Pearson account and upload a PDF |

UiB accepts only scores obtained within the two years before its deadline. You can be exempt with Cambridge C2 Proficiency or C1 Advanced at grade A, B or C, B2 First at grade A, IB English at the required level, or education in certain English-speaking countries. If a programme requires higher scores than the general minimum, exemptions do not apply.

## Documents for your application {#section-5}

Apply in Søknadsweb as an "International Applicant" (not via Feide). There is no submit button: your application is complete once your home address is filled in, the programme selected, all documents uploaded and the information saved. Scan documents from the originals and upload good-quality PDFs.

1. Secondary-school certificate.
2. Bachelor's diploma, all pages.
3. Transcript of records with an explanation of the grading scale.
4. Proof of English proficiency or of an exemption.
5. Proof of funds for both tuition and living costs (see below).
6. Copy of a valid passport.
7. CV including your educational background.
8. Motivation letter of up to 450 words explaining your personal reasons for choosing the programme.
9. Course descriptions for all relevant courses, including content and reading lists.
10. Any documents your programme additionally requires.

For any document issued in a language other than English or a Scandinavian language, upload a certified copy of the original together with a certified copy of its translation into one of those languages. After arrival, original diplomas and transcripts are verified again, and admission is final only when that verification succeeds.

## Timeline from application to arrival {#section-6}

| When | Step |
| --- | --- |
| 1 November 2026 | Application portal opens |
| 1 December 2026 | Application deadline; no changes after this date |
| 15 December 2026 | Final deadline for uploading documents |
| Mid-April 2027 | Results in Søknadsweb and by email |
| Late April | Deadline to accept the offer (UiB announces the date) |
| After accepting | Transfer to the student deposit account run by Sammen |
| May | Letter of Acceptance issued once the deposit is confirmed; housing applications close 15 May |
| June | Study permit application; UDI can process applications submitted by 1 July before term |
| Week 32 (August) | Autumn semester begins; attendance is mandatory for new students |
| September | Verification of original documents |

## Money: what to prove when applying and what to transfer later {#section-7}

UiB asks for financial proof earlier than many Norwegian universities. With your application by 1 December, you must show funds for both tuition and living costs. At 2026/27 fee levels plus UDI's living-cost norm for the same year, that means $38,360 (NOK 367,368) for a $20,570 (NOK 197,000) programme and $41,390 (NOK 396,368) for a $23,600 (NOK 226,000) programme. Accepted evidence:

- an official bank statement no older than three months, in any currency, clearly showing the available balance;
- a signed sponsor letter committing to support you, plus the sponsor's bank statement (anyone, including relatives, can sponsor you);
- a letter confirming a scholarship, stipend or student loan from your home country, stating the amount and the institution.

All documents must be in English or come with an English translation. UDI's living-cost amount for 2026/27 is $17,790 (NOK 170,368); at the time of checking, UiB's page still showed the previous year's $17,420 (NOK 166,859), so rely on the figure in UiB's instructions to you. Being exempt from tuition does not exempt you from the living-cost requirement.

After admission, because you cannot open a Norwegian bank account from abroad, you transfer the living-cost funds to the deposit account run by the student welfare organisation Sammen. Wait for UiB's instructions: the transfer must carry your unique identification code. The deposit confirmation usually arrives within five working days and goes into your UDI application. Once you have your permit, have arrived and completed the required steps, the money is paid out to you. Tuition is paid separately against UiB's invoice. Applicants paying from Russia can find lawful routes in [how to pay for studies abroad from Russia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia).

Including semester fees of about $100 (NOK 1,000) per semester and the UDI fee, a realistic first-year minimum is about $39,140 for a $20,570 (NOK 197,000) programme and $42,160 for a $23,600 (NOK 226,000) programme. For a comparison with other cities, see the [cost of studying in Norway](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-norway).

## The study permit {#section-8}

UDI issues the study permit; UiB supplies the Letter of Acceptance and tuition confirmation. Follow UDI's checklist:

- register your application in UDI's portal and enter UiB's organisation number, 874 789 542;
- pay UDI's $560 (NOK 5,400) fee by card in the online portal, since visa centres do not take payment;
- attach the Letter of Acceptance, your tenancy agreement, the deposit confirmation and the tuition payment confirmation;
- book an appointment to submit documents and biometrics in person at the relevant embassy or VFS Global centre.

In Russia, residence permit applications are handed in at VFS Global centres; the Norwegian embassy in Moscow is the responsible mission for applicants from Russia and Belarus, and files lodged in Kazakhstan go to Norway's embassy in Ankara. Either way, UDI makes the decision and notifies you by email. Since September 2022 Russian applicants have been under standard rules rather than the old facilitation agreement, the embassy warns of long waits for VFS appointments, and payment with a card from a Russian bank typically fails. Apply in June, as soon as the Letter of Acceptance arrives. Work on a study permit is limited to 20 hours a week while classes run, remote work included; in holidays the limit is lifted. See our [Norway study permit guide](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-norway-study-permit) for the full process.

Graduates of a Norwegian institution may stay for up to a year to look for skilled work. UDI grants this job-seeker permit on an application filed before the study permit runs out, ideally at least a month ahead; you support yourself from your own funds, and there is no cap on working hours meanwhile.

## Housing: Sammen's room for newcomers {#section-9}

Student housing in Bergen is run by Sammen, which has more than 5,000 units in western Norway. Sammen promises a furnished room to self-financed international master's students coming to Bergen for the first time; the commitment applies once, to your first stay. For the autumn semester you apply between 1 April and 15 May and list three preferred options; if none is available, you are allocated what is free. You sign the lease by SMS code within the stated deadline, so register a working phone number. Cancelling without the normal notice period is possible only until 24 June and only with a statement from UiB that you will not study in Bergen. A Sammen tenancy agreement also meets UDI's housing requirement.

## Who UiB suits {#section-10}

UiB is a good choice if you hold a four-year degree with strong grades in a relevant field, have IELTS 6.5 in every section and are interested in earth science, meteorology and oceanography, applied mathematics, biomedicine, geography or system dynamics. A compact city-centre campus and a room for newcomers are real advantages.

Look elsewhere if you finish your bachelor's only next summer (UiB makes no conditional offers), if you want computing or engineering, or if you would like to apply to several programmes at once. Compare Bergen with [NTNU](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-ntnu) for technology, the [University of Oslo](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-oslo) for informatics, law and economics, and the private [BI Norwegian Business School](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-bi-norwegian-business-school) for an English-taught business bachelor's. For an overview, see [studying in Norway](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-norway), [universities in Norway](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-universities-in-norway) and [master's degrees in Norway](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-norway).

## Mistakes that get UiB applications rejected {#section-11}

- Applying in the final year of your bachelor's. Without a completed degree by the documentation deadline, the application is not considered.
- Proving living costs only. UiB expects evidence of funds for tuition as well.
- Leaving out course descriptions. Without them the committee cannot count 80 ECTS of relevant subjects.
- Writing a generic motivation letter. The limit is 450 words, and it must explain why this particular programme.
- Submitting an IELTS result with one weak section. A 6.0 in writing fails the requirement, and One Skill Retake does not count.
- Transferring the deposit too early. Without the identification code from UiB, the payment cannot be matched to your file.

## FAQ {#section-12}

### Can I study at the University of Bergen straight after secondary school?

Not on programmes for international applicants. UiB admits non-EU/EEA citizens to English-taught master's programmes, while bachelor's degrees are taught in Norwegian and require documented Norwegian and, for many foreign school certificates, an additional year of university. Russian citizens should also expect difficulty obtaining a study permit below master's level, according to UDI.

### Is the University of Bergen free?

No, not for citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, who have paid tuition since autumn 2023. In 2026/27 fees are $20,570 (NOK 197,000) or $23,600 (NOK 226,000) a year, and $41,950 (NOK 401,704) for fine art, music and design. Exemptions exist only for close ties to Norway, such as permanent residence.

### How many programmes can I apply to?

Non-EU/EEA citizens living outside Norway can apply to one master's programme per year. Choose it by how closely your degree matches the programme's requirements, not by name or reputation.

### Is a three-year bachelor's degree enough?

It depends on your country. UiB's country list sets 3 or 4 years for some countries (including Russia) depending on your background and 4 years for others (such as Kazakhstan). If your school certificate needed an extra university year to meet Norway's general entry requirement, a three-year degree may fall short; borderline cases are assessed individually.

### Is Norwegian required for UiB's master's programmes?

No. Programmes on the list for non-EU/EEA applicants are taught in English, and Norwegian is not tested at admission. It becomes useful for part-time work and jobs after graduation, so many students start learning it in their first year.

### Does UiB offer scholarships?

No. UiB states that it does not offer grants, scholarships or other funding, including for tuition. Most international students pay from savings, a home-country student loan or a sponsor's support.

### How can StudyU help with a UiB application?

Checking your degree length and 80 ECTS specialisation, choosing the single programme, preparing the motivation letter and course descriptions, submitting in Søknadsweb and guidance on the Sammen deposit and permit file are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Whether you are admitted is decided by the University of Bergen, and the permit by UDI.

## Sources {#section-13}

- [UiB: Application process for applicants with a citizenship from outside EU/EEA and Switzerland](https://www4.uib.no/en/studies/admission-and-application/application-process-for-applicants-with-a-citizenship-from-outside-eueea-and-switzerland) (2026–2027 dates, requirements, documents, deposit, study permit)
- [UiB: Master's degree programmes for applicants with citizenship from outside the EU/EEA](https://www4.uib.no/en/studies/admission-and-application/masters-degree-programmes-for-applicants-with-citizenship-from-outside-the-eueea)
- [UiB: Tuition fee for international students](https://www4.uib.no/en/studies/admission-and-application/tuition-fee-for-international-students) (2026/27 rates)
- [UiB: Country list](https://www.uib.no/en/education/49179/country-list)
- [UiB: English language requirements for master's programmes](https://www4.uib.no/en/studies/admission-and-application/english-language-requirements-for-masters-programmes-taught-in-english)
- [UiB: About UiB](https://www4.uib.no/en/about-uib)
- [Sammen: student housing in Bergen](https://sammen.no/en/bolig)
- [HK-dir: GSU list](https://hkdir.no/en/foreign-education/lists-and-databases/higher-education-entrance-qualification-gsu)
- [Study in Norway: Cost and requirements](https://studyinnorway.no/cost-and-requirements) (UDI amount for 2026/27 and work rights)
- [UDI: Study permit](https://www.udi.no/en/want-to-apply/studies/studietillatelse/) and [job-seeker permit for recent graduates](https://www.udi.no/en/want-to-apply/work-immigration/job-seekers/a-job-seeker-who-has-recently-graduated-or-is-a-researcher/)
- [Norway in Russia, embassy website: residence permit applications](https://www.norway.no/ru/russia/service-info/visitors-visa-res-permit/)
- [Times Higher Education: University of Bergen](https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/university-bergen)

Dollar figures are converted at the European Central Bank reference rate for 29 September 2026: EUR 1 = USD 1.1355 = NOK 10.8735, i.e. NOK 1 ≈ USD 0.1044. Amounts under $100 are rounded to the dollar, larger ones to $10.

Checking whether your degree meets UiB's requirements and choosing a programme for your single application are provided under an agreement with StudyU; the university makes the admission decision. To start, [send us a request](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply).

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.

## Next steps

- [University of Oslo (UiO)](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-oslo)
- [NTNU Norway: admission to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-ntnu)
- [Universities in Norway for International Students: How to Choose and What They Cost](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-universities-in-norway)
- [Applying to Norwegian Universities: Requirements, Deadlines and Steps](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-norwegian-universities)
- [Studying in Norway for international applicants](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-norway)
- [How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia)

Updated: September 2026