👶🏽 Barnehage in Oslo: how to register your child and how much it costs (overview)

Disclaimer. This is an overview: not legal advice. Rates, deadlines and rules are subject to change — check the details on the websites of the city council and relevant authorities, as well as at the nursery itself.

✨ Who is this for?

Parents of children aged 1–5 who already live in the capital or are planning to move/work here. Let's take a look at how the system works, when to apply, how much to pay and how to check the ‘domestic’ side of the kindergarten before you start.

🏫 How the system works

🏢 Types of institutions

There are municipal and private barnehage in the city. The basic principles of enrolment are similar, but the details (rules, meals, response times) for private nurseries are determined by their statutes, which are worth reading before applying. Applications are submitted through the city system and the city council's barnehage pages.

📆 Seasonality and enrolment

The main intake is the financial year starting in August. For children who turn 1 in January–September, the deadline is 1 March (starting in August/September). For children born in October–November, the deadline is 15 August. For children born in December, they are entitled to a place starting in August following their birthday. Outside of these waves, additional enrolment takes place if places are available.

In 2025, the first letters for the main enrolment in the capital were sent in ‘waves’: 20 March, 10 April, 30 April — with a week to respond. Keep an eye out for letters and SMS notifications.

📝 Submitting an application

Steps

• Select 3–5 priority nurseries (up to five) and set your desired start date within your right to a place.
• Submit an online application via the city portal (login via ID-porten is recommended). You can then respond to the place offer there.
• If your family does not yet have a Norwegian ID number, you can apply via the English-language page: the city council explains how to proceed with or without a D-number.

Important. If you change your application after the deadline during the allocation process, you may lose your ‘right to a place’ in the current wave — this is also noted on the portal.

📈 How to increase your chances

• Indicate several suitable nurseries near your home and/or work.
• Set a realistic start date and be prepared to accept a place within the specified time frame — you usually have 7 days to respond.

💵 Costs and benefits (overview)

🍲 Basic fees and meals

From 1 August 2025, a national ‘maximum price’ will apply in the capital: 1,200 kr/month for a full day; meals are paid separately (in municipal nurseries — approximately 310 kr/month, in private nurseries — according to the actual costs of the institution).

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Siblings and ‘free hours’

According to national rules: the second child receives a minimum 30% discount, the third and subsequent children attend free of charge. There is a separate benefit of ‘20 hours free per week’ for families with an income below the threshold set for the academic year (from 1 August 2025 — 669,050 kr/year). The general rule of ‘no more than 6% of income per child per year’ also applies.

In Oslo, the city additionally describes local conditions: automatic calculation of sibling discounts (without application), a single application window for reduced fees, and clarification of thresholds for individual district programmes. Check the current figures and deadlines on the ‘Price and payment’ page.

🗺 Location and logistics

🚶‍♀️ ‘Home ↔ kindergarten ↔ work’

A simple route saves energy for the whole family. Check: direct metro/tram lines, pedestrian paths in bad weather, where to park a pram and how quickly you can get to the stop.

👀 What to look for on site

The quality of the yard (surface/shade/canopies), layout by age group, storage for clothes/shoes and a place to store prams. Clarify the format of daily communication (app/messages, sleep and meal reports).

✅ Checklist for inspecting the garden

• Your child's age group and how busy the space is.
• The yard: surface, shade/canopies, water/sand, ‘rain plan’.
• Communication with parents: app, daily notes, language of communication.
• Daily routine: sleep, walks, meals (allergies/diets).
• Storage: strollers, lockers for clothes/shoes; raincoat dryers.

➡️ Mini application guide (quick guide)

• Check which wave you belong to (1 March / 15 August) and set the correct start date.
• Make a list of 3–5 nurseries and submit it via the portal (ID-porten is recommended).
• Keep an eye on your digital mail/Altinn: you will usually receive a response within 7 days; accept the place and, if you wish, join the waiting list for other nurseries.
• Once confirmed, apply for a reduced fee/20 free hours if necessary.