💸 Education for non-EU students: how tuition fees will change in 2025/26
📜 Background: fees introduced in 2023
Until 2023, foreign students from countries outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland studied in Norway free of charge. However, from autumn 2023, compulsory tuition fees were introduced:
● charged at the "full cost" of the programme;
● the fee depended on the university and programme, but often reached NOK 130,000–180,000 per year;
● this caused a decline in interest among non-EU students, especially in the humanities and social sciences.
⚖️ Proposal 2025: flexibility for universities (without "full cost")
On 17 June 2025, the Norwegian government proposed to soften the system:
● remove the 'full cost coverage' requirement;
● give universities the right to set their own fees;
● allow partial subsidisation of certain fields of study.
📌 This means that in the future, one university may charge NOK 60,000/year, while another may charge NOK 120,000/year for a similar programme.
❗ Important: the law still has to pass through parliament and come into force — stay tuned for updates.
🔎 Where to monitor the amounts: Study in Norway, programme pages
To find out the current figures, check:
- Study in Norway — summary information on tuition fees.
- The website of a specific university (UiO, UiB, NTNU, UiT, UiS, NMBU) → Tuition fees tab.
- Specific programme pages: sometimes the amounts differ even within the same university.
👉 Tip: check not only tuition, but also living costs, as the UDI requires you to show a budget for living expenses for a study permit (~166,859 NOK/year).
💡 How to compare total cost (tuition + accommodation)
Don't limit yourself to the tuition amount. It is important to add up two blocks of expenses:
● 🎓 tuition fees,
● 🏠 living and daily expenses (accommodation, food, transport, study materials).
This will give you a realistic understanding of how much your education will cost.
Example:
● Programme at UiO: tuition 100,000 NOK + living expenses 170,000 NOK = 270,000 NOK/year.
● Programme at HVL: tuition 65,000 NOK + living 150,000 NOK = 215,000 NOK/year.
📊 Comparison: Tuition fees 2024/25 vs forecast 2025/26
*Forecast: depends on whether the law on university flexibility is passed.
📌 What to look for when comparing total cost
- 🎓 Tuition fees (per year, per programme)
- 🏠 Cost of living in the city
- 🍞 Food and regional prices
- 🚌 Transport (city travel card)
- 📚 Study materials and semester fees
- 💡 Extra costs (insurance, communications, leisure)
We are thrilled to announce that tuition fees for non-EU students in Norway will become a reality in 2023! In a truly exciting move, the government has announced its plans to make the system more flexible in 2025. The "full cost" will be removed, and universities will be empowered to decide for themselves how much to charge. This opens up the possibility of more affordable programmes, which is fantastic news! All that's left to do is make sure students keep a close eye on things.
📌 Tip: always check not only the tuition fees, but also the total cost (accommodation + food + transport). This will help you avoid any nasty surprises and allow you to realistically assess your budget for the academic year.
FAQ
No. Even if the reform is adopted, fees will remain, but the amounts may become lower and more flexible.
Each university sets its own fees. Programmes with high production costs (engineering, medicine) are more expensive, while humanities programmes may be cheaper.
Usually in the spring before admissions (March–May). But keep an eye on the pages for specific programmes — that's where the final figures are published.
