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Study Guide 2026

Study in Norway

Fjords, aurora skies, and a high-trust society built for serious scholars

Job Seeker Permit

12 Months

Min Funds Required

NOK 170,368/yr

Happiness Index

#7 Globally

Work Hours

20/week

Explore Guide
Verified April 2026
0 modules~15 min readFor Indian Students
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Norway ended universal free tuition for non-EU/EEA students from Autumn 2023. For 2026-27, Indian students pay NOK 130,000–NOK 528,650 per year at public universities depending on programme (NTNU master's typically NOK 195,000–290,000; UiO master's NOK 220,000–330,000). EU/EEA students and PhD candidates remain tuition-free; PhDs are salaried positions.

UDI (the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration) requires proof of NOK 170,368 per year for the 2026/27 academic year (NOK 15,488 per month) — in addition to any tuition. The funds must be transferred to your Norwegian student/escrow account (typically set up through the university) before the permit is granted, and released monthly to you after arrival. The UDI residence-permit fee itself is NOK 5,400 over 18 / NOK 2,700 under 18 (2026).

Norway offers a 12-month job-seeker residence permit (Jobbsøkertillatelse) after graduation. Apply within the validity of your existing student permit. Once you land a skilled-worker job paying at least NOK 521,300/year (2026 floor for Bachelor's holders), you transition to a regular work permit, and PR is possible after 3 continuous years on a skilled-worker permit.

No — over 200 degree programs are taught entirely in English and Norwegians have near-universal English fluency (Top-3 EF Proficiency globally). Basic Norwegian dramatically expands job prospects, though. Most universities offer free Norwegian courses to international students.

The DUF number is your unique immigration ID issued when your residence permit is approved — every Norwegian system uses it. BankID is the national digital identity that unlocks banking, tax, healthcare, rental contracts, and government services. You apply for BankID at your Norwegian bank after arriving and registering with the police (politiet.no).

Moderate. Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim have the strongest student-job markets (retail, hospitality, research assistant, warehouse, delivery). You can work 20 hours/week during term and full-time during breaks. Norwegian minimum wages are the highest in Europe — NOK 175-210/hour is typical for students.

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