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INSTITUTION TYPES & CREDENTIALS
Types of higher education institutions:
Universiteter (Universities)
Vitenskapelige høyskoler (Specialized University
Colleges)
Statlige høyskoler (State University Colleges)
Kunsthøyskoler (University Colleges of the Arts)
Private høyskoler (Accredited private institutions of
higher education or private institutions of higher education with programme
accreditation)
School leaving and higher education credentials:
Vitnemål Fra Videregående Skole
Høgskolekandidat
Bachelor
Candidatus/ta Magisterii Grad (phased out in 2005)
Sivilarkitekt (will be phased out in 2007)
Sivilingeniør (will be phased out in 2007)
Siviløkonom
Candidata/Candidatus
Magister Artium (will be phased out in 2007)
Master
Doctor (phased out since 2002/3)
Doctor Philosophiae
Philosophiae doctor
STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION SYSTEM
Pre-higher education:
Duration of compulsory education:
Age of entry: 6
Age of exit: 16
Structure of school system:
Primary
Type of school providing this education:
Grunnskole,
Barnetrinnet; Primary School
Length of program in years: 7
Age level from: 6 to: 13
Lower Secondary
Type of school providing this education:
Grunnskole,Ungdomstrinnet;
Secondary School
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 13 to: 16
Upper Secondary
Type of school providing this education:
Videregående
Skole; Upper Secondary School
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 16 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Vitnemål Fra Videregående Skole
Vocational
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 16 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Craft/Journeyman Certificate
Apprenticeship
Type of school providing this education:
Apprenticeship
Length of program in years: 3
Age level from: 16 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Trade
Certificate; Journeyman's Certificate
School education:
As from 1997, Norwegian children start school during
the calendar year in which they reach the age of 6. Compulsory education covers
10 years and consists of three stages: primary stage grades 1-4 (age 6-10);
intermediate stage grades 5-7 (ages 10-13) and lower secondary stage grades
8-10 (age 13-16). Upper secondary education lasts for three years. It consists
of either general or vocational studies. General studies comprise the
Foundation Course (first year), Advanced Course I (second year) and Advanced
Course II (third year) leading to the Certificate of Upper Secondary Education.
Vocational studies comprise the Foundation Course (first year), Advanced Course
I (second year) and either Advanced Course II (third year) or Practical
training/Apprenticeship (1-2 years) or a Trade skill test leading to a
Certificate. The final examination (trade or journeyman's examination) is the
same, regardless of whether training took place at school or in the workplace.
Pupils in vocational courses are to be given the opportunity to obtain the
additional qualifications required for higher studies by studying for one extra
year.
Higher education:
All higher education institutions are subject to the
authority of the Ministry of Education and Research. Higher education in Norway
is mainly offered at state institutions, notably universities (6), specialized
university colleges (6), university colleges (31) and art colleges (2). All
accredited institutions, including private institutions, are covered by the
same Act which entered into force on August 1, 2005. The degrees and titles
that each institution can award and their professional and educational
programmes, as well as the duration and specific requirements concerning
breadth and depth are all laid down in the Royal Decree of 11 October 2002
(last revision 21 December 2005). In June 2001, the Norwegian Parliament
(Storting) passed an extensive reform of higher education, the so-called
Quality Reform. The main points include a new degree structure: Bachelor, of 3
years' duration; Master of 2 years' duration, and PhD of 3 years' duration; a
credit system based on ECTS was introduced with 60 credits (studiepoeng) being
equivalent to 1 year's full-time study; the possibility for some types of
colleges to become universities; the redefinition of governing bodies and
management of the institutions; an increase in student loans/grants; priority
is given to the improvement of teaching and assessment; and the introduction of
mutual and formalized agreements between students and institutions. Priority is
given to participation in international programmes and exchange agreements.
Higher education institutions strive to offer students a period of study abroad
as a component of their degree programme. Institutions are encouraged to
cooperate with public institutions in developing countries. More programmes in
English have been introduced. Institutions have been given greater autonomy in
academic and financial matters. They have the main responsibility for the
quality assurance of their own provisions and for the follow up of quality
development strategies and use of available resources. The Norwegian Agency for
Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) was established on January 1 2003. Its
purpose is to make decisions on general recognition of foreign education, to
oversee the quality of Norwegian higher education by means of evaluation,
accreditation and approval of quality systems, institutions, and course
programmes. These tasks should be carried out in such a way that the
institutions can use the results to develop their own quality system. NOKUT
represents Norway in the ENIC-NARIC network and is the information agency
described in the Lisbon Convention on Recognition.
Main laws/decrees governing higher
education:
Decree: Lov om helsepersonell m.v.
(last revised in 2003) Year: 2001
Concerns: Health care personnel training
Decree: Opplaeringslova (last revised
in 2005) Year: 1999
Concerns: Teacher education
Decree: Royal Decree
FOR-2002-10-11-1124 (http:www.lovdata.no/for/sf/uf/uf-20021011-1124.html) Year: 2005
Concerns: Degrees and Titles in Higher Education
Decree: Universities and University
Colleges Act Year: 2005
Concerns: All public institutions of
higher education, both public and private
Academic year:
Classes from: Aug to: Jun
Long vacation from: 15 Jun to: 15 Aug
Languages of instruction: Norwegian,
English
Stages of studies:
University level studies:
University level first stage: Høgskolekandidat,
Bachelor (new system) Cand.mag. (old system):
NEW
SYSTEM: The Høgskolekandidat (College candidate) degree is obtained after two
years of study. This degree may be built
upon to obtain a Bachelor's degree. The degree is offered at state university
colleges and a few private institutions.The Bachelor's degree is awarded by all
institutions subject to the Universities and University Colleges Act. It is
obtained after a minimum of three years' study. The national university
colleges of the arts offer a Bachelor's degree of four years' duration.OLD
SYSTEM: The first degree, Candidatus/Candidata magisterii (Cand.mag.) was normally
obtained after three-and-a-half years in Mathematics and Natural Sciences and
four years in Arts and Social Sciences. The specialized Høgskolekandidat degree
of two to three years' duration could be built upon to obtain a
Cand.mag.degree. Some institutions offered a four-year Høgskolekandidat degree.
The Cand.mag. degree was awarded by all universities, state university
colleges, art colleges and a good number of other higher education
institutions, both public and private, and could, in that sense, be described
as a "national" degree. The pre-reform degree candidatus/candidata
magisteri was phased out in 2005.
University level second stage: Master (new
system), Candidatus/Candidata (old system):
NEW
SYSTEM: The Master's Degree is a new degree created by the 2001 reform.
Normally, it requires two years of study beyond the Bachelor's Degree. In some
fields of study the Master's degree is awarded after a five-year one-tier
programme. The degrees of Candidata/Candidatus
medicinae/psychologiae/theologiae have been retained from the old system (see
below). Studies last for six years. OLD SYSTEM: The second level (postgraduate)
degree usually consists of one-and-a-half to two years' additional study and requires
a main subject based upon the intermediate level examination in the same
subject as the Cand.mag. degree. The degree is called Candidatus/Candidata
(Cand.) followed by the name of the field of study. An important part of this
degree is independent research work in the form of a thesis. Graduate degrees
are offered by universities and university colleges, several state colleges and
some private colleges. The pre-reform degree candidatus/candidata xxx (the
various post-graduate degrees) will be phased out by 2007.
University level third stage: PhD,
Philosophiae doctor:
The PhD degree programmes generally consist of three
years of study following completion of the second level degree or other
professional degree programmes and are essentially research programmes. The
title Doctor Philosophiae is more general and can be obtained in all fields
without a specific course of study. Doctor's Degree programmes are offered by
the universities, most university colleges, some State colleges and several
private institutions.
Teacher education:
Training of pre-primary and
primary/basic school teachers
The
minimum qualification to teach in pre-primary schools (førskole) is a
Førskolelærer qualification which requires three years of training at
university colleges of education. The minimum qualification to teach in primary
schools (grunnskole, barnetrinnet) is an Allmennlærer (general subject teacher
- 4 years of training) or Faglærer (single subject teacher) qualification which
requires 3 years of training offered at colleges of education.
Training of secondary school teachers
Allmennlærer,
Faglærer or a first university degree, based on 3 years' study, qualifies to
teach in lower secondary schools. Allmennlærer with one year of additional
subjects (one subject must have been studied for at least one year), a higher
university degree requiring five to six years of study plus an additional one
year of teacher training programmes qualifies to teach in upper secondary
schools.
Training of higher education teachers
There are no official requirements but in practice all
higher education teachers have a higher university degree.
Non-traditional studies:
Distance higher education
There
are several distance education institutions offering more than 3500 courses.
All courses must be approved by the Ministry of Education and Research. Most
courses are vocational or lead to formal qualifications. Several schools are
now cooperating with higher education institutions in setting up courses in
e.g. Media Studies, Economics and Administration.
Other forms of non-formal higher
education
The Norwegian Association for Adult Education (VOFO)
is an umbrella organization for the study associations. VOFO also assists the
Ministry of Education and Research in matters relating to information on adult
education. 28,000 adults follow courses at university level.
NATIONAL BODIES
Administration & co-ordination:
Responsible authorities:
Kunnskapsdepartementet (Ministry of Education and
Research)
Head: Øystein Djupedal, Minister
Administrative officer: Toril Johansson, Director General, Department of
Higher Education
PO Box 8119 Dep.
Akersgata 44
N-0032 Oslo
Norway
Tel: +47(22) 249090
Fax: +47(22) 249544
EMail: toj@kd.dep.no
WWW: http://www.odin.dep.no/kd/english/bn.html
Role of governing body: Responsible
for all higher education institutions
Universitets-og Høgskolerådet (Norwegian Association
of Higher Education Institutions)
Head: Gunnar Stave, President
Administrative officer: Ola Stave, Secretary-General
Pilestredet 46 B
N-0167 Oslo
Norway
Tel: +47(22) 453950
Fax: +47(22) 453951
EMail: uhr@uhr.no
WWW: http://www.uhr.no
Role of governing body: To develop
strategies for the Norwegian system of higher education institutions, to
promote coordination and division of labour within the higher education sector
and to serve as a common instrument for the member institutions in their
international cooperation.
Nasjonalt organ for kvalitet i utdanninga - NOKUT
(Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education)
Head: Oddvar Haugland
PO Box 1708 Vika
Kronprinsensgate 9
N-0121 Oslo
Norway
Tel: +47(21) 021800
Fax: +47(21) 021802
EMail: postmottak@nokut.no
WWW: http://www.nokut.no
Role of governing body: Through
evaluation, accreditation and recognition of quality systems, institutions and
course provisions, the purpose of NOKUT is to supervise and help to develop the
quality of higher education in Norway. In addition, it considers individual
applications for general recognition of foreign qualifications. NOKUT is also
the Norwegian ENIC-NARIC Centre responsible for providing foreign institutions
and partners with information on the Norwegian educational system and the
system for recognition of foreign higher education qualifications.
Senter for internasjonalisering av høyere utdanning -
SIU (Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Higher Education)
Head: Knut Brautaset, Chairman of the Board
P.O. Box 7800
Bergen
Norway
Tel: +47(55) 308800
Fax: +45(55) 308801
EMail: siu@siu.no
WWW: http://siu.no
Role of governing body: SIU is a
knowledge and service organization with the mission of promoting and
facilitating cooperation, standardization, mobility, and the overcoming of
cultural barriers to communication and exchange within the realm of higher
education on an international level. The Centre is charged with the important
task of coordinating national measures according to official Norwegian policy
within the field of internationalisation. The Centre is Norway's official
agency for international programmes and measures related to higher education.
It is commissioned by several national and international public organizations
to administer programmes within all levels of education. In addition to
programme administration, SIU is responsible for promoting Norway as an
education and research nation, as well as providing information and advisory
services within the field of internationalisation in education.
ADMISSIONS TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Admission to university-level studies
Name of secondary school credential
required: Vitnemål Fra Videregående Skole
Minimum score/requirement: Completed
and Passed ("Fullført og bestått")
Alternatives to credentials: Applicants
who do not have a secondary school leaving certificate but who:1) are 23 or
more 2) can prove 5 years of work experience and education 3) have passed the
required 6 basic subjects (Norwegian; English; civics; modern history; natural
sciences and mathematics), are eligible for admission to higher education. It
is also possible to be admitted to specific programmes on individual evaluation
(realkompetanse).
Numerus clausus/restrictions: Medicine,
Dentistry, Pharmacy, Psychology.
Other admission requirements: Admission
may also be gained with other qualifications recognized as being on par with
the general matriculation standard. Some fields of study have additional
entrance requirements.
Foreign students admission
Definition of foreign student: Foreign
citizens who do not have a permanent residence permit in Norway.
Admission requirements: Foreign
students should have qualifications equivalent at least to a completed general
education at the upper secondary level. For some countries, there may be
additional requirements. For more information, refer to the Universities and
Colleges Admission Service (UCAS) at http://www.samordnaopptak.no/english/ or
the Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Higher Education (SIU) at
http://siu.no/vev.nsf/o/English
Entry regulations: Students
should inquire about visa regulations at Norwegian embassies or consulates.
They should apply for a residence permit before arrival in Norway. A residence
permit will often require a financial guarantee.
Language requirements: Students
should have good knowledge of Norwegian (minimum mark: 3.0 / Norsk for
utlendinger, trinn 3. Minimum mark: 500 / Bergenstesten, høyere nivå) and
English assessed by TOEFL or IELTS (Minimum score of 500 in TOEFL and 5.0
points in IELTS). For more information, see http://siu.no/vev.nsf/o/English
Application procedures:
Application closing dates:
For university level studies: 1 Mar
Recognition of studies &
qualifications:
Studies pursued in home country (System
of recognition/accreditation): The Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in
Education (NOKUT) supervises and helps
to develop the quality of higher education in Norway.
Studies pursued in foreign countries
(bodies dealing with recognition of foreign credentials):
Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education
(NOKUT)
Norwegian ENIC/NARIC
PO Box 1708 Vika
0121 Oslo
Norway
Tel: +47(21) 021860
Fax: +47(21) 021802
EMail: postmottak@nokut.no
WWW: http://www.nokut.no
Services provided & students dealt
with: Through evaluation, accreditation and recognition of quality systems,
institutions and course provisions, the purpose of NOKUT is to supervise and help
to develop the quality of higher education in Norway. In addition, NOKUT
considers individual applications for general recognition of foreign
qualifications. As the Norwegian ENIC-NARIC Center, NOKUT is responsible for
providing foreign institutions and partners with information on the Norwegian
educational system and the system for recognition of foreign higher education
qualifications. NOKUT promotes and facilitates the implementation of the joint
Council of Europe/UNESCO-CEPES Convention on the recognition of qualifications
concerning higher education in the European Region and promotes the
dissemination and use of the Diploma Supplement.
Other information sources on recognition
of foreign studies: Institutions of higher education. For professional degrees
leading to regulated professions: various competent bodies.
Special provisions for recognition:
For the exercise of a profession: Access to a
profession is subject to the Ministry responsible for the practice of that
profession.
Multilateral agreements concerning
recognition of foreign studies
Name of agreement: UNESCO/Council
of Europe's Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region
Year of signature: 1999
References to further information on foreign
student admissions and recognition of studies
Title: Recognition of foreign higher
education qualifications (http://www.nokut.no)
Publisher: Norwegian
Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT)
Year of publication: 2004
STUDENT LIFE
National student associations and unions
Norsk Studentunion (NSU)
Thorvald Meyersgate 7
N-0555 Oslo
Norway
Tel: +47(22) 044950
Fax: +47(22) 044969
EMail: nsu@studenthuset.no
WWW: http://www.nsu.no
Studentenes Landsforbund (STL)
Thorvald Meyers Gate 7
0555 Oslo
Norway
Tel: +47(22) 044970
Fax: +47(22) 044989
EMail: Stl@stlweb.no
WWW: http://www.stlweb.no
Health/social provisions
Social security for home students: Yes
Cost/fee (per year): 0 (Norwegian
Krone)
Social security for foreign students: Yes
Cost/fee (per year): 0 (Norwegian
Krone)
Foreign student social security
provisions: Does not cover costs for medication (except for chronic conditions),
dental work or hospital stays. Requires a co-payment for consultations.
Special student travel fares:
By rail: Yes
By air: Yes
Available to foreign students: Yes
Student expenses and financial aid
Student costs:
Average living costs: 80000
(Norwegian Krone)
Home students tuition fees: Minimum: 0 (Norwegian
Krone)
Maximum: 2000 (Norwegian Krone)
Foreign students tuition fees: Minimum: 0 (Norwegian
Krone)
Maximum: 0 (Norwegian Krone)
Publications on student services and
financial aid:
Title: Study Abroad 2005-2006
Author: UNESCO
Year of publication: 2005
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION &
EXCHANGES
Participation of country in multilateral
or bilateral higher education programmes
Name of exchange programme: LEONARDO
Name of exchange programme: MUNDUS
Name of exchange programme: NORAD
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME
Name of exchange programme: NORDPLUS
Name of exchange programme: NORTH2NORTH
Name of exchange programme: Quota SCHEME
Name of exchange programme: SOCRATES
GRADING SYSTEM
Usual grading system in secondary school
Full Description: Marking on a
scale from 0 to 6.
Highest on scale: 6
Pass/fail level: 2
Lowest on scale: 0
Main grading system used by higher
education institutions
Full Description: A Common
system based on the ECTS system (A-F) has been introduced.
Highest on scale: A
Pass/fail level: E
Lowest on scale: F
NOTES ON HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM
Data for academic year: 2005-2006
Source: IAU from Norwegian Agency for
Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT), Oslo, 2006
Note on Higher Education Institutions:
