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Education in NorwayPreschool education and childcarePrimary and lower secondary educationRett til opplæringCompulsory educationSpecial language education in primary and lower secondary educationUpper secondary education and trainingSpecial language education in upper secondary education and trainingUniversity/college admission certificateVocational qualificationFoundation level certificateHigher education
Education in Norway
Education is free in Norway. Asylum seekers and other newcomers intending to settle here may be entitled and required to obtain education and training.
Preschool education and childcare
Most children in Norway go to day nursery until they are old enough to start school. Parents pay the day nursery for childcare. Day nurseries support early learning and provide preschool education tailored to the individual child.
Children living in a reception centre for asylum seekers do not have a legal right to a nursery place until they hold a residence permit and a local authority has accepted them onto the waiting list for permanent housing. However, children may still get a nursery place, even without a legal right to it, and will then have the same rights as other children at the day nursery.
Children living in a reception centre for asylum seekers do not have a legal right to a nursery place until they hold a residence permit and a local authority has accepted them onto the waiting list for permanent housing. However, children may still get a nursery place, even without a legal right to it, and will then have the same rights as other children at the day nursery.
Primary and lower secondary education
All children between the ages of 6 and 16 must attend primary and lower secondary school for 10 years. Primary and lower secondary schools are run by local authorities. Education is free, and schools supply pupils with the necessary learning materials.
Primary and lower secondary education has two stages:
• Primary level – Years 1–7
• Lower secondary level – Years 8–10
Pupils who live a long way from the school or who have a disability or injury may be eligible for free transport to and from school. At primary level, pupils are not given grades for their work. Grades are awarded for the first time at lower secondary level, as a learning aid and a basis for admission to upper secondary education and training. When they reach the age of 15, pupils choose what they want to study at upper secondary level.
Right to education and training
Children have the right to receive primary and lower secondary education if they are likely to be in Norway for more than three months, also while they are waiting for their residence permit application to be processed. It does not matter whether they are in the country legally.
Speakers of minority languages have the same rights as all other pupils at primary and lower secondary schools. They have the right to free education, personalised education, special needs education, and transport to and from school if required. They also have the right to attend the nearest school.
People over the age of 16 who are not eligible for upper secondary education or training usually have the right to personalised primary and lower secondary education for adults if they need it. They must be legally resident in Norway.
This also applies to young people up to the age of 18 who are waiting for their residence permit application to be processed, and who are likely to be in Norway for more than three months. Students who turn 18 during the school year are allowed to finish the year. If your residence permit application is rejected, you have the right to receive primary and lower secondary education up until the date of the final decision.
People over the age of 16 may also be eligible for counselling to determine their educational needs. The local authority is responsible for assessing people’s overall skills and qualifications and following through on their right to education and training.
Primary and lower secondary education has two stages:
• Primary level – Years 1–7
• Lower secondary level – Years 8–10
Pupils who live a long way from the school or who have a disability or injury may be eligible for free transport to and from school. At primary level, pupils are not given grades for their work. Grades are awarded for the first time at lower secondary level, as a learning aid and a basis for admission to upper secondary education and training. When they reach the age of 15, pupils choose what they want to study at upper secondary level.
Right to education and training
Children have the right to receive primary and lower secondary education if they are likely to be in Norway for more than three months, also while they are waiting for their residence permit application to be processed. It does not matter whether they are in the country legally.
Speakers of minority languages have the same rights as all other pupils at primary and lower secondary schools. They have the right to free education, personalised education, special needs education, and transport to and from school if required. They also have the right to attend the nearest school.
People over the age of 16 who are not eligible for upper secondary education or training usually have the right to personalised primary and lower secondary education for adults if they need it. They must be legally resident in Norway.
This also applies to young people up to the age of 18 who are waiting for their residence permit application to be processed, and who are likely to be in Norway for more than three months. Students who turn 18 during the school year are allowed to finish the year. If your residence permit application is rejected, you have the right to receive primary and lower secondary education up until the date of the final decision.
People over the age of 16 may also be eligible for counselling to determine their educational needs. The local authority is responsible for assessing people’s overall skills and qualifications and following through on their right to education and training.
Rett til opplæring
Barnet har rett til grunnskoleopplæring når det er sannsyndivg at han eller hun skal oppholde seg i Norge lenger enn tre måneder, også mens hun eller han venter på svar på søknad om oppholdstillatelse. Det har ingen betydning om oppholdet i Norge er lovdivg eller ikke.
Minoritetsspråkdivge elever har de samme rettighetene som andre elever i grunnskolen. De har rett på gratis opplæring, tilpasset opplæring, spesialundervisning og transport til skolen ved behov, og rett til å gå på nærskolen.
Personer over 16 år som ikke har rett til videregående opplæring, har som hovedregel rett til tilpasset grunnskoleopplæring for voksne hvis de trenger det. De må også ha lovdivg opphold i Norge.
Dette gjelder også mens de venter på å få avgjort søknaden om oppholdstillatelse, inntil 18 år og det er sannsyndivg at de skal være i Norge i mer enn tre måneder. Hvis ungdommen fyller 18 år i løpet av et skoleår, har han eller hun rett til å fullføre skoleåret de har begynt på. De som får avslag på søknaden om oppholdstillatelse, har rett til grunnskoleopplæring fram til dato for endedivg vedtak.
Personer over 16 år kan også ha rett til rådgivning for å få kartlagt behovet for opplæring. Kommunen personen bor i har ansvar for å vurdere realkompetansen og følge opp retten til opplæring.
Compulsory education
Children and young people who have been in Norway for three months or more are required by law to attend school until the summer in which they reach the age of 16. School is not optional, and pupils must either attend a state school or a licensed private school or receive private tuition at home. In special cases, the county governor may exempt a pupil from compulsory education.
Special language education in primary and lower secondary education
Pupils whose native language is not Norwegian or Sami may be eligible for special language education. This means they receive additional Norwegian language tuition, plus classes in their native language and/or bilingual (Norwegian and native language) instruction in one or more subjects. Speakers of minority languages may be eligible for extra Norwegian classes until they are fluent enough in Norwegian to take part in normal lessons at school.
Local authorities determine pupils’ eligibility for special language education on a case-by-case basis. The local authority decides what special tuition is recommended or required in each case. If they disagree with the decision, pupils or their parents/guardians may appeal to the county governor.
Local authorities determine pupils’ eligibility for special language education on a case-by-case basis. The local authority decides what special tuition is recommended or required in each case. If they disagree with the decision, pupils or their parents/guardians may appeal to the county governor.
Upper secondary education and training
As a rule, young people who have completed their primary and lower secondary education or equivalent training are eligible for three years of full-time upper secondary education or training.
To apply for upper secondary education or training, you must be legally resident in Norway. Young people who have the legal right to remain while their residence permit application is processed, and who are likely to be in Norway for more than three months, are eligible for upper secondary education or training only until they reach the age of 18. Students who turn 18 during the school year are allowed to finish the year. If your residence permit application is rejected, you have the right to receive upper secondary education or training up until the date of the final decision.
Following on from 10 years of primary and lower secondary education, upper secondary education and training is designed to provide students with a university/college admission certificate, a vocational qualification or a foundation level certificate. A foundation level certificate attests to a lower skill level than is required for a full vocational qualification or university/college admission. When they reach the age of 15, young people choose what they want to study at upper secondary level.
Upper secondary education and training is free. Schools supply students with the necessary learning materials, but you may have to purchase any personal equipment that you need for your course. This also applies to apprentices, trainees and students on work placements. Students who live a long way from the school or who have a disability or injury may be eligible for free transport to and from school.
To apply for upper secondary education or training, you must be legally resident in Norway. Young people who have the legal right to remain while their residence permit application is processed, and who are likely to be in Norway for more than three months, are eligible for upper secondary education or training only until they reach the age of 18. Students who turn 18 during the school year are allowed to finish the year. If your residence permit application is rejected, you have the right to receive upper secondary education or training up until the date of the final decision.
Following on from 10 years of primary and lower secondary education, upper secondary education and training is designed to provide students with a university/college admission certificate, a vocational qualification or a foundation level certificate. A foundation level certificate attests to a lower skill level than is required for a full vocational qualification or university/college admission. When they reach the age of 15, young people choose what they want to study at upper secondary level.
Upper secondary education and training is free. Schools supply students with the necessary learning materials, but you may have to purchase any personal equipment that you need for your course. This also applies to apprentices, trainees and students on work placements. Students who live a long way from the school or who have a disability or injury may be eligible for free transport to and from school.
Special language education in upper secondary education and training
Students whose native language is not Norwegian or Sami may be eligible for special language education. This means they receive additional Norwegian language tuition, plus classes in their native language and/or bilingual (Norwegian and native language) instruction in one or more subjects. Speakers of minority languages may be eligible for extra Norwegian classes until they are fluent enough in Norwegian to take part in normal courses at upper secondary school.
Local authorities determine students’ eligibility for special language education on a case-by-case basis. The local authority decides what special tuition is recommended or required in each case. If they disagree with the decision, students or their parents/guardians may appeal to the county governor.
Local authorities determine students’ eligibility for special language education on a case-by-case basis. The local authority decides what special tuition is recommended or required in each case. If they disagree with the decision, students or their parents/guardians may appeal to the county governor.
University/college admission certificate
A university/college admission certificate from upper secondary school allows students to apply for most university or college degree programmes. The admission certificate itself does not guarantee admission. The student also has to have the grades required by the university or college.
Vocational qualification
A vocational qualification shows that you have been trained for a specific occupation. Students choose their areas of specialisation from the vocational education programmes on offer, which lead to vocational qualifications of various kinds. Students on vocational programmes usually spend two years at upper secondary school and two years in on-the-job training.
Foundation level certificate
A foundation level certificate attests to a lower skill level than is required for a full vocational qualification or university/college admission. Students may set out to obtain a foundation level certificate, or they may obtain it by default. Students who leave upper secondary school without a full vocational qualification or a university/college admission certificate, having dropped out of their course or failed a subject, receive a certificate detailing the knowledge and skills they have acquired. They have the option of pursuing more courses later to gain a full vocational qualification or a university/college admission certificate.
Higher education
Higher education is usually free in Norway. Students are normally accepted into degree programmes on the basis of their subjects and grades at upper secondary level. Counsellors at upper secondary schools are a good source of advice for students interested in pursuing higher education.