Exchange
Student
Program

Four diverse exchange students are sitting on chairs.

Enrolling in exchange student programs is a great way to get new perspectives on your life as well as different experiences. The good thing is that you will still get your degree in your home country, so it seems like a great situation to be in. Thankfully, there are tons of opportunities for you to study in Norway as an exchange student. So, have you already started your studies, but you want to know what “exchange students” means in Norway? If so, then you have come to the right place. Keep reading to see why these programs can be so beneficial for you.

An exchange student carrying books

Exchange Student Experiences in Norway

Going to Norway as an exchange student means that you will be temporarily enrolled at a university for a couple of semesters. So, as you would imagine, universities from all over the world have agreements with Norway’s educational facilities, so it is easy for students from everywhere to apply for these exchange programs.

Most exchange program agreements between universities from abroad and Norway will let you stay in the country for 3–12 months.

During this time, you can develop your specific knowledge of the field you have chosen, improve your language skills, learn more about Nordic culture, and so on.

You will also be pleased to know that Norway is an incredibly safe place to live, so your exchange student experience will be second to none.

How to Become an Exchange Student in Norway?

You will be happy to know that you have a wide range of courses in various academic fields if you want to study in Norway as an exchange student. All academic fields are taught in English, so you won’t necessarily need to be fluent in Norwegian.

So, it is always a good idea to check with your university to see which opportunities you have for education and exchange programs in Norway.

You will also be wise to check all details carefully—academic skills that students need, English language skills, and so on. These fine details will probably vary depending on the type of university and courses students plan on enrolling in, so you need to be careful with your research when learning how to become an exchange student in Norway.

Exchange Student Programs

Exchange students have a couple of options when it comes to programs in Norway:

  • Exchange programs: You can study in Norway for a certain period and attend a local school with a local host family. This way, exchange students can benefit from history, cultural studies, and much more, while making plenty of friends along the way.
  • Short-term study abroad: Students can also study abroad during the spring or summer holidays. This way, students will have the chance to explore Norway while learning all about the region’s history and valuable insights—all in one.

So, at the end of the day, the exact program depends on what your choice of study will be. Thankfully, you can choose to stay for your academic studies, a traineeship, or even a combination of the two.

Regardless of which program students choose in the country, they are very likely to continue their progress in their studies.

Students from an exchange program in a classroom listening to their teachers

Application Requirements for Exchange Students

As mentioned above, the exact requirements will vary depending on which academic institution exchange students choose. However, there are some general requirements when it comes to actually staying in the country that students need to be familiar with:

  • Visas: Students staying for longer than 90 days need a visa.
  • Housing: This is based on the program students choose, with the first option being a host family. If such an option is not available, students will be in dorm-like student facilities.
  • Costs: Keep in mind that living costs in Norway are one of the highest in the world.
  • Packing tips: Norway is also very cold throughout the year, so it will be wise to bring warm clothes with you.

How to Apply

Lastly, you can apply to your home university to be nominated for exchange programs. Once you are nominated, you will get additional information about how to proceed.

Of course, your home university will know what types of exchange agreements they have with universities and schools in Norway, so they will let you know about requirements, updates, and application deadlines.