Norway is a popular destination among international students. Norwegian universities offer a wide range of courses and specializations to choose from. For students interested in helping people and patient care, nursing and healthcare can be good fields to explore.
Tuition-free education at public universities in Norway used to be a major reason many international students chose the country. Since 2023, degree-seeking students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland normally pay tuition fees at Norwegian public higher education institutions, while students from Norway, the EU/EEA, and Switzerland are generally exempt. Exchange students and doctoral candidates are also normally exempt. Living costs can be high, so prospective students should budget carefully and consider ways to reduce expenses, such as working part-time or applying for scholarships.
For this article, the topic will focus on nursing and universities that offer nursing-related study options. Many nursing degrees in Norway are taught in Norwegian, while some institutions offer exchange courses or English-taught components for international students. Here’s a list of top nursing schools in Norway that you can look into:
Top Schools Offering Nursing Programs in Norway
1. University of Agder
The University of Agder offers nursing education through a Bachelor’s Programme in Nursing and a Ph.D. specialization in Health and Nursing Science. Its bachelor’s program is a three-year, 180 ECTS, full-time program taught in Norwegian at Campus Kristiansand.
The bachelor’s curriculum combines theory, practical placement, skills training, and a bachelor’s thesis. It prepares graduates to apply for authorization as nurses and to work across different parts of the healthcare system.
The Ph.D. specialization in Health and Nursing Science is normally organized as a three-year, 180 ECTS program. It focuses on research projects related to health promotion, quality of life, evidence-based healthcare services, and nursing science. Admission generally requires a relevant master’s degree or equivalent, including documented coursework in health and/or nursing-related subjects.
2. Oslo Metropolitan University
The Oslo Metropolitan University Department of Nursing and Health Promotion offers nursing education at the bachelor’s and master’s levels and is connected to OsloMet’s Health Sciences Ph.D. program.
OsloMet’s Bachelor’s Programme in Nursing is a three-year, 180 ECTS professional degree. For exchange students, OsloMet also offers an English-language Semester Programme in Nursing worth 30 ECTS in the spring semester. The university states that it has Norway’s largest nursing research environment and the largest bachelor’s degree in nursing.
At the master’s level, the department lists several health and nursing-related programs, including midwifery and specialized nursing fields. Applicants should check the current intake before applying, as the Nursing – Clinical Research and Professional Development specialization states that it has no admission in 2026.
3. Norwegian University of Science and Technology
The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, also known as NTNU, offers nursing-related study options through its Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Its Bachelor’s Programme in Nursing is a three-year, full-time program taught in Norwegian, with study locations in Gjøvik, Trondheim, and Ålesund.
For students interested in short-term study opportunities, NTNU also offers a clinical nursing course for exchange students through its Department of Health Sciences in Ålesund. This course gives students insight into nursing in Norway, the Norwegian healthcare system, clinical nursing care, and evidence-based nursing practice.
At the graduate level, NTNU lists nursing and health-related master’s options such as clinical nursing, health nursing, and health management. Students interested in research can also consider the Ph.D. Programme in Medicine and Health Sciences, which includes supervised research, doctoral coursework, and a doctoral thesis.
4. UiT The Arctic University of Norway
UiT The Arctic University of Norway offers nursing-related education through its Department of Health and Care Sciences. The department lists nursing among its three-year, 180 ECTS bachelor’s programs, together with other health-related fields such as occupational therapy, physiotherapy, radiography, and paramedicine.
UiT also offers master’s-level nursing specializations, including nurse anesthetist, intensive care nursing, operating room nursing, pediatric nursing, and oncology nursing. These programs are designed for students who want to build advanced clinical expertise in specialized areas of healthcare.
For students interested in academic research, UiT’s Ph.D. Programme in Health Sciences provides a structured research education pathway. The program normally includes independent doctoral research, a doctoral thesis, and a training component in health sciences.
We hope that this article on nursing schools in Norway was helpful. To find more information like this, check out the Available Programs in Europe and our Study in Norway sections!
