University of Oslo (UiO)

The University of Oslo is Norway's oldest and largest research university, and for international applicants who do not speak Norwegian it is almost entirely a master's-level destination: dozens of master's programmes are taught in English, but only one bachelor's programme is. Citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland apply once a year, between 15 October and 1 December, for studies starting the following August. From the 2027/28 academic year, tuition is $19,420 (NOK 186,000) a year for most humanities and social science programmes and $22,770 (NOK 218,000) for science and technology. On top of that, the study permit requires proof of $17,790 (NOK 170,368) for living costs.

Which route into UiO fits your qualifications

Your entry point depends mainly on the qualification you already hold. Norway checks every foreign applicant against the GSU list maintained by the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir). Some national school-leaving certificates are enough on their own; many others need one or two years of recognised university study on top. For example, a Russian, Kazakh, Belarusian, Uzbek or Kyrgyz school certificate has to be topped up with one year of university, while an Armenian certificate issued from 2018 onwards is sufficient by itself.

If you are still at school and set on Oslo, it is usually wiser to complete a bachelor's degree elsewhere and target a UiO master's. A single English-taught bachelor's programme is too narrow a gateway to build a whole plan around. Russian citizens face one more condition: UDI and the Norwegian embassy in Moscow warn that, without special circumstances, a study permit for programmes below master's level is difficult to obtain. UDI assesses each case individually, but the warning covers the bachelor's route, not master's study.

Technology Systems: the one English-taught bachelor's degree

Technology Systems: Science and Engineering is a three-year, 180 ECTS programme in UiO's Department of Technology Systems. It combines programming, mathematics and physics with hands-on project work in energy, robotics, space technology, health technology and the security of cyber-physical systems. In later semesters students pick two specialisations from different areas, and the fifth semester is left open for electives or an exchange abroad.

To apply you need:

• General entry qualification (GSU) for your country. The Norwegian-language requirement is waived for this programme.
• Subject requirements: mathematics equivalent to Norway's Mathematics R1 (which UiO compares to a British AS-level) plus one further science subject such as physics, chemistry or biology at A-level standard.
• English equivalent to grade 4 in the Norwegian upper-secondary English course, which most international applicants document with a test.
• Proof of funds for one year of living costs, uploaded with the application by 1 December rather than after admission.

Tuition for 2027/28 is $22,770 (NOK 218,000) per year of study and is adjusted annually. Eligible applicants are ranked on their upper-secondary grades, and decisions are released in April.

Master's programmes and degree requirements

English-taught master's degrees cover informatics (from machine learning to information security), physics, astrophysics, geosciences, renewable energy, economics, peace and conflict studies, human rights, maritime and ICT law, linguistics, history and media studies. Most last two years; the three LLM programmes take a year and a half.

The baseline requirements are the same across UiO:

• a bachelor's degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor's;
• at least 80 ECTS of subject specialisation relevant to the programme;
• a grade average comparable to a Norwegian C, which UiO describes as a good grade, roughly an American B or a British 2:1. UiO does not use conversion tables; every foreign degree is assessed individually.

Individual programmes then add their own conditions. Data Science, for example, looks for calculus, linear algebra, two programming courses and two probability and statistics courses. Peace, Conflict and Democracy asks for 80 ECTS of political science including international relations, comparative politics and a methods course covering regression analysis. That is why applicants should upload course descriptions or syllabi, not just a transcript.

You may list up to two programmes in order of priority. If you are admitted to your first choice, you will not be offered the second, and choices cannot be added or changed after 1 December.

English requirements: higher than the national minimum

UiO states explicitly that its English requirement for master's programmes is higher than the general GSU standard.

A result counts only if it is less than two years old on the application deadline, and neither TOEFL MyBest scores nor IELTS One Skill Retake results are accepted. The most common problem is an overall IELTS of 7.0 with a 6.0 in writing: that result does not meet UiO's requirement.

The 2027 admission timeline

An incomplete application on 1 December is not considered, and the next opportunity is a year later.

Tuition fees for 2026/27 and 2027/28

The fee depends on the programme group, not on which non-EU/EEA country you come from. UiO has published lower rates for 2027/28, although not every programme has become cheaper.

Fees are per academic year; the 18-month LLMs may differ, and European joint degrees publish their own fees. Your admission letter states the exact amount.

Payment rules are strict. The invoice arrives by email with a two-week payment deadline, and banks can take up to three weeks to register the payment. The first year must be paid in full with no instalments; from the second year you may pay per semester. If you withdraw after paying, you can apply for a refund by 1 September for the autumn semester. You need the payment confirmation for your study permit application.

Every student also pays semester fees of roughly $100 (NOK 970): $72 (NOK 690) to the SiO student welfare organisation, $23 (NOK 220) for the Kopinor copyright licence and an optional $6 (NOK 60) contribution to a student aid fund.

A realistic minimum for year one, using 2027/28 tuition and UDI's 2026/27 living-cost amount:

• humanities or social science master's: $19,420 tuition + $17,790 living costs + about $200 semester fees + $560 study permit fee ≈ $37,970;
• science or IT master's: the same with $22,770 tuition ≈ $41,320.

Flights, insurance, document translations and a private-rental deposit come on top. For a country-wide comparison, see our guide to the cost of studying in Norway.

Proof of funds and the SiO deposit account

The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) grants a study permit only to applicants who can cover their living costs. For 2026/27 the amount is $17,790 (NOK 170,368) for two semesters or more, $8,090 (NOK 77,440) for autumn 2026 only and $9,700 (NOK 92,928) for spring 2027 only. The figure is updated every year. For master's applicants who applied by 1 December 2025, UDI accepted the previous year's amount; whether the same concession applies in the next cycle is UDI's decision.

You prove funds twice. First with your UiO application: a bank statement in your own name (any currency, no older than three months), a letter confirming a scholarship or student loan from your home country, or a sponsor's letter of commitment with the sponsor's bank statement. The sponsor's letter must be dated and signed and include both names, the sponsor's postal and email addresses and a commitment to transfer the required amount once you are admitted. Second, after admission, you transfer the money to a deposit account run by SiO:

1. Register on SiO's website and request a UDI deposit account, using your names exactly as they appear in the admission letter.
2. Pay the SiO invoice, ideally in NOK and in as few transfers as possible, because you also pay the receiving bank's charges.
3. Five to eight days after SiO registers the payment, a confirmation letter appears in your account; submit it with your transfer receipt in the study permit application.
4. After arrival, SiO issues a reloadable debit card loaded with $2,090 (NOK 20,000), and the rest can be moved to a Norwegian bank account once you open one. The deposit can also pay SiO housing rent.

The tuition invoice cannot be paid from the deposit account. Applicants from Russia should plan a lawful payment route well before results come out; our guide on how to pay for studies abroad from Russia covers the options.

Applying for the study permit

UDI decides on the study permit; UiO only issues the letters you need. In the online application, give UiO's organisation number (971 035 854) and, until you have housing, the International Student Reception address: c/o University of Oslo, International Student Reception, Problemveien 7, 0371 Oslo. The UDI application fee, currently $560 (NOK 5,400), is paid online by Visa or Mastercard; it cannot be paid at the visa centre.

Where you file depends on your nationality and residence. According to the Norwegian embassy in Moscow, applicants in Russia submit in person at VFS Global centres; the embassy is the responsible mission for Russia and Belarus, while the application itself is assessed and decided by UDI. Applications lodged in Kazakhstan go through VFS Kazakhstan and are forwarded to the Norwegian embassy in Ankara. The Norway–Russia visa facilitation agreement has been suspended since 22 September 2022, VFS appointment slots are limited, and a card issued by a Russian bank will usually not work for the online fee.

Russian citizens applying for the bachelor's programme should note UDI's warning that, without special circumstances, study permits below master's level are difficult to obtain; the embassy in Moscow says the same. The warning does not apply to master's or PhD study.

UiO also warns that applicants from countries UDI places in its "orange" or "red" groups may find it harder to obtain a permit, and recommends asking UDI directly about individual circumstances. After arrival, book a police registration appointment and bring your passport, rental contract and SiO deposit receipt. Our Norway study permit guide walks through the full checklist.

Export control in the natural sciences

Norwegian export control law aims to prevent knowledge transfer that could support weapons of mass destruction or their delivery systems. At UiO it applies to all master's and PhD programmes at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and, in some cases, to PhD programmes in medicine and dentistry. UiO first tries to assign a thesis topic that complies with the law; if that is impossible, an application can be rejected even when every formal requirement is met. Applicants from affected countries who target physics, chemistry, nuclear science or space systems should keep a second programme or another university in their plan.

Housing through SiO

Student housing in Oslo is run by SiO, not by UiO. Non-EU/EEA master's applicants who applied by 1 December are on UiO's housing priority list, provided they apply to SiO by 1 June for the autumn semester. You can apply before your admission is confirmed, and UiO advises accepting an offer even if it is not your first choice. SiO opens temporary dormitory places from 6 August to 1 September. Groups without priority may still apply, but nobody promises them a room before term starts, and private rentals in Oslo cost more and usually require a deposit.

Scholarships, exemptions and work

UiO offers no scholarships covering tuition for full degree students; the law does not allow the university to use its government grant for this, and the government has only said it will revisit national scholarships later. Exemptions from tuition are based on residence or close ties to Norway (for example, permanent residence), not on academic merit, and are applied for after admission. Exchange students from partner universities and students admitted before 2023 do not pay. PhD candidates are salaried employees, so for research careers the fee-paying stage ends with the master's degree. For external funding ideas, see scholarships abroad in 2026.

On a study permit you may work up to 20 hours a week in term time, remote work included, and full-time in the holidays. With limited Norwegian, jobs are harder to find, so treat earnings as a buffer rather than part of your required budget.

After graduating you can stay to look for work: UDI grants graduates of Norwegian institutions a job-seeker permit for up to one year. You apply while your study permit is still valid (UDI advises at least a month before it expires) and must support yourself from your own funds; while you search for a skilled job, any work, full- or part-time, is allowed.

Is UiO the right choice?

UiO suits applicants with a relevant bachelor's degree and good grades, IELTS 6.5 in every section and the funds for year one without a scholarship. It is particularly strong for law and human rights, political science, economics, informatics, geosciences and linguistics.

Consider alternatives if you want engineering (compare NTNU in Trondheim, but check which of its IT programmes are open to non-EU/EEA citizens), marine and climate sciences in a smaller city (the University of Bergen) or an English-taught business bachelor's (the private BI Norwegian Business School). If Norway's prices stretch your budget, compare Sweden, for instance Lund University. For the wider picture, see studying in Norway, universities in Norway, master's degrees in Norway and applying to Norwegian universities.

Common mistakes

• Applying for a bachelor's straight from a school system that GSU does not accept on its own. Without the extra year of university, the application fails the basic eligibility check.
• Uploading proof of funds after the deadline. It is part of the university application, not only the permit file.
• Looking only at the overall IELTS score. One section at 6.0 is enough to miss the requirement.
• Skipping course descriptions. The committee counts 80 ECTS of relevant subjects from course content, not course titles alone.
• Leaving the money transfer to the last days. Two weeks to pay and up to three weeks for the bank to register the payment leave little margin.
• Applying only to natural-science programmes when export control may apply. A second programme in another field reduces the risk.

FAQ

Can I apply to the University of Oslo straight after secondary school?

It depends on your country. If the GSU list accepts your school certificate on its own, you can apply to the English-taught Technology Systems programme or to Norwegian-taught programmes if you already speak Norwegian. Applicants from countries that require one or two years of university must complete them first, and Russian citizens should also weigh UDI's warning about study permits below master's level.

Is the University of Oslo free for international students?

Only for EU/EEA and Swiss citizens, who pay just the semester fees. Since autumn 2023 other international degree students pay tuition; for 2027/28 it is $19,420 (NOK 186,000) or $22,770 (NOK 218,000) a year depending on the programme. Exchange students from partner universities and students granted an exemption based on ties to Norway do not pay.

Do I need Norwegian for a master's degree?

No. English-taught master's programmes only require proof of English. Norwegian helps with part-time jobs and graduate employment, but it is not assessed at admission.

How much money must I show when I apply?

By 1 December you upload a statement showing UDI's annual living-cost amount for 2026/27, $17,790 (NOK 170,368), in your own account or your sponsor's, together with the sponsor's signed letter of commitment. Tuition is paid later against the invoice, and the living-cost funds are transferred to SiO's deposit account by 15 June.

Can I start in January?

Not as a non-EU/EEA citizen. This group has one intake a year, starting in August. January-start admission with a 15 October deadline exists only for residents of Norway and EU/EEA citizens on selected programmes.

Does UiO accept a five-year specialist degree?

Specialist degrees from post-Soviet systems are assessed individually, looking at duration, credits and course content. What matters most is showing 80 ECTS of subjects relevant to the programme, backed by course descriptions.

How can StudyU help with a UiO application?

Programme shortlisting against your degree, checking the 80 ECTS specialisation, preparing documents and the Søknadsweb application, and support through the deposit and permit stage are provided under an agreement with StudyU. The University of Oslo decides on admission and UDI decides on the study permit.

Sources

• UiO: Admission to the University of Oslo
• UiO: Application and admission to master's degree programmes
• UiO: Tuition fees and table of costs for 2026/27 and 2027/28
• UiO: English proficiency requirement for master's programmes
• UiO: Technology Systems — admission without Norwegian proficiency and programme structure
• UiO: Data Science admission, Peace, Conflict, and Democracy admission
• UiO: Export control
• UiO: Documenting your finances, Residence permit for non-EU/EEA citizens, documents and police registration
• UiO: Semester fee, Housing, Facts and figures
• HK-dir: Higher Education Entrance Qualification (GSU)
• Study in Norway: Cost and requirements
• UDI: study permit rules and job-seeker permit after a Norwegian degree
• Norwegian embassy in Russia: studying in Norway and visas and residence permits
• BI: Study permit (current UDI application fee)
• Times Higher Education: University of Oslo

US dollar amounts use the ECB reference rate of 29 September 2026 (EUR 1 = USD 1.1355 = NOK 10.8735, so NOK 1 ≈ USD 0.1044), rounded to the dollar below $100 and to the nearest $10 above.

If you want to know which UiO route is realistic with your degree and whether you can make the 1 December deadline, send us a request.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.