A fact reinforced by an education and way of life that emphasises the outdoors with hands-on, practical learning in the field. Moreover, with a total national population of roughly 5 million, with the largest city, Oslo peaking at only 500,000, Norway is a paragon of unspoilt, pristine nature, in which to live and study.
Geopolitical importance
Norway boasts 25,148km of some of the longest, most rugged and awe-inspiring coastline found on Earth with majestic, towering fjords. Northern Norway forms borders with Sweden, Finland and Russia giving it a geopolitical juxtaposition where West and East meet. Northern-Norwegian universities offer programmes and courses relevant to the development of the Northern regions, and are supported and informed by real-world, practical knowledge, which students can also experience firsthand. UArctic member institutions are dedicated to educating students about sustainable management of the rich natural resources, both on land and at sea.
Cultural diversity
Next to the extraordinary landscape, there are the remarkable people, including the indigenous Saami, who are spread over the whole Barents region and hold a special connection with other indigenous peoples from around the world. Moreover, the Saami language enjoys official status in Northern Norway. Academically, this means unique indigenous study programmes and cultural studies courses found especially at North-Norwegian institutions.
Despite Norwegian being the official language, the vast majority of Norwegians are fluent in English and it is easy to find English-taught degrees that are internationally-recognised and much sought-after by employers. Moreover, Norway feels that education is a right for all and as a result, there are no tuition fees. Students working at the PhD-level are even paid a very good salary during their studies. Furthermore, students at the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels can also apply for further financial assistance through stipends and scholarships — see for example: studyinnorway.no/highnorth for one such option.
Safe and sound
Norway enjoys a very high standard of living, being one of the richest, debt-free countries in the world, due to its huge oil and natural gas reserves. The currency is accordingly strong and very stable. Norway is also one of the safest places to call home whether for a semester or forever.
Norway is the “Path to the North” - The path to your future.
For more information, go to: StudyInNorway.no