Study in Norway from Pakistan: Costs, Scholarships and Student Visa (2026)

Why consider Norway?

Norway offers a rare combination: top quality public universities, a long list of English-taught Masters programs, and one of the highest standards of living anywhere. The teaching style is informal and discussion based, class sizes are small, and the relationship between students and professors is relaxed compared to many countries.

It is also one of the safest and cleanest places you could study. Cities like Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim are small, walkable and built around nature. For students who care about clean air, outdoor life and a calm environment, Norway is hard to beat. The trade off is the cost of living and the long, dark winters, which take some adjustment.

The other honest point is the recent fee change. Until 2023, public universities were tuition free even for students from Pakistan. That has changed, and you need to plan around the new fees. Norway is still worth it for the right student, but the math is different now.

Is study in Norway still free?

For most Pakistani students, no longer. From the autumn 2023 intake, public universities in Norway began charging tuition fees to students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland. This was a major policy shift, since free tuition had been Norway’s signature feature for international students.

The fees vary widely by university and program. As a rough guide, expect somewhere between 130,000 and 250,000 kroner per year, and certain specialised programs cost more. A small number of programs, exchange arrangements and PhD positions remain free or funded, and PhD candidates in particular are usually employed and paid rather than charged. So the headline is that undergraduate and Masters study now generally costs money, with important exceptions worth hunting for.

How much does it really cost?

Two numbers matter: tuition and living. On tuition, budget for the program specific fee, often in the 130,000 to 250,000 kroner range per year for non-EU students. On living, Norwegian immigration sets a minimum amount students must show, which has been roughly 137,000 kroner per year recently. That figure is what you must prove for the permit, and it is also a fair estimate of real annual living costs in a mid sized city.

Day to day, rent is the biggest expense, especially in Oslo. Student housing run by the regional student welfare organisations is much cheaper than the private market, so it is worth chasing hard. Food, transport and the occasional trip add up, but if you cook at home and use student housing, the official living figure is workable.

Add the one time costs too: the residence permit fee, your flight, and setup costs for your first month. Build a small buffer, because part time income usually starts only after you have settled in and found work.

Are there scholarships?

Scholarship options in Norway are more limited than in Germany or the Nordic neighbours, and the end of free tuition makes funding more important than ever. Still, there are real opportunities. Some universities introduced their own tuition waiver and scholarship schemes for talented non-EU students after the fee change, so check each university’s international scholarship page directly.

The Erasmus+ program funds exchange periods for students enrolled at partner universities, and certain joint Masters include scholarships. At the doctoral level, the picture is brightest: most PhD positions in Norway are advertised as paid jobs with a full salary, social benefits and no tuition. For a research-minded Pakistani student, applying for a funded PhD vacancy is often the most realistic route into Norway.

Which universities should you look at?

The largest and best known is the University of Oslo, strong across sciences, humanities and medicine. The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, known as NTNU, in Trondheim is the go to choice for engineering and technology. The University of Bergen is respected in marine science, social sciences and the humanities, and the BI Norwegian Business School is a leading option for business.

Other solid names include the University of Stavanger, with strength in energy and petroleum studies, and UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromso, which is unique for Arctic and northern studies. Each runs a set of English-taught Masters programs, so search by your field and the language of instruction rather than reputation alone.

How do you apply from Pakistan?

You apply directly to each university, and deadlines for non-EU students are early, often between December and February for an August or autumn start. The standard documents are your transcripts and degree certificates, a motivation letter, a CV, recommendation letters, and proof of English such as IELTS or TOEFL. Bachelor programs taught in Norwegian also require proof of Norwegian, which is why most international students enter at the Masters level in English.

Norwegian universities assess foreign qualifications carefully, and they sometimes apply a rule requiring an extra year of study beyond a Pakistani bachelor for certain programs, so read the country specific admission requirements before you apply. Get your documents attested and translated early, and apply to more than one program to spread your chances.

The early deadlines and the qualification checks trip up a lot of applicants. This is the kind of detail our team tracks for students so that a strong profile is not lost to a missed cut off or a paperwork gap.

How does the student residence permit work?

Norway issues a student residence permit rather than a simple visa. After a university admits you, you apply through the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, known as UDI, and submit your file at the Norwegian embassy or visa centre handling Pakistan. The core requirements are your admission letter, proof that tuition is paid or covered, proof of living funds in an acceptable account, proof of accommodation, and a valid passport.

Processing commonly takes several weeks to a few months, so apply the moment you are admitted. Once approved and in Norway, you register with the police, collect your residence card, and renew the permit each year as long as you stay enrolled and can support yourself. The permit is tied to your studies, so steady academic progress matters.

How do you prove the money?

This is the step that catches people out. You must show that you have the required living amount, recently around 137,000 kroner for a year, available to you. In many cases the funds need to be deposited into a Norwegian student account set up through your university, or shown via a scholarship or study loan, rather than just a statement from a Pakistani bank.

Follow the exact instructions from your university and UDI, because the accepted form of proof is specific. A scholarship or a funded PhD contract is the cleanest evidence. If you self fund, make sure the money is genuinely yours and can be transferred into the required account when asked.

Can you work part time?

Yes. Students from outside the EU and EEA are usually allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during the semester and full time during holidays, subject to a work permit that is normally granted alongside the student permit for the first year and renewed with your studies. The work must not interfere with your progress.

Jobs exist in cafes, shops, cleaning, delivery and on campus, and wages in Norway are high, which helps. That said, the job market favours people with some Norwegian, and competition for student jobs is real, so do not assume part time work will cover both tuition and living. Treat it as support, not a funding plan.

Can you stay after graduation?

Yes. After completing your degree you can apply for a job seeker residence permit, which gives you up to a year to find relevant work in Norway. If you secure a qualifying job, you move onto a skilled worker permit. Fields like engineering, IT, energy and health care offer the best prospects, and learning Norwegian widens your options sharply.

Over several years, continuous legal residence and work can lead toward permanent residence. It is a gradual path, but for a graduate who integrates and works in a needed field, settling in Norway is a realistic goal.

Weighing your choices? Compare with our guides for Germany, the UK, Canada and Australia, or see everything on our destinations page.