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Study in Norway Without IELTS: Verified Scholarships, Tuition Fees and English Waiver Rules
International students may be able to apply to selected Norwegian universities without submitting IELTS. However, there is no single national programme officially called “Norway Scholarships Without IELTS 2026–2027.”
The phrase “without IELTS” usually means that a university may accept another approved English test, a recognised previous qualification or a formally approved English-language waiver. It does not mean that every applicant can study in Norway without proving English proficiency.
Important Verification Notice
Several online articles describe a long list of Norwegian universities as tuition-free and claim that they offer scholarships without IELTS.
Applicants should be careful with these claims.
Degree-seeking students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland normally pay tuition fees at Norwegian universities. Norway also does not provide one general government scholarship that is open to every international degree student.
Scholarships, tuition exemptions and English-language waivers must be checked separately for each university and programme.
Verified Scholarship: BI Presidential Scholarship
The BI Presidential Scholarship is offered by BI Norwegian Business School to applicants with exceptional academic records who have been admitted to an eligible master’s degree programme at the Oslo or Bergen campus.
Scholarship benefits for international applicants
* Full tuition coverage for up to two years
* NOK 50,000 per semester toward living expenses
* Continued funding if academic progression conditions are met
Eligibility
* Be applying for their first master’s degree
* Obtain admission to an eligible BI master’s programme
* Have an overall academic result equivalent to an A on the ECTS scale
* Submit a complete admission and scholarship application
* Meet all programme-specific requirements
The scholarship is awarded according to academic merit, not financial need.
Confirmed deadline
The published deadline is 1 March.
The currently confirmed scholarship cycle applies to students beginning their studies in Autumn 2026. Applicants seeking Autumn 2027 admission should wait for BI to publish or update the official 2027 conditions.
Future African Leader Scholarship
BI also publishes a Future African Leader Scholarship for eligible international Master of Science applicants.
However, African citizenship alone does not automatically guarantee eligibility.
* Are enrolled at or recently graduated from a GBSN member school in Africa; or
* Participated in a qualifying GMAC Study in Europe event in Africa
Applicants must have a strong academic record and meet all Master of Science admission requirements.
Can You Study in Norway Without IELTS?
It may be possible, but this depends on the exact university and programme.
* TOEFL
* Pearson PTE Academic
* Cambridge English qualifications
* Previous education completed in English
* A recognised national qualification
* A university-approved English-test waiver
* Another programme-specific form of English documentation
A letter stating that your previous education was taught in English is not universally accepted.
Applicants must open the official admission page for their chosen programme and confirm:
Tuition Fees in Norway
International students should not assume that public universities in Norway are free.
Degree-seeking students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland normally pay tuition fees. The amount varies by institution and programme.
* Exchange students
* EU/EEA or Swiss citizens
* Students with qualifying residence status
* Doctoral candidates employed by a Norwegian institution
* Students covered by a specific institutional agreement
* Participants in selected funded joint programmes
The university must officially confirm any tuition exemption.
Universities That Do Not Offer General Scholarships
* NTNU says it generally does not provide scholarships or tuition-fee discounts.
* The University of Stavanger says it currently offers no scholarships to incoming international students.
* Individual externally funded or joint programmes may still provide funding, but these should be treated as separate opportunities.
Study-Permit Financial Requirement
Applicants seeking a Norwegian study permit must normally show that they have enough money to live in Norway.
* NOK 15,488 per month
* NOK 170,368 for one academic year
* NOK 77,440 for the autumn semester
* NOK 92,928 for the spring semester
Where tuition fees apply, applicants must also document that they can cover those fees or that they have already paid them.
Work Rights
* Work up to 20 hours per week during the semester
* Work full-time during official holidays
Students may not use the study permit to become self-employed or operate their own business in Norway.
Application Process
Step 1: Select a programme
Search the official Study in Norway programme database or a Norwegian university’s official website.
Step 2: Check the tuition fee
Confirm the exact fee for your nationality, programme and intake.
Step 3: Check English requirements
Do not rely on the phrase “without IELTS.” Read the programme’s accepted tests and exemption rules.
Step 4: Find a real scholarship
Search the university’s official scholarship section or the official page of a joint programme.
Step 5: Prepare your documents
* Passport
* Bachelor’s certificate
* Academic transcripts
* CV
* Motivation or scholarship letter
* English-language evidence
* Course descriptions
* Recommendation letters
* Programme-specific documents
Step 6: Apply through the official portal
Do not apply through an unofficial scholarship blog or pay anyone who claims to control admission.
Step 7: Apply for the study permit
After receiving admission, follow the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration requirements.
Warning
There is no verified national scholarship officially called “Norway Scholarships Without IELTS 2026–2027.”
* every Norwegian university is tuition-free;
* every university accepts a medium-of-instruction letter;
* IELTS is automatically waived;
* all listed universities offer scholarships;
* admission guarantees scholarship funding;
* part-time work will cover tuition and living costs.
Verify the exact programme before applying.
Opportunity Summary
Country: Norway
Opportunity type: Scholarship and study guide
Study level: Mainly master’s; programme-dependent
Funding: Varies
IELTS: A waiver or alternative may be accepted in specific cases
Deadline: Varies; BI publishes 1 March for its confirmed Autumn 2026 master’s scholarship cycle
Application fee: Institution-dependent
Tuition: Normally applicable to non-EU/EEA/Swiss degree students
Verification status: Partially verified
TripDoc recommendation: Apply only through verified university programme pages
