The International Summer School (ISS) is run by the University of Oslo and has welcomed international students to Norway each summer since 1947. It offers four-week academic courses at bachelor’s and master’s level, taught in English, alongside intensive six-week Norwegian language courses. Bachelor’s courses cover Norwegian history, literature, art and Nordic gender equality; master’s courses include Peace Research, International Community Health, and Development, Energy and Sustainability. Students live and study together in Oslo, combining coursework with an organised cultural and social programme.
Benefits & funding
- Four-week, English-taught university courses (bachelor’s or master’s level) with academic credit.
- Most participants pay fees (2026, students outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland): bachelor’s course NOK 15,800 tuition + NOK 3,100 participation fee; master’s course NOK 21,900 + NOK 3,100. ISS housing (room, meals and a 30-day Oslo travel card) adds NOK 27,300.
- Norwegian language course (6 weeks, incl. exam and activities): NOK 16,700, or NOK 58,900 with housing, meals and travel card.
- Competitive scholarships for master’s course applicants: a Basic Fee scholarship (covers tuition + participation fee) or an Accommodation scholarship (also covers a shared room, meals and a 30-day travel card). Travel to Oslo may be covered for scholarship recipients from Africa, Asia, Latin America and non-EU/EEA Europe.
Eligibility
- Open to applicants worldwide; no nationality restriction on the program itself.
- Bachelor’s and master’s courses require meeting Norway’s general higher-education entrance qualifications (assessed per the country-specific GSU-list) and documented English proficiency for non-native speakers.
- Master’s courses are selected by an admissions committee on the strength of the statement of purpose, recommendation letter and professional experience, with attention to diversity and geographic balance.
- Scholarships are for master’s applicants only. Bachelor’s and Norwegian-language students, former ISS scholarship holders, EU/EEA/Swiss citizens, Norwegian permanent residents, and U.S./Canadian citizens are not eligible for these scholarships (U.S./Canadian applicants have separate scholarship channels).
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Application process
- 1Check academic and English-proficiency eligibility for your chosen course level.
- 2Apply online through the University of Oslo application portal (Søknadsweb), selecting up to two bachelor’s/master’s courses and a housing preference, and upload the required documents within the application window.
- 3Master’s scholarship applicants additionally submit the scholarship form, statement of purpose, recommendation letter and CV.
Program timeline
Master’s scholarship application deadline
Feb 1, 2026
Bachelor’s and master’s course application deadline
Mar 1, 2026 to Mar 15, 2026
Norwegian language courses begin (6 weeks)
Jun 22, 2026
Bachelor’s and master’s courses begin (4 weeks)
Jun 29, 2026
January 2027
Application portal opens for the 2027 summer session