NORWAY, ALL THE WAY

NORWAY, ALL THE WAY

NORWAY OFFERS A WIDE CHOICE OF MASTER’S PROGRAMMES AND FOR FREE. WHAT MAKES IT A DESIRED DESTINATION FOR INDIAN STUDENTS ?


FEE FREE: Since Norway is a social democracy, no tuition fees are charged and scholarships help cover cost of living



NORWAY, land of the midnight sun, offers a range of postgraduate programmes for Indian students. And contrary to popular belief, there is no language barrier. An increasing number of Norwegian universities and university-colleges are offering Master’s programmes where the medium of instruction is English. Says Ola Stave, secretary general, the Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions, “In fact, more than 200 disciplines are taught in English at the Master’s level. For a complete list of courses run in English, students can visit www.studyinnorway.no. The link to each institution offers a comprehensive overview.” Though Norwegian is the official l anguage, most Norwegians know English, which makes Indian students feel comfortable and at home. Finding a good university in Norway is considerably easy. Stave also points out that the academic standard of universities in Norway is higher than most other countries. “This is because we have a strict law for universities as well as colleges affiliated by a university. We follow the accreditation system, which ensures a uniform, guaranteed standard.” A FREE ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE As to the average annual cost of studying in Norway, Sissel �stberg, vice-chancellor, Oslo University College (OUC) points out that since Norway is a social democracy, no tuition fees are charged. She adds, “Though the living costs can be high, the scholarship money is usually enough.” At Master’s level, one can go for courses like marine engineering, oceonography, management, international comparative education, cultural studies, languages and art to mention a few. The duration of the Master’s programme is two years. But, some integrated programmes — combining Master’s and Bachelor’s — are spread over five to five-and-ahalf years. The academic approach in Norway, says Stave, is a combination of theory and practice though it may vary depending upon the particular discipline. The primary strength of the Norwegian education system is that teachers offer personalised attention to students. “Two good things about studying in Norway are that one is allowed to function at an individual pace and the academic approach is geared towards an overall development rather than just academic,” says Sangeeta Saxena, who took the International Community Health course at the summer school, University of Oslo, last year. ELIGIBILITY Says �stberg, “One of the eligibility criteria includes TOEFL.” But, she adds, if one can show some other document of English competence, taking the test may not be necessary. Admission requirements are decided by each university or university-college based on an academic evaluation of the applicants. To be eligible for a Master’s programme, applicants need to have a Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent of at least three years’ duration. The degree must include courses equal to at least one-and-a-half years of full-time studies in a subject relevant to the programme applied for. A PRACTICAL GUIDE All institutions have a student welfare organisation, which offers a wide variety of services including canteens, student accommodation and sports facilities. Students who plan to stay in Norway for more than six months should register with the National Registry so that they can be awarded an 11 digit identity number. The number is required to open a bank account, obtaining a student card, and to apply for a loan from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund. Both Stave and �stberg feel that if one wants to pursue a postgraduate programme in Norway, one must start the application process a year in advance. This gives one enough time to get in touch with international offices in universities and scan the funding opportunities to make the perfect choice. -sonali