List of 10 Best Schools in Norway (2026 Fees)

Besides being a naturally beautiful country with a rich history and culture, Norway consists of a population of about 5.54 million people. Moreover, the country boasts of a highly developed education system, which is among the best in Europe. Norway ranks 9th among other OECD countries in Mathematics, Science, and reading. Moreover, adult literacy is 99% and 93% of the population has completed upper secondary education. Additionally, the country boasts of well-paid teachers, quality learning environments and free education.

In Norway, the education system consists of three stages, which include:

Primary school
Lower secondary
Upper secondary school

Compulsory education begins from six to 16 years. Although not mandatory, 99% of the children in Norway attend preschool. The Kindergarten Act stipulates that municipalities must guide preschool institutions to ensure that they are run following set rules, regardless of whether they are public or private.

After preschool education, children attend compulsory schooling, which begins from primary school and ends in secondary schools. Primary education starts from 1st grade to 7th grade. In the 1st grade, children spend their time engaging in educational games, basic knowledge in mathematics (addition and subtraction), alphabet, basic English as well as social learning skills. From the 2nd to 7th grade, students are taught a variety of subjects such as social studies, Mathematics, gymnastics, and English. There is no grading in primary schooling. Instead, teachers promote individual learning and conduct unofficial grading to assess the learner’s progress.

Lower secondary school (8th – 10th) begins at age 12 or 13 years and lasts for three years. At this level, children are graded. Hence, they need to maintain good grades to progress to upper secondary school. Moreover, in the 8th grade, children have to pick a foreign language in addition to English or Norwegian studies.

Upper Secondary education consists of three years of general education and four years of vocational training. Upper secondary schools are separated from lower secondary schools, which means that students are required to re-enroll and begin at a new school when they advance to the new level of education. Most of the Upper Secondary schools are public combined schools, i.e., they offer vocational training and general education. The students, therefore, get to pursue vocational training within the same institution.

According to a 2006 education reform, students have the option to either follow a general studies path or vocational training in upper secondary school. Moreover, this reform made IT compulsory and offered learners a variety of options to choose from depending on the subjects they would like to specialize in. After completing upper secondary education, the students can either enter the job market or pursue tertiary education. All higher education institutions are state-run, except for some private universities.

Facts About Schools in Norway (مدارس في النرويج)

The school year in Norway starts from mid-August to late June. Christmas holiday or winter break, which occurs in mid-December to early January, divides the academic year into two terms. Aside from the Christmas holiday, there are three other holidays in September or early October, February and Easter.
There are two languages of instructions used in schools, which are Kven and the standard Finnish language.
The pupil-teacher ratio in compulsory education levels is 17 pupils per teacher, while schools with less than 100 students have 11 pupils per teacher.
The school day in Norway is short and starts at 8:15 am and ends at either 1:10 pm or 1:15 pm, with three breaks in between this period.
When pupils turn 15years, they have a statutory right to further their education through upper secondary school. This is known as the Young Person’s Right, which is valid until one turns 24 years.
Norway’s folk high schools are an alternative option for children who graduate from upper secondary school. These schools last for nine months, from August to May. Moreover, these institutions have no rigid curriculum, no grading system, or exams yet aim to help students achieve proficiency in a specific area.
Norway ranks 9th as the most educated country in the world.
Sports are played on private teams as there are no school teams. As a result, many Norwegian students participate in local town teams where they have to pay fees to participate.
In 2005, the Norwegian law made private schools illegal unless they offer some form of “religious or pedagogic” education.
There are various types of schools in Norway, which include:
- Public Schools. Public Schools are free and governed by the Municipalities. The 2015 PISA statistics indicate that the learning environment in public schools helps students develop a high sense of belonging. This heightened sense of belonging is highest in Norway compared to other OECD countries and promotes excellent performance among students.
- Private Schools. Before 2005, the Norwegian law prohibited private schools unless they were religious-based. However, since then, the country has several standard private schools, such as the Steiner/Waldorf, Montessori schools. Private schools are a favorite for expatriates as the language of instruction is often a combination of English and Norwegian. The attendance of students in private schools is relatively lower in the country as most of the students are in public schools. Both private primary and secondary education are regulated by the Independent School Act.
- International Schools. International schools are more expensive than private schools. This is primarily because they provide varied and internationally recognized curricula as well as use English as the language of instruction. Some of the curricula used in these schools include the International Baccalaureate or the British GCSE and GCE systems. Moreover, each institution has a specific approach to admission and enrollment and space is often limited while preference may be given to students based on nationality. Although tuition is higher compared to local standards, international schools boast of high standards of learning, first-class facilities, small class sizes, and exceptional extracurricular activities.
- Religious Schools. A majority of the Private schools in Norway are religious Schools. These schools adhere to the national curriculum and teach in Norwegian. The only difference is that they allow children to obtain an understanding of a particular religion and associated beliefs.

Edarabia showcases all private schools in Norway through which parents can filter by tuition fees, curriculum, rankings & ratings. There are many public, private and charter schools near you that cater to both expat and local students.

Depending on the level of education; kindergartens (pre-schools), primary, secondary and high schools will all have varying tuition fees. Most K-12 schools offer different curriculums and extra-curricular activities to support the intellectual and physical wellbeing of students. Admissions for the top international schools in Norway tend to have waiting lists so it is recommended that parents apply well in advance to secure a spot for their children. Additionally, each school has ratings based on parent reviews and are ranked below accordingly.

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