Foreign students must pay to study in Norway
The state budget is presented
Suggests tuition fees for students outside the EEA and Switzerland
Today, the proposal for the state budget for 2023 was presented.
According to a press release from KD, foreign students must now pay to study in Norway.
The press release says:
Norway is one of the few countries in the world where all international students have until now stopped paying tuition fees.
– In the vast majority of cases, Norwegian students have to pay tuition fees to study abroad. There is no reason why it should be any different here. Norway will still be open to students from all countries, but we think it is right and reasonable that they also pay for themselves, says Research and Higher Education Minister Ola Borten Moe.
The proposal means that the universities and colleges must charge a tuition fee from students outside the EEA area and Switzerland from and including the autumn semester 2023. The fee must at least cover the costs of the educational institution and will apply to new students.
Higher education shall continue to be free for Norwegian students and other EEA citizens.
– It is a principle that is fixed and which cannot be changed, says Borten Moe.
Want good quality to attract students
Over many years, Norway has spent billions of kroner on increasing the quality of education.
– Our universities and colleges should therefore be well equipped to recruit international students because the quality of the education is good, and not because it is free. I also think a tuition fee will give us more motivated international students, says Borten Moe.
At the same time, it is likely that fewer students will come from outside and this will free up both study places and student housing.
– At a time when there are many people who want to take higher education, it is right to prioritize Norwegian students, says Borten Moe.
Need for more sources of income
Norway spends large sums on higher education and research. In the budget for 2023, among other things, NOK 42.8 billion has been proposed in framework funding for universities and colleges.
– The world is in a bigger crisis than in a long time and this puts extreme pressure on the national budget. Norway is no exception. We will continue to spend a lot of money on higher education and research. The level must be high, but the universities and colleges must also look at other ways of getting income, says Borten Moe.
If the institutions manage to recruit more international students than estimated, this will mean more income and thus they can increase educational capacity in Norway even more.
Does not apply to exchange students
The tuition fee will apply to those who take the entire education in Norway. In the same way that Norwegian exchange students can take part of their education for free in many countries, the exchange students who come to Norway must also pay.
– We want more international students to come to Norway on exchange agreements, and therefore we protect these students. The main priority for student mobility must be exchange students, says Borten Moe.