High school in Norway

Take the opportunity to study in one of the world’s most mesmerising countries. Norway is known worldwide for its exceptional nature and it’s the perfect destination for you who love skiing and snowboarding.

High School Classic

High School Classic is the traditional high school exchange programme, chosen by most of our students. It is the perfect programme for those who long for a genuine high school experience abroad and who are willing to embrace all the surprises it can bring. Here’s how it works: based on your profile, we find you a suitable host family and school, and the best part is, it can be anywhere in Norway, from its modern and exciting cities to the unforgettable fjords! If you’re open to adventure and are willing to let yourself be surprised by your exchange experience, this is the programme for you.

Explore beautiful Norway

Norway has incredibly beautiful mountains, fjords and glaciers, but also cities with a vibrant urban and cultural life. The Norwegians speak great English but take the opportunity to learn Norwegian – a language you will have great usage for in the rest of Scandinavia!

Population: 5.2 million
Area: 387 000 km2
Capital: Oslo
Borders: Sweden, Finland and Russia
Language: Norwegian (Bokmål and Nynorsk)
National holiday: May 17

Study in Norway

In Norway, the contact between teachers and students is open and informal. You are expected to be active, and to learn as much as possible. No previous knowledge of the Norwegian language is required in order to participate in our exchange programme. However, we do recommend that you have a basic level of understanding. After all, the teaching will be in Norwegian.

The Norwegian school system

High school in Norway consists of three school years called Videregående, which you normally attend between the age of 16 to 19, in preparation for continued higher education. The school is divided into two semesters: fall semester from August to December and spring semester from January to June. During the school year there are four school breaks. The school day normally begins at 8 am and ends around 3.30 pm.

Exchange students in Norwegian high schools are usually placed in year one or two. You will have compulsory subjects such as mathematics, Norwegian, English, history and social studies. In some cases, you might be able to choose other subjects, depending on what you are interested in and what the school can offer. In addition to theoretical subjects, most Norwegian schools also have physical education on the schedule.

Your Norwegian host family

Our Norwegian families are all spread out across the country. Your family might live in the south near the beautiful Norwegian archipelago, in the north with amazing scenery and northern lights, in the west with deep fjords and vast glaciers or in the east near the capital of Oslo. But wherever you are placed, you will meet a family excited to open up their home to receive an exchange student - you!

Become independent

From an early age, Norwegian children learn to be independent and to participate in decision-making. In your host family, everyone will help out with the regular household chores, including you. It will be a great opportunity for you to grow as a person, and also have lots of fun with new family members.

Typical Norwegian food

Norwegian food can be very special, but you should at least try some if it’s served at home. You will get to taste the sweet brown cheese “geitost”, the classic stew "får-i-kål" and a thin bread called lefser. You will definitely get to eat a lot of fish; Norway is a nation of seafarers and fishermen. And if you’re lucky, you may even get to taste whale meat.

Bring your skis

Norwegians in general like to think of themselves as sports lovers and specialists in outdoor activities. You will soon find out that they are totally right about this. In the summer you go "on tour" in the beautiful Norwegian landscape with hiking boots on your feet and your lunch in a backpack. In winter, it’s time to take out your skis.

There are lots of resorts for downhill skiing, but the most popular activity is cross-country skiing. You might have heard of cross-country icons such as Petter Northug and Marit Bjørgen. If not, you will become familiar with their faces during your time in Norway.

More than sports

Of course, Norwegian free time is not only about sports. If that’s not your thing, you will still have plenty of things to do. You can join a club or organisation involving music, theatre or maybe crafts. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about Norwegian traditions.

For the weekend, gather your friends and go to a club, concert or the cinema. These are all great activities to practice your language skills. In addition, many Norwegian families have a summer cottage, in Norwegian called hytte, where they like to spend their leisure time.

Trips in Scandinavia

Take the chance to see more of Scandinavia. We offer all our exchange students in the Nordic countries to join us on several exciting trips in Northern Europe. All trips cost extra. Your local contact person will give you more detailed information.

Please note that the transport to your destination and back is not included the program fee.