With the current heat in Germany, what could be more tempting than the ‘land to the north’? Norway is a nature lover’s paradise, famous for spectacular fjords, islands and waterfalls. Most Norwegians live in the south, while there is plenty of unspoilt wilderness in the north of the country. Together with the other Scandinavian countries, Norway tops worldwide rankings of standard of living and life satisfaction. And you will see, there are many more reasons to visit the land of trolls, midnight sun, and winter sports!

With the "Partner Country of the Month" campaign, we want to shine a spotlight on the wide diversity of countries, regions and partner universities of TU Dresden that our students can explore during a semester abroad.

© Paul Ruppricht

General facts and figures about Norway

Original name: Norge / Noreg
Capital: Oslo
Population: 5.6 million (2025)
Official languages: Norwegian and Sámi
National holiday: Constitution Day on May 17
Currency: Norwegian krone (NOK / kr), 1 krone = 100 øre

You can find further facts, figures and information on Wikipedia or on Norway.no. For travel info, see wikivoyage or visitnorway.

Language matters

• Hei – Hello
• Hvordan har du det? – How are you?
• Bare bra! Og du? – Good, and you?
• Hva heter du? – What’s your name?
• Jeg heter... – My name is ...
• Hyggelig å møte deg – Nice to meet you
• Takk  – Thank you
• Takk for i dag  – Thank you for today
• Ha det – See you

Norwegian is a North Germanic language and closely related to Swedish and Danish. The three languages are so similar that texts are usually mutually intelligible. Spoken communication is more difficult because pronunciation varies more widely. Norwegian speakers have an advantage in understanding both of the other two, as many dialects spoken in Norway resemble Swedish, while written Norwegian is very close to Danish.

However, there are actually two forms of written Norwegian, both officially recognized. Bokmål, used by 85-90% of Norwegians (and in our little phrasebook), is based on Danish and Oslo dialect. 10-15%, most of them in southwestern Norway, write Nynorsk, which derives from rural Norwegian dialects. As the smaller language, Nynorsk receives official protection and promotion to ensure its survival. Students learn both variants at school and then choose which one they prefer to use.

University-level Norwegian skills are not required for an exchange. Our partner universities offer a wide range of courses in English and it is absolutely possible to study entirely in English during a semester abroad. Please check the requirements at your university of choice before applying. Usually, language skills at B2 level are sufficient.
If needed, you can join the preparation course for a period abroad at TUDIAS to brush up your English.

There is also no need to fear the language barrier in everyday life. Norwegians rank second place worldwide with respect to their English skills. However, learning Norwegian will certainly help you get to know Norwegian culture and put a smile on people’s faces. There is a range of high-quality free online resources, such as the beginner’s course offered by our partner university NTNU.

© scanrail / smarterpix

Did you know that ....?

• salmon sushi is a Norwegian invention? Of course, sushi itself comes from Japan, but the Pacific salmon native to its waters is best not consumed raw. In the 1980s, a Norwegian delegation led by the minister of fisheries travelled to Japan to promote the Atlantic salmon for sushi. Despite initial skepticism by the Japanese, salmon has since become the most popular sushi fish both in Japan and worldwide, making sushi a significant contributor to the Norwegian economy.
• Norway is the richest country in Europe? Its wealth is based in rich natural resources of oil and gas, but – unlike many other countries – Norway uses the profits to further the public good. All incomes from oil exports are invested into the Norwegian pension funds where they finance Norway’s generous welfare system. These investments are also paying off elsewhere: The Democracy Index has repeatedly ranked Norway as the most democratic country in the world.

• the most remote island in the world belongs to Norway and is ruled by a penguin? King penguin Sir Nils Olav III, resident of Edinburgh Zoo, has been ascended to the rank of major general of the Norwegian army and Baron of the Bouvet Island. Inhabited only by birds and seals, this island in the South Atlantic is located at a pole of inaccessibility, a whole 1700 km away from the nearest continent, Antarctica. Bouvet Island is one of several remote glacial islands under Norwegian rule.

© topas / smarterpix

• the scream emoji 😱 originates in Norway? It is inspired by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. His most famous painting, "The Scream" is one of art history's most influential motifs, referenced in countless political caricatures, popculture versions and even pokémon cards.
• in 2015, Norway built the world's biggest cheese slicer to celebrate the 90th anniversary of this Norwegian invention? While its height of 7.8 metres is impressive, the record will pass on to an even bigger specimen in 2025 for the 100th anniversary. Want to know about more curious Norwegian world records? Norway has the highest midsummer bonfire, the biggest underwater restaurant, and the strongest maelstrom in the world.
• you need to watch out for drunken moose in the Norwegian autumn? About 120.000 to 150.000 of these giant forest dwellers live in Norway. Apples and berries are a favoured part of their diet in autumn, but if the fruit has started to ferment, the moose can get quite drunk, so proceed with extra caution if you encounter one.
• Norwegians can play music on instruments made from ice? Well, at least some of them can. At the yearly Ice Music Festival, celebrated in the winter sports town of Geilo, musicians exclusively use ice instruments sourced from the nearby lake. Percussion instruments, wind instruments and even harps and guitars form part of the impressive musical range of ice.

© Paul Hübener

Cooperations with Universities in Norway

You can find all cooperations of TU Dresden in our database. Under Questionnaires, the experiences of previous exchange students can help you with impressions of our partner universities. Asking professors in your own faculty who might have direct contacts to your partner university of choice is also a good idea. Here you can find the contact persons and application deadlines for your faculty.

Our Norwegian partner universities via Erasmus+

• About Erasmus+

Cooperations in Oslo

• Universitetet i Oslo         
  • Dental Medicine            
• Oslomet - Storbyuniversitetet
  • Medicine
  • in Oslo and the surrounding metropolitan area
• Norges Miljo-Og Biovitenskaplige Universitet
  • Landscape Architecture
  • University of Life Sciences in Ås and Oslo

Cooperations in Bergen

• Universitetet i Bergen
  • Business Administration and Economics            
• Norges Handelshøyskole (School of Economics)
  • Business Administration and Economics

Other Locations

• University of Agder
  • Electrical Engineering and Information Technology      
  • Computer Science         
  • in Grimstad and Kristiansand in southern Norway
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim
  • Electrical Engineering and Information Technology      
  • Chemistry and Food Chemistry
  • Business Administration and Economics
  • Mechanical Engineering (Faculty)
  • Hydro Sciences
  • Physics
• Universitetet i Tromsø, Campus Narvik
  • Computer Science         
  • While part of the University of Tromsø, Campus Narvik is located 200 km away from Tromsø in the North Norwegian town of Narvik.

Don't miss...

© TTstudio / smarterpix

The Lofoten Islands. With rugged, mountainous islands scattered with little red houses, the Lofoten Islands are absolutely picture-perfect. Located north of the Arctic Circle, the archipelago is still surprisingly warm thanks to the Gulf Stream. In summer, you can go hiking and experience the midnight sun. During winter, the bright twilight colours of the polar night colour the landscape in pinkish hues and you have a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights. There is a bus route going from our partner town of Narvik to the islands (Lofoten Express).

© worldpitou@gmail.com / smarterpix

Bygdøy museums. On this Oslo peninsula, you can visit a whole collection of extraordinary museums. The Fram Museum tells the story of the Norwegian polar expeditions of the 19th century, including the first successful voyage to the South Pole. The central exhibit is the arctic exploration vessel Fram, which visitors can board. The Kon-Tiki Museum next door also tells stories of adventure. The Kon-Tiki is a replica of a Stone Age raft that archaeologist Thor Heyerdahl used to travel from Peru to Polynesia, on a mission to prove that such a voyage across the open sea was possible for Stone Age peoples. Other museum highlights include the stave church at the Norsk Folkemuseum and the three Viking ships at Vikingskipshuset.

© StreetFlash / smarterpix

The UNESCO World Heritage Park Nærøyfjord is said to be one of Norway’s most beautiful landscapes. Waterfalls cascade down from the dramatic mountainsides that frame the turquoise-blue waters of the fjord. You can explore the water by kayak or go on a hike and enjoy the view from above. Starting at our partner city of Bergen, Nærøyfjord is a great destination for a weekend trip.

© chense7 / smarterpix

Holmenkollbakken. Norway is the land of skiing. Skiing has been a means of transport in everyday life in Scandinavia for thousands of years, but modern skiing as a sport emerged in 19th century Norway, with new inventions such as slalom skiing and ski jumping. Holmenkollbakken in Oslo is the world’s oldest ski jumping hill – although the jumping height has increased dramatically since the first competition in 1892. During your visit, you can enjoy a fantastic view of the surrounding area and learn more about winter sports and polar exploration in the associated ski museum.

Let's get cooking...

Traditional Norwegian cuisine is strongly influenced by the harsh Scandinavian climate. Short summers and long winters have seen the invention of many food preservation methods. Fish, for example, is often smoked or air-dried as stockfish, and may additionally be cured in lye. In fine dining, game is very popular. It is typically served with a dark gravy and lingonberry jam. And no list of Norwegian specialties is complete without caramelly brown cheese and the national dish fårikål. As for beverages, coffee is Norway's number one. Worldwide, only Finns consume more coffee per capita than Norwegians. The energy boost it provides is certainly helpful in the dark Scandinavian winter months. 

Recipe: Gravlaks with Lefse

Salmon is very popular in Norway, with a wide variety of preparations. One traditional preparation is gravlaks (‘buried salmon’). Originally, the salmon was salted and actually buried in the ground to ferment as a way of preservation. Nowadays, the main focus is on marinating and light drying the fish. You can find gravlaks in a well-stocked supermarket. It goes well with a classic mustard sauce. If you like, you can also chop up half a cucumber as a side, and wrap everything in lefse – fluffy, typically Norwegian potato pancakes.

Contact

Have you had a great time in Norway? Do you have tips for places and experiences that are not to be missed? We would be happy to share your experiences here, on social media or, if you want, in information events for other TUD students. Get in touch with us:

© Sven Ellger/TUD

Advice on studying abroad

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Ms Federica Serra

Infocenter/ Study abroad; TUDworldwide: America

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Contact Information

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International Office

International Office

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Visiting address:

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TUD Dresden University of Technology International Office

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