Vocational technical college

Vocational colleges offer higher vocational education at a level above upper secondary school.

What is Higher Vocational Education?

Practical and career-oriented: The training is hands-on and often based on real-world workplace scenarios, combined with necessary theoretical knowledge.

Fast track to employment: Programmes are efficient and typically last from six months to two years of full-time study.

Easy to combine with work: Many programmes are offered part-time and can be session-based, online, or a combination of both. This flexibility allows you to study while working.

Designed for the labour market: Programmes are developed in collaboration with employers to ensure you learn the skills that are actually needed.

Build on a trade or journeyman’s certificate: Higher vocational education is a natural choice for many who hold a trade or journeyman’s certificate and want more responsibility or specialisation.

Lifelong Learning: Higher vocational colleges are widely used for continuing and further education for adults in employment.

Financing: Approved vocational programs qualify for loans and grants from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen).

Admission Requirements

Requirements vary by college and program, but common grounds for admission include:

• A relevant trade or journeyman’s certificate.
• Completed three-year upper secondary vocational education relevant to the programme applied for
• Prior learning and work experience (realkompetanse), based on professional experience and other relevant skills.

Some programs may also accept applicants with general university admissions certification (generell studiekompetanse). Additionally, certain programs may have specific entrance exams or other requirements.

Study programmes at higher vocational college

There are both public and private vocational technical colleges, and you can receive an education in many different and exciting vocations. Vocational education programmes are approved by the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education – NOKUT.

Vocational technical college offers studies in:

• Health, social care, and nursing
• Technical subjects and engineering
• ICT, digital media, and IT
• Construction, building, and crafts
• Transport, logistics, and communication
• Maritime studies
• Economics and administration
• Service, management, and tourism
• Art, culture and design
• Agriculture, nature, and the environment

A full list of studies offered is available at nokut.no.

Some vocational colleges collaborate with universities. In some cases, this may make it possible to have parts of a higher vocational qualification recognised as part of a bachelor’s degree. These transitions are not automatic and vary between programmes.

Application and deadline

Public vocational colleges

You apply to public vocational colleges through Samordna opptak (the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service). Applications open on February 1st, and the deadline is April 15th.

Private vocational colleges

Application deadlines vary between institutions. Some offer rolling admissions until the programme starts. Check the individual college for details on deadlines and application procedures.