collageBecoming a nurse in Norway is a win-win situation. The country offers free healthcare and subsidized educations, among other things. Read on to learn how to become a nurse in Norway, how to study for the exam, and what the profession will be like. If you need a site which affords you extensive information and details on how to become a nurse in Norway for free, you can check Collegelearners for it. You need not search for too long anymore for where to check information on how to become a nurse in Norway, nursing schools in Norway for international students as it is just a fingertip away. All you need do is visit Collegelearners.
Collegelearners is a great website to acquire information on how to become a nurse in Norway and other corresponding topics like study nursing in Norway for international students, salary of a nurse in Norway, how to be a nurse in Norway from Philippines etc.
Introduction to How To Become A Nurse In Norway
In this article, we will look at how to become a nurse in Norway. The first thing you need to know is that there are two types of nurses – nursing assistants and registered nurses. If you are looking for an entry-level position, then you would be better off becoming a nursing assistant. Registered nurses have more responsibilities and require more education than nursing assistants do.
According to the Norwegian Nurses’ Organization, there are more than 40,000 nurses working in the country today. Nursing is one of the most popular professions for women in Norway; about 85% of all nurses are female. While this may seem surprising at first glance, it makes sense when you consider that most people who pursue higher education in Norway are women.
Why Should I Become A Nurse?
Nurses make great money in Norway – the average annual salary is around $60,000 USD per year (about 450,000 NOK). This is significantly higher than what most other professionals earn in this country! You’ll also find that living expenses are quite low which means you’ll be able to save money easily while working as a nurse here!
How to become a registered Nurse in Norway
In Norway, attention is paid to the importance of professional education for everyone willing to build a career in the field of medicine. Only those who have at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing have permission for legal nursing practice.
Norwegian universities offer a number of full-time educational courses in nursing. For example, VID Specialized University and University of Adger have Bachelor degree nursing programs. Trained nurses/care workers can hone their skills and expand their knowledge by completing a Master nursing program at the University of Bergen.
The VID Specialized University is a Norwegian accredited, private, non-profit higher education and research institution. VID Specialized University has 4,500 students and 450 employees, making it Norway’s second-largest private college.
Cost of Studying Nursing
As mentioned above, higher education in Norway public universities is provided on a tuition-free basis. However, all students are obliged to pay a semester fee. (Exception is made only for the students studying on exchange programs).
The fee covers costs for registration as a student, exams, welfare services and some other things. Sometimes, it includes a small donation to Students’ Assistance Fund, which is voluntary.
The cost of living in Norway is high. Therefore, it is a good idea to start saving money before a student is expected to arrive and start studying at a chosen university. As a rule, many students rent apartments offered by Student Housing Organization. On average, a furnished apartment costs from 3000 to 4000 Norwegian Kroners per month. The costs of living vary depending on the city.
How To Become A Nurse In Norway
Earning a nursing degree is a major investment in education. Students who study nursing benefit by gaining problem-solving, critical-thinking, communication and technological skills. These skills may help them to find a job or qualify them for higher salaries compared to those who do not have the same level of education.
Unlike in many other countries, education policies existing in Norway guarantee tuition-free education in public universities. As for private universities, their tuition fees are lower than those of European or American universities. This makes Norwegian higher education institutions especially popular among international students.
The position of a nurse is seen as one of the most prestigious jobs in Norway. Trained nurses having the necessary experience and skills are always in demand. They can find a job not only in Norwegian hospitals but also in school health services, aid agencies and care homes for elderly people.
Qualified nurse/care worker moving to Norway needs to undergo the process of job authorization, which is rather long and complicated. Therefore, foreigners planning to build a career in this country as nurses/care workers prefer to get a Bachelor nursing degree in one of the Norwegian universities. Today, we will talk about the nursing education programs offered by Norwegian universities and discuss certain aspects important for future international students studying nursing in Norway.
Requirements to Study Nursing in Norway for International Students
To study Nursing in Norway as an international student, you need to gather and send a set of documents to the university of their choice. Some universities may request more documents than others. However, there is a standard set of documents that never changes.
Apart from passport and secondary education certificate, all international students applying for a bachelor degree program need to have Higher Education Entrance Qualification Certificate. Applicants outside of EU, need to have a scan of original bank statement proving that they have enough money for living in Norway.
If a future student is applying for a master nursing program, s/he needs to have a certified copy of Bachelor Diploma. Depending on the language the Diploma is issued in, a need for translation and notarization may arise.
Preparing to study nursing in Norway can be difficult, so we’ve prepared a guide on How to Study in Norway for International Students. Read the guide if you feel lost!
Is Nursing taught in English in Norway
Norway has strict standards when it comes to the language in which educational programs are taught. In case of nursing, all bachelor and master degree courses are taught in Norwegian. Examples are the programs offered by VID Specialized University and University of Adger. Even though University of Bergen allows to write thesis in English, the program itself is taught in Norwegian.
Since the language of teaching and instruction is Norwegian, all foreign applicants must have a certificate proving their proficiency in Norwegian. Fluency in English is also necessary because some modules and/or courses included in a program are taught in English.
Complete guide for Nurses relocating to Norway
Are you a nurse, assistant nurse or health care professional looking for work opportunities in Norway, then this page is for you. We have compiled a guide for nurses that includes what you need to do to get visa, language courses and certification from the Norwegian authorities.
The labour market in Norway
People are living longer now than 30 years ago, and we are getting an older and larger generation of people who are in need of care and assisted living facilities.
Norway is currently in a challenge where there will be a lack of qualified nurses and are in need of foreign nurses to come to Norway and work.
According to Statistics Norway, Norway will need between 95,000 and 135,000 additional health care workers in the next two decades, and far too few are being educated in Norway.
Thousands of foreign nurses and other health care professionals will therefore have to come from abroad.
What is required to work as a nurse in Norway?
Norwegian nurses must complete a 3-year bachelors degree before they can apply for certification from The Norwegian Registration Authority for Health Personnel (SAK) so one can practice the profession.
The sole authority to give authorization and licences to health care personnel lies with SAK. There are different authorisations one can obtain for practicing their nursing profession. They are
- Full and permanent approval
- Licenses, which has limitations with respect to the duration or practicing the profession, an independent or supervised practice to mention some.
You should start as soon as possible with the application process because it will unfortunately take a very long time before you will receive notification from SAK.
There are many steps you must go through before you can receive your authorization.
You must fill in the application form and send in all necessary documents, and these documents must be certified copies. SAK will not accept regular photo copies of your documents.
SAK have posted a guideline for how to fill out the application form and please make sure that you will out the entire form.
Application instructions for nursing license in Norway
- Read SAK’s application guidelines: Application for authorization and license as health personnel (pdf)
- Make sure all necessary documentation is attached to the application by using the check list for documentation (pdf)
Also, make sure that you clearly state what documents you are attaching with the application so it will not slow down the processing of the application.
The application will not be considered until they have received the documents, and the processing time for the application is estimated to be 3-4 months if your education is from one of the Nordic countries or the EU/EEA, and minimum 6 months if it is from outside the EU/EEA.
Please be aware that you will also have to pay an processing fee to SAK.
Most nurses from outside the EU/EEA will receive a letter from SAK that they have NOT been given authorization to practice nursing in Norway. It is VERY important to read all the information in the letter to see what you must complete to be able to re-apply at a later time. This is rather common and they often times list exactly what you will have to complete to receive your authorization.
It is most of the time a combination of not enough practicum work during your studies, not knowing the Norwegian language well enough, and missing specific topics in the course material from your bachelors degree.
Nursing Schools in Norway for International Students
1. University of Adger
- Degrees offered: Bachelor
The adequate combination of theory and practice results in graduates having all the necessary knowledge and skills regarding illnesses and healthcare, research methods and nursing ethics.
Students are taught not only to rely on theoretical knowledge but also to analyze cases and look for better solutions complying with general principles at this nursing school in Norway.
One of the core beliefs of Adger University is that of nursing being a profession of global importance. Therefore, students are encouraged to participate in the exchange program during the 2nd and the 3rd years of study. All participants have a unique opportunity to expand their knowledge and set of skills while studying in one of the partner universities based in Australia, the US, Europe and Africa.
2. University of Bergen
- Degrees offered: Master
The University of Bergen is a well-known higher education institute and highly-ranked research center. With freedom and curiosity being the basic principles of every research, it is not surprising that each discovery and innovation is a valuable contribution to society’s future.
The Master degree program in nursing is meant for those who already have a Bachelor degree in this field.
The full-time course lasts for 2 years in this nursing school in Norway. It is structured so that to inspire independent research, knowledge gathering and its analysis. The final assessment is carried out in the format of the final exam. Besides, students are expected to write a thesis. This written paper is meant to show their abilities to think critically, present theory on a chosen theme logically and generate new knowledge.
3. VID Specialized University
- Degrees offered: Bachelor
The final candidate in our list of best nursing schools in Norway for international students is VID Specialized University. With campuses based in Bergen, Oslo, Stavanger and Sandnes, VID Specialized University is one of the largest private universities in Norway. A wide range of educational programs on all levels (Bachelor, Master, PhD) creates choice for applicants interested in education, medicine, management, theology and social sciences.
The 3-year full-time bachelor course in nursing aims to train professionals ready to provide high-quality health services in local and international health care centers and hospitals.
Through role-play and simulation of real-life cases with patients, students learn to quickly react and use the skills they develop. A strong focus on clinical practice (50% of total course education time) allows to get practical experience, which is essential to any nurse.
Are you a nurse or health care professional looking for work opportunities in Norway? Here is the complete guide to work as a nurse in Norway.
Norwegian language qualifications
There are two ways to meet the Norwegian language requirement for this course.
- Pass the oral and written examination of “Test in Norwegian – advanced level” or “Bergenstesten”.OR
- Have completed and a grade of “C” or better in both oral and written examination in Level 3 in Norwegian at a university level
To pass the advanced test, Lingu Norwegian offers a language course for health workers leading up to the test. You can also learn Norwegian online, if you haven’t applied for visa yet.
Since the test certificates must be submitted along with your letter from SAK when applying for the course “Nasjonale fag for sykepleiere” it is very important that you start learning Norwegian and plan on having the examinations completed by the time you receive notification from SAK.
This way you save time by not waiting for the answer from SAK before you start you Norwegian. It is mandatory for all nurses from outside the Nordic countries to complete or pass one of the two aforementioned examinations to be able to practice their profession in Norway.
Additional training needed
Most nurses from outside the Nordic countries have to take the course “Nasjonale fag for sykepleiere” as a supplement to receive their authorisation.
This course is a four week intensive course held at the Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences (HiOA) twice a year. There are limited numbers of spots for this course, so one must often sign up at least six months before course start.
The requirements to be considered for this course are:
- Applicants must have received a letter from SAK/ SAFH with the refusal of authorization, or a temporary license as a nurse
- Specific requirements regarding Norwegian language skills
The course registration is done in a first-come, first-serve basis, and you must fill out the online application form on the course page to be considered. The application will not, however, be considered before ALL the documents have been received by the Faculty of Health Sciences.
At the end of the course there are two examinations one must pass. “Test i medikamentregning” is a test you must meet the score of 100%, like all Norwegian nursing students. This test is to ensure correct math skills in regards of dosage of medications. The second test is a 4-hour test graded on a pass/fail grading system.
This test will examine you in the topics covered in the duration of the course. You are highly advised to not plan on working while you are taking this course, because this is a very intensive course and you will have a better chance at passing the course and get the most out of the course.
Previous experience have been that students believe they can pass the course just by showing up for classes. However, those students are the one who have a higher failing rate.
Summary: Check list for nurses relocating to Norway
- Read these guidelines thoroughly.
- Fill out the application form to SAK with all supporting documents and make certified copies to be sent.
- Pay the processing fee to SAK.
- Apply for our one year Norwegian training programme and pay the enrolment fee – or start learning Norwegian online.
- Apply for visa to Norway (if you are from outside EU)
- Continue learning Norwegian and sign up for the advanced Norwegian test “Bergenstesten”.
- Once you have received the notification from SAK and passed the test “Bergenstesten”, you can use the letter to sign up for the course “Nasjonale fag for sykepleiere”.
- After passing the two examinations in “Nasjonale fag for sykepleiere”, you need to submit all the new documentation to SAK to have your applicaiton reviewed.
- If you have done the paperwork correctly, you should receive your authorisation from SAK to practice nursing in Norway.
- Disclaimer: Lingu Norwegian has compiled these guidelines for information purpose only. We cannot provide legal support if applicants do not receive authorisation from SAK, nor can we be held liable for the use of this information. Furthermore, Lingu does NOT offer any services related to immigration.
Quality of healthcare in Norway
Norway has a primarily publicly run health sector, divided into four regions, Helse Sør-Øst (Health South-East), Helse Vest (Health West), Helse Midt-Norge (Health Mid-Norway) and Helse Nord (Health North), each responsible for the hospitals in their region. In addition local municipalities are responsible for nursing homes, care centers for elderly and people with disabilities, school health services and health stations. Nursing homes and care centers are either run directly by the municipality, by an ideal organization or by a private company. Adecco delivers personnel to both hospitals and care centers in all categories all over Norway.
Once you have passed the first language test (B1) you are qualified to work in nursing homes and care centers. For highly skilled and motivated nurses Adecco will offer language courses with the objective of passing the “Bergenstest” (the equivalent of B2/C1). Having passed the “Bergenstest” you may get the opportunity to work in a hospital. For nurses in Norwegian hospitals the minimum salary is approximately €31/hour, plus extra for overtime and inconvenient hours.
Nurse in Norway
Are you a trained nurse looking for a job and willing to work away from home?Then Adecco Norway has the job for you.
Adecco Norway is looking to recruit more than 100 nurses from Portugal to work in Norway. Working in Norway you will be able to have an income equivalent of a full time job in Portugal whilst still being with your family half of the year.
Working for Adecco Norway you will be part of a family with over 6000 associates at work every day. We are Norway’s largest temporal work agency with more than 100 offices and departments all over Norway and more than 6000 customers.
Salary of a Nurse in Norway
Working as a nurse in Norway you are guaranteed a minimum salary of €24/hours, plus extra when working evenings, nights, Saturdays and Sundays.
Over the course of 24 months you are required to work a minimum of 1854 hours (50 percent of a full time position) and Adecco can guarantee that this will be an absolute minimum of what we may offer you.
Working through Adecco in Norway will at the same time give you the flexibility to maintain a normal family life in Portugal. Our demands for you are simple:
- You must work a minimum of 1854 hours over 24 months.
- When you are in Norway you must work for a minimum of six consecutive weeks.
- You are required to work in July and August (weeks 27-33). This is the only time when you have to work more than six weeks in a row.
When you work for Adecco you have no financial obligation towards us. We will cover all your expenses regarding language training, housing in Norway and travel between major cities in Portugal and your place of work in Norway.
If you’re interested in becoming a nurse in Norway, it’s important to know that the country is one of the most expensive places in the world for healthcare. However, there are several ways to get around this problem. You can also take advantage of a scholarship program designed specifically for foreign nurses who want to work in Norway.
If you’re ready to apply for this program, we recommend doing so as soon as possible. The application process is extremely competitive and only accepts a small number of applicants per year. If you meet all of the requirements, you’ll be able to start working as soon as possible.
The first step is submitting an application through the official website (link). This will allow you to upload all of your documents and send them directly to the Norwegian government so they have time before accepting new applicants each year (usually around September or October).
If your application is accepted, then you will receive instructions on how much money will be sent directly from Norway’s Ministry of Health & Social Affairs into your bank account every month until June 30th 2020 (or longer if necessary). After this date has passed then no more payments will be made unless agreed upon by both parties beforehand.”
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