Norwegian courses for EEA citizens 2026: costs and free options

As an EEA citizen, you have neither the right nor the obligation to free Norwegian courses from the municipality. The municipality can offer you a place, but can also send you the bill. As of 26 July 2026, day courses cost 73–120 Norwegian kronor per teaching hour, depending on where you live. Four schemes can still provide the course for free.

Why are EEA citizens excluded from the Integration Act?

Because you have a right of residence, not a residence permit. The Integration Act links free Norwegian language training to specific residence permits under the Immigration Act, and as an EEA citizen you do not need such a permit.

The law divides adult immigrants into three groups:

• Right and obligation (free): persons aged 18–67 with a permit listed in the Integration Act § 27 — refugees, family immigrants and other permits that give grounds for permanent residence. The training lasts until you reach your minimum level, but a maximum of three years (§ 32).
• Obligation only (you pay yourself): skilled labour migrants from countries outside the EEA and their families, cf. § 28. The obligation ends after 225 hours.
• Neither right nor obligation: EEA and EFTA citizens, Nordic citizens and their families. This is you.

The same distinction applies to the introduction programme. The Integration Act § 8 explicitly states that «Nordic citizens and foreigners covered by the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA Agreement) are not covered by this section». If you want to see the full picture, SamfunnPrep has a separate overview of who has the right to free Norwegian courses.

Two provisions are nevertheless crucial for you. The Integration Act § 26 seventh clause states that «the municipality may offer training in Norwegian and civic knowledge to persons other than those mentioned in this provision». And § 30 fourth clause states that the municipality «may require that persons covered by § 26 third and seventh clause pay for the training». So the municipality is allowed to take you in — and allowed to charge you. The three-month deadline for making an offer does not apply to you, so waiting lists are common.

What do Norwegian courses cost in the municipality in 2026?

The price is set locally, and the differences are large. The figures below are taken from the municipalities' own price lists and apply as of 26 July 2026.

From 73 kronor per hour in Tønsberg to 120 kronor per hour in Sarpsborg is a 64 per cent difference for the same course. Evening courses are cheaper because they have fewer hours: Tromsø charges 5 000 kronor for the autumn semester at A1 and A2, Skien 10 100 kronor including books, Oslo 4 900 kronor for 48 hours. Bodø sells beginner courses for twelve weeks for 13 200 kronor, Skien a day course for 17 000 kronor per term.

Three pitfalls are worth knowing:

• Books are not always included. Tønsberg and Stavanger charge them separately; Skien and Porsgrunn have them included.
• Registration is binding. Skien offers «no refund if you quit before the end», Bærum has a four-week notice period, and Tromsø requires payment before the course starts.
• Not everyone publishes the price. Bergen learning centre provides trial prices, but not the course price — you must call before you plan the budget.

Four ways to free Norwegian courses

1. The Norwegian Language Training Scheme. IMDi (Directorate for Integration and Diversity) distributes grants to municipalities and approved course providers that provide free Norwegian language training to «adult immigrants with limited Norwegian skills ... regardless of length of residence in Norway and reason for immigration». The regulations explicitly state that the target group is persons who do not have the right to training under the Integration Act — that is, you. The grant is up to 10 000 kronor per participant, equivalent to 80–100 hours, and for 2026, 53.3 million kronor has been set aside. In 2025, 83 of 107 applicants received a total of 51 million kronor, including Oslo, Molde, Larvik and Caritas. Ask the adult education office in your municipality if they have funds left.

2. Kompetansepluss. HK-dir (Directorate for Higher Education and Skills) finances Norwegian language training at the workplace. The regulations state that «the training shall be voluntary and free for participants». You cannot apply yourself — the employer, a course provider or a voluntary organisation must do it. In 2026, around 65.5 million kronor has been distributed in Kompetansepluss work and 10.8 million in Kompetansepluss volunteering.

3. Preparatory training for adults. If you lack completed primary school, you have the right to preparatory training for adults (FOV) under the Education Act § 18-2. The condition is «lawful residence in the country» — not a specific residence permit — and § 18-9 states that the training shall be free. FOV includes Norwegian.

4. NAV and voluntary organisations. If you are registered as a job seeker, Norwegian language training can be included in a labour market measure. If you participate in a measure, you can receive measure allowance: 312 kronor per day in 2026, plus 56 kronor per day in child allowance. The Red Cross' (Røde Kors) Norwegian training and language cafés at public libraries are free and usually require no registration. Caritas runs resource centres in eight cities, from Tromsø to Arendal, and states that courses and activities are mostly free.

Do you receive money while learning Norwegian?

You do not receive introduction allowance — it follows the introduction programme, which EEA citizens are excluded from. The alternatives are measure allowance through NAV, or the Qualification Programme, which in 2026 provides 2.041 times the basic amount (278 697 kronor per year) for participants over 25 years and requires lawful residence and a fixed residence.

The Student Finance Fund can provide support if you have worker status in Norway — either because you work at least ten hours per week alongside your studies, or because the education has a professional connection to the job you are leaving. After five years you can gain rights equivalent to Norwegian citizens. But a private Norwegian course does not receive support; primary school, secondary school and higher education do.

The fastest route is often the employer. Several municipalities, including Lillestrøm, require written confirmation from an employer or NAV before the course starts — request it in good time.

Tests also cost money

Only those with the right and obligation receive a free test. Otherwise the municipality sets the price. HK-dir states that it can vary «between 400 kronor (or more) for a partial test and 2 500 kronor (or less) for the full Norwegian test». Bergen charges 1 034 kronor for the full written test and 517 kronor per partial test, Bærum 1 450 kronor, Ullensaker 1 200 kronor. The Civic Knowledge Test costs 500–1 300 kronor and the Citizenship Test 300–1 800 kronor. For autumn 2026, registration is 17–21 August and the test period 21–25 September — see details about Norwegian Test 2026 (Norskprøven).

Do you need Norwegian at all?

For residence: no. After five years of continuous lawful residence, you receive permanent residence rights under the Immigration Act § 115, without language requirements.

For citizenship: yes. The Citizenship Act § 8 requires minimum B1 oral and passed citizenship test for applicants aged 18–67, a requirement that has been in effect since 1 October 2022. This is where the bill comes for labour migrants from the EU: you paid for the course yourself, and you pay for the tests yourself. Of the 10 500 labour migrants who arrived in 2025, 7 700 were EEA citizens — most from Poland, Spain and Lithuania.

Start early, and use the free resources while you save for the course. On SamfunnPrep you can practise for free on the civic knowledge test and citizenship test.

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