As a privatist in upper secondary education, you register yourself for exams in specific subjects. Find the right subject code, check the dates and pay by the deadline. Taking a course alone is not exam registration, and a wrong subject code may give you the wrong exam.
What is a privatist in upper secondary education?
A privatist takes an exam in a subject without being enrolled as a pupil in that subject. For example, you can take a subject you are missing or try to improve a previous grade.
This guide concerns upper secondary subjects. It does not concern Norskprøven or the social studies test. Those tests have their own arrangements and organisers.
Information about deadlines and fees was checked as of 3 October 2026. Utdanningsdirektoratet, abbreviated Udir, provides national exam information. Your county authority organises privatist exams and helps with local questions.
If you are missing many subjects, first check whether an education programme would suit you better. Read SamfunnPrep's guide to free upper secondary education for adults. An entitlement to education and registration as a privatist are different arrangements.
How do you find the subjects and subject codes you need?
You must know the exact subject code before registering. A subject's name is not always enough to choose the correct exam or meet a documentation requirement.
Start with your goal. Are you completing upper secondary education, improving a grade or meeting an admission requirement? Find your school-leaving certificate, competence certificate and information about the programme you want to apply for.
A kompetansebevis, or competence certificate, shows documented education and results even if you have not completed a full school-leaving certificate. Use it when asking for help choosing subjects. Do not choose new subjects from a friend's list if your backgrounds differ.
Ask the privatist office or school for help if you are unsure. You might write: “I want to achieve this goal. Which subject codes and exam types do I need, given my previous subjects?” Submit the documents they request through the appropriate channel.
Udir's privatist guidance explains how to find subject codes, curricula and exam information. Also check whether the subject has written, oral, practical or several exam components.
When must you register?
According to information checked as of 3 October 2026, the deadline is 1 February for spring exams and 15 September for autumn exams. You must register yourself through the system your county uses.
The autumn deadline of 15 September 2026 had therefore passed on this article's verification date. If you have not already registered, look into spring registration. Do not wait until the exam date to ask about a place.
You must check opening dates locally. In Oslo, registration opens on 15 January for spring and 1 September for autumn. These dates describe Oslo; use your county's own information if you will take an exam elsewhere.
If you will take several exams, check that they are not on the same day. A plan involving several subjects may need to be spread across semesters. Find the dates using the exact subject codes, rather than only a general exam timetable.
What does an exam cost, and when is registration valid?
In 2026, a new subject or one you have not passed costs 1 403 kroner, while improving a passed subject costs 2 808 kroner. Oslo municipality's information says these fees are the same throughout Norway.
| What you register for | Fee in 2026 |
|---|---|
| New subject | 1 403 kroner |
| Subject you have not passed | 1 403 kroner |
| Improving a passed subject | 2 808 kroner |
Registration is not valid until the exam fee has been paid by the registration deadline. This is stated in Oslo municipality's registration guidance. Check the payment status in the portal.
An illustrative example is one new exam and one exam to improve a passed subject. At 2026 fees, the total is 4 211 kroner. Courses, books and other equipment may cost extra; the example calculates exam fees only.
Some apprentices are covered by a separate arrangement. In Oslo, apprentices with a valid apprenticeship contract in an approved training enterprise in Oslo can receive a free final privatist exam. This does not automatically cover other subjects, practice candidates or the fagbrev på jobb scheme for gaining a trade certificate while working.
How do you register step by step?
Register the right subject in your county's portal and complete payment before the deadline. Afterwards, check both the subject code and the registration.
Use this checklist:
- Choose the county and read its registration conditions.
- Find the subject codes and check the exam dates.
- Log in to the county's privatist portal.
- Register the correct subjects and details.
- Pay the fee by the deadline.
- Save the receipt and check your registration status.
- Follow instructions about the time, location and any applications for exam adjustments.
Oslo requires you to live or attend education there. You cannot be enrolled as a pupil in the subject you register for as a privatist. Oslo also states that you cannot register for privatist exams in several counties in the same semester.
Clarify other local questions with the county. If login or payment fails, contact the privatist office before the deadline. An unfinished registration should not be treated as a confirmed exam place.
What must you do after registration?
You must prepare both the subject material and the practical exam day. Read the exam guidance for your exact subject code and the privatist office's information.
Check identification, permitted aids and equipment. For digital exams, investigate computer requirements and any secure browser. A school computer or your own device will not necessarily work without the correct settings.
Udir states that using text generators such as ChatGPT is not permitted during the exam. Follow the current rules on aids for your subject. Do not assume something is allowed because you used it while practising at home.
If you need special adjustments, apply according to your county's deadline and documentation requirements. In Oslo, the application deadline is the same as the registration deadline. Do not wait until you receive the final exam date to do this.
How do you use the result afterwards?
Clarify with the school or privatist office how to obtain documentation of your results and, where relevant, add them to your school-leaving certificate. A grade in the portal is not the whole process if your goal is a new complete document.
Ask who will issue the document and when you must order it. If you apply for higher education, you must also follow the admission documentation deadlines. Read the guide to applying for studies with foreign education if that matches your background.
On SamfunnPrep's tools page, you can find practical planning resources for Norway. Make your own semester plan with registration and payment deadlines, exam days and the deadline for sending your documents onwards.
