Vocational retraining may give you the right to new vocational education if you already have one general or vocational qualification. If you already have two final qualifications, this right does not apply. The county authority assesses your background and the training you may receive.
What is vocational retraining?
Vocational retraining is the right to training towards one new final qualification in a vocational education programme. It applies to you if you already have one general or vocational qualification.
A final qualification is what you obtain when you complete upper secondary education at a particular level. A general qualification gives you a basis for applying to higher education. A vocational qualification qualifies you for an occupation and may be a trade or journeyman’s certificate.
The right is set out in section 18-4 of the Education Act. The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training (Utdanningsdirektoratet, Udir) explains how it applies. Udir’s guidance on vocational retraining was checked on 3 October 2026.
The scheme may be relevant if you need to change careers. Do not assume that previous education rules out all opportunities for new upper secondary training. SamfunnPrep also has a guide to free career guidance for work and education if you need help choosing a direction.
Who has the right, and who does not?
The number of previous final qualifications matters: one may give you a right, while two do not give you this retraining right. The number of course certificates in a folder does not decide the issue by itself.
| Background | What it means for the retraining right |
|---|---|
| One general university admissions qualification | May give the right to one new vocational final qualification |
| One trade certificate and no other final qualification | May give the right to one new vocational final qualification |
| Trade certificate and completed supplementary programme for general university admissions certification | Two final qualifications; not this right |
| Two different trade certificates | Two final qualifications; not this right |
| Practice certificate at a lower level than a vocational qualification | Ordinary upper secondary education rights may still remain |
Udir clarifies that it does not matter whether you obtained the qualification before or after the new law. How you obtained it does not change the counting rule either. A trade certificate obtained as a practice candidate also counts.
Example: You have a trade certificate as a chef and want to enter another occupation. The retraining scheme may apply. If you also completed the supplementary programme and obtained general university admissions certification, the county authority must assess your case as someone with two final qualifications.
There is no upper age limit. This is a right to adult education, not a general right for every child to choose a new school pathway.
What if your education is from another country?
The county authority must clarify what your foreign education means for your rights. A foreign diploma is not automatically the same as a recognised Norwegian general or vocational qualification.
If you completed upper secondary school in another country but your education is not recognised as a general or vocational qualification in Norway, you may have the ordinary right to upper secondary education. This follows Udir’s guidance on the right to upper secondary education, checked on 3 October 2026.
Ask the county authority to assess your documents before concluding that you have one or two final qualifications. Also disclose any previous recognition decisions. Do not decide your rights based only on a Norwegian translation of the name of your education.
Gather diplomas, transcripts and any recognition decisions. Ask which translations are needed before ordering them. If documents are missing, explain what information you have and what is missing.
Where and when do you apply?
Contact the county authority where you live. As an adult, you can apply for admission throughout the year, and offers must be made on an ongoing basis.
The county authority is responsible for upper secondary education for adults. Look for “adult education” or “vocational retraining” on the county’s website. The application process and programmes may vary.
As an adult, you have the right to admission to a programme leading towards one of three desired final qualifications among those the county authority offers. This does not guarantee your first choice or a particular start date. This is explained in Udir’s questions and answers about upper secondary education, checked on 3 October 2026.
Before applying, prepare:
- An overview of your previous education and final qualifications.
- Diplomas, transcripts and any recognition decisions.
- A CV and employment certificates describing your duties and how long you performed them.
- Occupations or final qualifications you want to work towards.
- Information about when you can attend and whether you may also work.
You can start with this message:
I would like you to assess my right to vocational retraining. I have [previous education] and want training towards [occupation]. Which documents do you need, how do you assess foreign education, and which programmes can I apply for?
Do you have to repeat the entire education programme?
No. The training must build on the skills you already have. If you have the right to retraining, you also have the right to an assessment of prior learning.
An assessment of prior learning means your existing skills are assessed against the curriculum. These may include knowledge from work, education and other experience. The assessment helps the county authority identify what training you need.
Read about the process in SamfunnPrep’s guide to assessment of prior learning. Ask for a plan that shows what has been assessed, what you are missing and how the training will be organised.
There is no fixed duration that suits everyone. The retraining right also includes associated adult education rights described by Udir, including an alternative training offer if you do not get an apprenticeship placement. Ask the county authority what this means for your trade.
What does it cost, and how can you study while working?
The rules on free public upper secondary education also apply to adults. Free education does not mean you are paid while studying or that every equipment cost is covered.
Udir refers to section 18-9 of the Education Act in its guidance on the principle of free education, checked on 3 October 2026. Ask about equipment, teaching hours, practical training and travel before making a budget.
If you have a job, clarify working hours or any leave with your employer. The right to education itself does not give you automatic paid time off. Any student support must also be assessed separately.
Private schools operate under different rules. Udir says that adults admitted there for retraining follow ordinary pupil education and not a specially organised adult programme. Check fees and accommodations before choosing a private school.
What if you are unsure about your right?
Ask the county authority to assess your background and which scheme applies. If you have two final qualifications, the county authority may still choose to offer training even if you do not have the retraining right.
Ask them to explain which qualifications they counted. Save the response with your documents. SamfunnPrep’s practical tools support other tasks as you plan life in Norway. The county authority decides which training offer applies in your case.
