The Samfunnskunnskapsprøven is a digital multiple-choice exam you must pass to apply for permanent oppholdstillatelse or Norwegian statsborgerskap. With a fixed six-week study plan and active practice, most people pass. Here you'll find the plan, topics, and rules.
What is the Samfunnskunnskapsprøven?
The Samfunnskunnskapsprøven is a public exam that tests your knowledge of Norwegian society. You must pass it to apply for permanent oppholdstillatelse and Norwegian statsborgerskap. The exam is created and managed by HK-dir (Direktoratet for høyere utdanning og kompetanse), which also sets the curriculum.
The exam is based on the official 50-hour curriculum for civics. You can take it in seven languages: Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, English, French, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian. Choose the language you find easiest.
How many questions are there, and what do you need to pass?
The exam has 38 questions, and you have 60 minutes to complete it. 34 of the questions count toward your score, while 4 are test questions that don't count — but you don't know which ones, so treat all equally. To pass, you must answer at least 26 of the 34 scoring questions correctly.
Most tasks are multiple-choice questions with three answer options, with only one correct answer. Some are image-based questions where you click on the correct spot in an image. You can move freely between questions and change your answers as long as time remains. A question you don't answer counts as wrong.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Number of questions | 38 (34 count, 4 are test questions) |
| Passing score | at least 26 of 34 correct |
| Time | 60 minutes |
| Question types | multiple choice + image questions |
| Languages | 7 languages, including Norwegian and English |
| Cost | often free once, otherwise around 1100–1200 kr |
If you want to see the full structure in detail, we have a separate guide on exam format from A to Z.
The seven topics you'll be tested on
The curriculum is divided into seven topics from the official curriculum. Questions can come from any of them, so you should cover all areas.
- New immigrant in Norway
- History, geography, and way of life
- Children and family
- Health
- Education and qualifications
- Working life
- Democracy and welfare society
The topics on family, working life, health, and democracy typically get the most questions. But don't skip the others — a point from health or history counts just as much as any other.
A six-week study plan that works
Most people pass the exam with six to eight weeks of focused preparation. Set aside around 45 minutes per day, five days a week, and take one full practice test each weekend. The plan works best if you're at Norwegian level A2 or higher.
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | New in Norway + history and geography |
| Week 2 | Children and family |
| Week 3 | Health + education |
| Week 4 | Working life |
| Week 5 | Democracy and welfare society + review |
| Week 6 | Full practice exams at 60 minutes |
The most common mistake is starting too late and reading the entire curriculum in one stretch right before the exam. Your brain learns best in short sessions repeated over time. Build the rhythm early so you avoid stress in the final week. If you need a quick start, you can follow a fixed plan for the first week.
How to remember more: active recall
Active recall means testing yourself rather than just reading. It's two to three times more effective than passive reading, and it's the most important technique for this exam.
Here's how to do it in practice:
- Read a short section, close the book, and write down what you remember.
- Take a short quiz after each topic, not just at the end.
- Mark the questions you get wrong and practice those areas extra.
- Repeat the difficult topics after a few days, not the same day.
Practicing with real multiple-choice questions is the best training. You can start with 50 practice questions with answers and build from there.
Common mistakes you should avoid
Some mistakes are common among those who don't pass. Most are easy to avoid once you know about them.
- Reading without testing yourself. Passive reading gives a false sense of understanding.
- Skipping "boring" topics. Points from health or history count just as much.
- Answering too quickly without reading the entire question. Read all three options before you choose.
- Leaving questions blank. An unanswered question is always wrong — guess instead.
If you want to see more pitfalls, we've collected the most common mistakes on the exam.
Register in advance
You register with your local test site, which is usually the adult education program in your municipality. There's no central national registration portal — each municipality sets its own dates. Register early, as spaces are limited and registration is binding.
The cost varies by municipality and your situation. If you're entitled to free instruction in Norwegian and civics, the exam is often free once. Otherwise it typically costs around 1100–1200 kroner. Check your decision from UDI and your municipality's website for the date and cost. If you're unsure about the process, read how to register for the exam.
Ready for exam day?
Take at least two full practice exams at the same time of day as your real exam. This gets your brain used to maintaining concentration for 60 minutes. Come rested, bring valid identification, and read each question carefully before answering.
With SamfunnPrep, you can practice real multiple-choice questions, see which topics you're weak in, and track your progress week by week. All the tools are collected in our practice tool, so you don't have to hunt for the curriculum on your own.
Ready to practice? Try SamfunnPrep for free.
