Oslo Norway Program

UT students can spend a semester or an academic year at the Universitetet i Oslo (University of Oslo) http://www.uio.no/english on the basis of a partnership agreement between UT and the University of Oslo. This is a reciprocal exchange program which means that Oslo students study at UT as well. The University of Oslo was founded in 1811 and with 27,000 students is Norway’s largest and most prominent university. It is a comprehensive university which offers a full range of subjects, comparable to UT.

The University of Oslo offers about 800 courses in English across all fields of study, so knowledge of Norwegian is not required—particularly since most Norwegians have a good command of English. However, students can enroll in Norwegian language courses at all levels—from beginning to advanced levels. The University of Oslo has an academic calendar that is compatible with the UT calendar so students have the option of studying in Oslo during either semester. The fall semester goes from mid-August to mid-December and the spring semester from early January to mid-June.

Oslo is the capital of Norway and the most populous city in the country. It was established as a city in 1048. The population of the city is 623,000; the metropolitan area of Oslo has a population of 1,5 million. It is located at sea level at the Oslo Fjord. Oslo is the political, economic and cultural center of Norway. The city is a hub of Norwegian trade, banking, industry and shipping. It is an important center for maritime industries and maritime trade in Europe. Oslo is the fastest growing major city in Europe, and it also is the top-ranked major European city in terms of quality of life.

Academic Program: Students earn UT credit by attending the University of Oslo. Students can choose from a wide selection of courses taught in English in most areas of study:
http://www.uio.no/english/studies/courses/
The University offers Scandinavian Studies courses for exchange students:
http://www.uio.no/english/studies/course-groups/
International students can choose from a full range of Norwegian Language courses:
http://www.hf.uio.no/iln/studier/programmer/norskkurs/index-eng.html

Location: The main building of the university is located in downtown Oslo. Most classes are held at the modern Blindern campus a couple of miles from downtown. It can easily be reached with the Oslo T-bane (Oslo Metro) or by streetcar from all parts of the city. Oslo has a first-rate public transportation system which gives students a great deal of mobility throughout the city. The dorms are located in various parts of the city.

Housing and Meals: UT students are housed in a dorm. Dorm rooms are arranged by the International Office at the University of Oslo. Dorms are not located on campus; there are student villages throughout Oslo. Students are assigned a single room but share the bathroom with one other student. Students can prepare meals in a kitchen which is shared by up to six students. No meal plans are available in any of the dorms, but student cafeterias on campus serve inexpensive meals. All dorm rooms have internet access http://www.sio.no/

Health Insurance: UT students have free insurance through the national health scheme (valid in Norway only). There are small co-pays for doctor’s visits and hospital stays.

Expenses: Students maintain enrollment at UT and pay UT tuition and fees. There are no program fees and no charges at the University of Oslo, but students pay for transportation, dorm room, and food expenses.

Scholarships: The University of Oslo is sponsoring two scholarships in the amount of NOK 35,000 (c. $5,800) for students who will study in Oslo during the 2014-15 academic year (semester or year). Scholarships are also available through Education Abroad, such as the International Education Fee Scholarship (IEFS). https://world.utexas.edu/abroad/funding/scholarships/

Application: Apply at Education Abroad, Texas Global. The deadline for the Fall semester and for the academic year is March 1. The deadline for the Spring semester is October 1.
http://utdirect.utexas.edu/io/abroad/pgm_list/detail.WBX?s_master_id=1255

For questions concerning application procedures and scholarship information, contact
Sarah Survance
Texas Global
110 Inner Campus Dr.
Austin, Texas 78705
(512) 471-6965
ach.dan@austin.utexas.edu