Norwegian Academy of Music

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 7 November 2026.

About the Norwegian Academy of Music

NMH describes itself as a leading artistic and academic university with Norway’s largest educational environment in music. It trains music therapists, instrumentalists, singers, church musicians, music educators, conductors, composers, music technologists and piano tuners.^[10] It is located at Majorstua in Oslo.^[10] Wikipedia describes it as a specialised university (vitenskapelig høgskole) and the largest music academy in Norway.^[7]

The academy is a state institution that grew out of a private conservatoire. Norway’s parliament voted on 28 April 1972 to establish a state academy of music in Oslo, and the academy opened with a gala concert on 3 September 1973. Many teachers stayed on from the old conservatoire, and the first home was the conservatoire’s old building.^[8]

How is the Norwegian Academy of Music ranked?

NMH is a specialist institution, and we found no position for it in the QS World University Rankings 2027. Our earlier table showed “Top Music (Europe)”, which is not a QS position, so we do not repeat it.

The relevant table is QS World University Rankings by Subject: Performing Arts. The aggregator xuanxiao.org lists NMH =30th in 2026 (score 72.6) and 21st in 2024 (score 80.0).^[2][11] NMH’s own news items report 8th place in 2021 and 2022 and 9th in 2023; in 2022 and 2023 it was the only Nordic institution in the top 10.^[12][13] The 2026 aggregator entry is lower than these earlier positions, and we have not read QS’s own table. Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at the Norwegian Academy of Music?

NMH offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees in music, both practical and theoretical, plus annual courses and continuing education of 5 to 60 credits.^[1] Bachelor’s programmes run four years in two modules (years 1–2 and years 3–4). Examples include the Bachelor of Music in Conducting, with Individual Concentration, in Church Music and in Composition.^[4]

Master’s programmes are two years full-time, for example Master of Music Performance, Master of Music in Conducting, Master of Music in Practice-Oriented Music Analysis and Master of Music in Church Music.^[14] Most graduate programmes are available to English-speaking students; some are taught in Norwegian only.^[15]

How much does the Norwegian Academy of Music cost for international students?

NMH charges tuition to international students with citizenship from outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland. The fee is NOK 220,000 per academic year for performance studies. The page does not name the academic year and does not list fees for other kinds of study.^[3]

The fee must be paid in full by 1 June before the start of the following academic year, with no instalments; students who miss the deadline automatically lose their study rights. NMH offers no scholarships to cover tuition fees. Exchange students from partner universities and students who started before autumn 2023 are exempt. Other groups can apply for an exemption; the form was closed when we read the page and reopens in the next admission period.^[3]

Semester fee

All students pay a semester fee each semester, which consists of the fee to the Student Welfare Organisation in Oslo and Akershus (SiO). NMH points to SiO’s website for the current amount.^[9] SiO’s own annual report says the fee was NOK 690 in 2025.^[17]

Living costs

Tuition is separate from the funds you must document to secure a study permit. The 2023 news item mentions this requirement but gives only a 2022–2023 amount, so check the Norwegian immigration authorities for the current figure.^[16]

How do you apply to the Norwegian Academy of Music?

International applicants use the ordinary online application system, Søknadsweb, and fill in an application form. You upload all required documents there; requirements for supporting material differ by programme.^[4][18]

• First round: for most programmes you submit video recordings of your audition programme. They must be unedited between cuts, shared through Vimeo, YouTube or a similar platform and available for the whole admission period.^[5]
• Second round: approved applicants are invited to auditions and interviews in the spring. Applicants for the first module of a bachelor’s programme must also pass a written test in music theory and aural skills (60 out of 100 points).^[4][19]
• Entry level: the minimum is completed Norwegian upper secondary education or an equivalent international qualification, as listed in the GSU list.^[20]

In 2025 NMH had 686 undergraduate and 450 graduate applicants.^[1] We give no deadlines here because they change every year; check the admission pages of NMH.

Which language level do you need at the Norwegian Academy of Music?

Different language requirements apply to each programme, depending on whether teaching is in English or Norwegian. All applicants who completed upper secondary school outside the Nordic countries must document English.^[15]

Cambridge First, Advanced and Proficiency, telc English B2 or higher, and Michigan ECPE or ECCE are also accepted. NMH does not accept TOEFL Essentials, IELTS General Training or the Duolingo English test. NMH’s TOEFL code is B387.^[15]

Applicants to the first module of most bachelor’s programmes must also show Norwegian proficiency, and some graduate programmes taught only in Norwegian have a Norwegian requirement. Most graduate programmes are available to English-speaking students.^[15]

More about studying in Norway

• Norway: best universities
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

More university profiles in Norway

• BI Norwegian Business School
• MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society
• Nord University
• Norwegian School of Economics (NHH)
• Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
• NTNU – Norwegian University of Science and Technology
• Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO)
• OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University
• UiT The Arctic University of Norway
• University of Agder
• University of Bergen
• University of Oslo
• University of South-Eastern Norway
• University of Stavanger