The Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) is a specialised business school in Bergen with about 3,700 students and about 470 employees.[1] It was founded in 1936 as Norway’s first business school.[2] NHH has not been confirmed in the QS World University Rankings 2027, but it has been on the Financial Times list of European business schools since 2005 and ranked 88th in the FT Masters in Management 2026.[1][3]
Students with an EU/EEA or Swiss passport pay no tuition. For students from other countries, the 2026/27 fee is NOK 142,000 per year for a bachelor’s and NOK 204,000 per year for a master’s.[4] All students also pay a semester fee of about NOK 910.[4] Master’s applicants need a GMAT or GRE result and an English test unless they are exempt.[5]
Key facts
| Official name | Norges Handelshøyskole (NHH) |
| Location | Bergen, Norway (Helleveien 30, 5045 Bergen)[1] |
| Type | Public business school[6] |
| Founded | 1936, as Norway’s first business school[2] |
| Students | About 3,700 (Wikipedia gives 3,453)[1] |
| Employees | About 470; 280 faculty (2025 key figures)[1] |
| International students | 15% (2025)[1] |
| Accreditation | “Triple Crown” accredited since 2022 (AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS); CEMS member[1] |
| Financial Times | On the FT European business schools list since 2005; Masters in Management 2026: 88th[3] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Not confirmed (no institution-level QS entry found)[6] |
| Tuition 2026/27, non-EU/EEA students | NOK 142,000 per year (bachelor’s) · NOK 204,000 per year (master’s)[4] |
| Semester fee | About NOK 910 per semester, paid to Sammen, for all students[4] |
| Master’s admission tests | GMAT or GRE (unless exempt) plus an English test (e.g. IELTS Academic 6.5)[5] |
| Official website | nhh.no/en |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 7 November 2026.
About the Norwegian School of Economics
NHH is a business school in Bergen. It was opened by King Haakon VII on 7 September 1936, ten years before the University of Bergen, and was the first business school in Norway.[2] NHH describes itself as one of the leading business schools in Europe, with 200 partner universities and business schools in more than 50 countries; it reports six departments, seven research centres and one Centre of Excellence.[1]
The school is a member of the CEMS and PIM networks.[2] NHH’s key figures for 2025 list 473 full-time equivalents, 280 faculty, 18 PhD defences and a budget of about NOK 800 million.[1]
How is the Norwegian School of Economics ranked?
We could not confirm a position for NHH in the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026. The aggregator XuanXiao, which lists QS placements by edition for other Norwegian institutions, shows no QS institution rank for NHH. Its only overall entry is the Shanghai ranking (ARWU) 2023 band of 901–1000.[6]
NHH’s own ranking page names the Financial Times: the school has been on the FT list of European business schools since 2005 and scored 51 out of 100 in the 2025 edition.[7] In the FT Masters in Management ranking 2026, NHH is 88th, a few places below 83rd in 2025; it was not included in 2024.[3] Rankings differ by publisher and year. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at NHH?
The admission pages for international applicants cover two programmes:[8][5]
- Bachelor in Business, Economics and Data Science: the English-taught bachelor’s programme starts in August 2027.[8]
- Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration: admission is once a year and the programme starts in August. The admission page we read does not state the language of instruction.[5]
NHH also takes part in the CEMS Master’s in International Management, and the FT has ranked that programme among the best in the world several times, without a position or year given.[7] About 60% of NHH students go on exchange, according to the school.[1] NHH also offers a PhD programme, whose first candidate graduated in 1957.[2]
How much does NHH cost in 2026/27?
| Year of start | Bachelor’s per year | Master’s per year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | NOK 130,000 | NOK 180,000 |
| 2025/26 | NOK 136,000 | NOK 196,000 |
| 2026/27 | NOK 142,000 | NOK 204,000 |
| 2027/28 | Not yet decided; expected in the first quarter of 2027 | |
These fees are for students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland.[4] The fee stays the same for the nominal length of the programme: three years for a bachelor’s and two for a master’s.[4]
Who does not pay?
Students with an EU/EEA or Swiss passport pay no tuition, and neither do incoming exchange students, CEMS students and double-degree students. Full-degree students can apply for an exemption on certain grounds, for example a permanent residence permit in a Nordic country, a protection permit or a family-related permit.[4]
Semester fee
Every student pays a semester registration fee of about NOK 910 to Sammen, the student welfare organisation in Bergen, regardless of passport.[4] For living costs in Bergen and the rest of Norway, see our Norway guide.
How do you apply to NHH?
Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration (non-Norwegian bachelor’s degree). You apply in the national portal Søknadsweb. Admission needs:[5]
- a completed bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree, checked against the HK-dir GSU list for your country;
- 90 ECTS in economics and business administration, with at least 30 ECTS in business administration and at most 45 ECTS in methodological subjects such as statistics or mathematics;
- a grade point average of roughly a B on the ECTS scale. NHH states that these requirements cannot be offset by work experience or test results;
- a GMAT or GRE result, unless you are exempt (for example, 90 ECTS from a Nordic institution, a degree from a CEMS or PIM school, or 30 ECTS passed at NHH).
Bachelor in Business, Economics and Data Science. The page describes two application pathways: applicants who qualify through Samordna Opptak, the Norwegian national admission system (mostly holders of a Nordic degree), apply there, and applicants with an international upper secondary degree follow a separate process set out on NHH’s pages. Your application is only evaluated if it is submitted through the correct portal.[8][9]
We give no deadlines here because they change every year; the dates are on the NHH application pages.
Which language level do you need?
For the master’s you must show English through one of these tests. Results may be no more than two years old and must be sent to NHH directly by the test provider:[5]
| Test | Minimum |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT | 90 (tests before 21 Jan 2026) or 4.5 (from 21 Jan 2026) |
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 overall |
| Cambridge English | 173 |
| Pearson PTE Academic | 62 overall |
You are exempt if you completed at least two years of full-time university study in Great Britain, Ireland, the USA, Canada, New Zealand or Australia, one year of full-time master’s study taught in English, or upper secondary English that is comparable to at least a Norwegian grade 4. Branch campus, validated, franchised and distance-learning programmes do not count, and NHH says no other grounds are considered.[5]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is NHH free for international students?
Do I need the GMAT or GRE for NHH?
For the master’s in Economics and Business Administration, yes, unless you hold 90 ECTS from a Nordic institution, a degree from a CEMS or PIM school, or have passed at least 30 ECTS at NHH.[5]
Is NHH in the QS World University Rankings 2027?
What English score does NHH require for the master’s?
IELTS Academic 6.5 overall, TOEFL iBT 90 (4.5 on the scale used from 21 January 2026), Cambridge English 173 or PTE Academic 62, unless you are exempt.[5]
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 Academy of Music
- 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
Sources
[1] NHH: Facts and figures (page without a date; key figures for 2025)
[2] Wikipedia: Norwegian School of Economics (history, memberships and student numbers)
[3] NHH Bulletin: NHH master’s programme holds world-class standing (FT Masters in Management 2026) (article of 8 Sep 2026)
[4] NHH: Tuition and financial matters (page without a date; lists fees up to the 2026/27 start)
[5] NHH: Admission to the Master in Economics and Business Administration (page without an overall date; English exemptions updated Sep 2025; the page says it is being updated before the portal opens on 1 Jan 2027)
[6] XuanXiao: Norwegian School of Economics rankings (QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access) (aggregator page fetched 16 Sep 2026, shows no QS institution rank; QS edition released 18 Jun 2026)
[7] NHH: Rankings (page without a date; FT scores up to the 2025 edition)
[8] NHH: Admission to the Bachelor in Business, Economics and Data Science (page without a date; covers the 2027 start)
[9] NHH: Application and admission (overview page without a date)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.