Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO)

Key facts

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

About the Oslo School of Architecture and Design

AHO describes itself as a leading international specialised university that offers education in architecture, design, landscape architecture and urbanism, organised in three institutes: Architecture, Design, and Urbanism and Landscape.^[6] The Norwegian Wikipedia classes it as a state scientific college (“statlig vitenskapelig høyskole”).^[4]

The school began in 1945 as an architecture line at the state school of crafts and applied arts, and became an independent college in 1961.^[4] Its front page lists 864 students, 10 study programmes, 40 PhD students and 8 workshops; the figures carry no date.^[1] Older sources give lower numbers (about 650 to 700), which shows how small the school is compared with a general university.^[8]

How is AHO ranked?

We could not confirm a position for AHO in the QS World University Rankings 2027 (published 18 June 2026). We found no source that lists it, so we give no number. The English Wikipedia article on AHO mentions no ranking either.^[8] The earlier label “Top Architecture (Europe)” in our Norway table was not backed by a source and has been replaced. Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat any single position as one view. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at AHO?

The school lists 10 study programmes.^[1] Two of its English-taught master’s degrees are described on AHO’s own pages:

• Master of Architecture: 2.5 years and 150 ECTS credits, entering directly at the fourth year of AHO’s 5.5-year architecture programme. It is taught in English and has 15 study places.^[7]
• Master of Design: 2 years full-time and 120 ECTS credits, taught in English. It covers industrial, interaction and service design and systems-oriented design.^[9]

According to Wikipedia, AHO also offers a master’s in landscape architecture and a PhD as its only doctoral degree; check aho.no for the current list.^[8]

How much does AHO cost in 2026/27?

AHO states the fee from autumn 2026 and says it may be adjusted every year.^[2] The first payment covers the first academic year; later invoices come at the start of each semester. Instalments are not possible, and new students can ask for a deferred payment deadline.^[2] The fee does not cover excursions, materials, equipment or other study costs.^[2] AHO does not offer scholarships that cover tuition fees.^[2]

Exemptions

Exemption categories include a permanent residence permit in Norway, residence because of protection, residence as a family member of an EU/EEA citizen, 24 months of continuous full-time work in Norway with tax paid there, and 36 months of study and residence in Norway.^[2] Partner-university exchange students do not need to apply.^[2]

History of the fee

AHO introduced a fee of NOK 363,550 per year for new non-EU/EEA/Swiss master’s students in autumn 2023. The school’s own news item notes that the fee was revised to NOK 150,000 per academic year from 2026.^[10]

Semester fee and proof of funds

All students pay a semester fee to the Student Welfare Organisation in Oslo (SiO); the amount is not given on AHO’s page.^[3] Students from outside the EU/EEA/Switzerland must also document proof of finances for the tuition fee plus one year of living expenses for the study permit.^[2] For living costs see the Norway guide.

How do you apply to AHO?

Applications run through the national portal Søknadsweb, where you select AHO. You log in with BankID or create an account as an international applicant.^[11]

• Master of Architecture: a bachelor’s degree or equivalent of 180 ECTS in architecture, transcripts and diploma, a self-declaration sorting your courses into the required subject areas, and a digital portfolio with a CV as one PDF (maximum 15 MB).^[11]
• Assessment: qualified applicants are assessed by the AHO Assessment Committee, which looks at concepts, representation skills and the clarity and structure of the portfolio.^[11]
• Fee paperwork: no documentation about the tuition fee is needed with the application.^[11]

We give no deadlines because they change every year. Check the admission page of your programme. Admission requirements for other programmes, such as the Master of Design, are on their own admission pages.

Which English level do you need?

Applicants from outside the Nordic countries must document English. AHO’s page, last modified 16 September 2026, lists these main options:^[12]

• TOEFL iBT: at least 4.0 overall on the new 1–6 scale (equal to 80 on the old scale) and 4.0 in each section. For tests taken before January 2026: 80 overall and at least 20 in each section. MyBest scores are not accepted.
• IELTS Academic: overall band 6.5 with at least 6 in each component. IELTS One Skill Retake is not accepted.
• PTE Academic: 62 overall and 62 in each component.
• Other routes: Cambridge CPE or CAE (grade A, B or C) or First (grade A), IB English HL with at least 4, or Norwegian upper secondary English with grade 4.

Test scores up to two years old are accepted. Graduates of upper secondary schools in listed English-speaking countries, and applicants with a bachelor’s degree taught in English, need no test but must still submit proof such as transcripts.^[12] Older regulations on AHO’s site mention lower thresholds, so use the page above.

More about studying in Norway

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

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