UiT The Arctic University of Norway, formerly the University of Tromsø, is a multi-campus university in Northern Norway with its main seat in Tromsø. Its own figures are 15,500 students and 3,300 staff across eight faculties.[1] It is ranked 629th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, fourth in Norway.[2]
Since autumn 2023 students with citizenship from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland who enter full-degree programmes pay tuition.[3] UiT lists three categories per year: NOK 100,500 (humanities, social sciences, economics), NOK 150,500 (science, technology, health and others) and NOK 351,000 (medicine, dentistry, aviation); the price list does not name an academic year.[3] UiT has no bachelor’s programme taught in English.[3]
Key facts
| Official name | UiT Norges arktiske universitet (UiT The Arctic University of Norway; formerly University of Tromsø) |
| Location | Tromsø, Northern Norway; main campuses Tromsø, Alta, Narvik and Harstad (admissions postal address PO Box 6050 Langnes, N-9037 Tromsø)[3] |
| Type | Public university; describes itself as the northernmost university in the world[4] |
| Founded | 1968 (University of Tromsø); merged with Tromsø University College in 2009, Finnmark University College in 2013, and Harstad and Narvik University Colleges in 2016[5] |
| Students | 15,500 (page without a date; more than 10% from abroad)[1] |
| Staff | 3,300[1] |
| Faculties | Eight[1] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | 629th (fourth in Norway)[2] |
| Tuition, non-EU/EEA/Swiss students (academic year not stated) | NOK 100,500 / 150,500 / 351,000 per year by category, incl. NOK 10,000 administrative fee[3] |
| Semester fee | NOK 670 per semester; included in the tuition fee for students who pay tuition[3] |
| English-taught programmes | Around 27 master’s programmes and two one-year programmes; no bachelor’s programmes in English[3] |
| Master’s English requirement | IELTS Academic 6.5, TOEFL iBT 85 (or 4.5 on the new scale), or PTE Academic 62[3] |
| Official website | en.uit.no |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 7 November 2026.
About UiT The Arctic University of Norway
UiT says that it is the northernmost university in the world and that its location at the edge of the Arctic gives it a mission: many of its research centres and study programmes reflect the character of Arctic Norway.[1] It was established as the University of Tromsø in 1968, after the Norwegian parliament enacted a university for the north.[5] Its higher-education roots go back further: a teacher’s college in Northern Norway was approved in 1826 and the Tromsø Museum dates from 1872.[5]
The university has been through three mergers: with the University College of Tromsø on 1 January 2009, with the University College of Finnmark on 1 August 2013 and with the University Colleges of Harstad and Narvik on 1 January 2016. The result is a multi-campus university with main campuses in Tromsø, Alta, Narvik and Harstad and smaller departments in Mo i Rana, Hammerfest and Kirkenes.[1] UiT reports 15,500 students and 3,300 staff, eight faculties, more than 20% of academic staff and 10% of the student body from abroad, and 200 international agreements; the page carries no date.[1]
How is UiT ranked?
In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, UiT is 629th in the world and fourth among Norwegian universities, behind Oslo (131st), NTNU (264th) and Bergen (283rd).[2] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.
UiT’s own ranking page is in Norwegian only and lists mostly older results, among them Times Higher Education 501–600 in 2024 and QS 367th in 2018.[6]
What can you study at UiT?
UiT’s eight faculties offer a broad range of programmes despite the focus on northern issues, and all faculties offer English-taught courses at bachelor’s and master’s level.[1] The international admissions page is more specific about full degrees: UiT currently offers no bachelor’s programmes taught in English, but two one-year programmes in English and around 27 master’s programmes, many of them in science with several specialisations.[3]
The tuition price list names master’s programmes such as Psychology, Public Health, Peace and Conflict Transformation, Philosophy, the Law of the Sea, Computer Science, Biology, Marine Biotechnology, Physics, Aerospace Engineering and Fine Art.[3] Singular courses at bachelor’s level cannot be taken without Norwegian language proficiency.[3]
How much does UiT cost?
The Norwegian government decided that from autumn 2023 students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland who are admitted to full-degree programmes pay tuition. The fee covers lectures, examinations and semester fees but not course literature.[3] The price list below applies to bachelor’s and master’s programmes and includes an administrative fee of NOK 10,000. It does not name an academic year, so confirm the current amount with UiT before budgeting.[3]
| Category | Subjects | Fee per year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Humanities, social sciences, economic and administrative subjects (e.g. Psychology, Philosophy, Public Health) | NOK 100,500 |
| 2 | Science, technology, health, social and sports subjects, teacher education, performing arts, media (e.g. Computer Science, Physics, Fine Art) | NOK 150,500 |
| 3 | Medicine, dentistry, aviation studies | NOK 351,000 |
A UiT page on studies in English, which carries no date, still says there are no tuition fees at UiT and speaks of around 30 English-taught programmes; that contradicts the admissions page, which describes the rules in force since autumn 2023, so we follow the admissions page.[7] UiT’s cost-of-living page confirms that most full-degree students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland have paid tuition since autumn 2023.[8] Exceptions: the Master in Indigenous Studies has no tuition fee; Norwegian Language and Society (one year) costs NOK 48,200 and Arctic Nature Guide in Svalbard (one year) NOK 55,200 per year; the Master in the Law of the Sea has a total price of NOK 150,750.[3]
Exemptions and semester fee
Exchange students do not pay tuition, nor do students who were enrolled in a full-degree programme before autumn 2023 (while finishing that programme) or students in listed joint degrees, among them Erasmus Mundus Human Rights and Practice. Others, such as holders of a permanent residence permit in Norway, can apply after receiving and accepting an offer.[3] Students who pay tuition do not pay the semester fee of NOK 670 separately, because it is included.[3]
Applicants from outside the EU/EEA must also document funds of NOK 170,368 for one academic year (for admission in autumn 2027), the amount set by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration.[3] See our Norway guide for living costs.
How do you apply to UiT?
International degree applicants apply online, and UiT uses a web-based service called SøknadsWeb for applications.[7] Non-EU/EEA applicants and EU/EEA and Swiss applicants each have their own opening date and deadline, and Nordic applicants have a different route. Check which category you belong to before you apply.[3]
- Master’s: you need a bachelor’s degree of at least three years from an accredited institution (UiT checks the World Higher Education Database); depending on your country of upper secondary education more may be required. Grades are calculated on the ECTS scale. You upload degree certificate, transcript and a filled-in enclosure form.[3]
- Funds: applicants from outside the EU/EEA without a Norwegian residence permit must document financial ability within the deadline, otherwise the application is rejected.[3]
- Bachelor’s: the programmes are taught in Norwegian, so Norwegian language requirements apply.[3]
We give no deadlines here because they change every year; the international admissions page lists them.
Which language level do you need?
At master’s level UiT lists these minimum results; some programmes require more, so check the programme page.[3]
| Test | Minimum result |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.5 overall (IELTS Online not accepted) |
| TOEFL iBT / Home Edition | 85 total, or 4.5 on the new scale (MyBest Score not accepted); paper-based 550 |
| Pearson PTE Academic (also Online) | 62 overall |
| Cambridge | C2 Proficiency grade C or better, C1 Advanced grade C or better, B2 First grade B or better |
UiT follows the national requirements of the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, and for applicants with foreign education the GSU list sets the entrance rules. UiT offers no preparatory courses in English.[3]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is UiT free for international students?
No for most non-EU/EEA students. Since autumn 2023 students from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland who enter full-degree programmes pay tuition; the price list shows NOK 100,500 to NOK 351,000 per year by subject category, without naming an academic year.[3] The Master in Indigenous Studies is exempt.[3]
How is UiT ranked?
It is 629th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and the fourth-placed Norwegian university.[2]
Is UiT the same as the University of Tromsø?
Can I study a bachelor’s degree in English at UiT?
Not currently. UiT offers no bachelor’s programmes taught in English, but it has around 27 master’s programmes and two one-year programmes in English.[3]
Which English test do I need for a UiT master’s?
IELTS Academic 6.5, TOEFL iBT 85 (or 4.5 on the new scale), PTE Academic 62 or an accepted Cambridge certificate; some programmes require more.[3]
Do I pay a semester fee as well as tuition?
The semester fee is NOK 670 per semester for all students, but students who pay tuition fees do not pay it separately because it is included.[3]
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 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
- University of Agder
- University of Bergen
- University of Oslo
- University of South-Eastern Norway
- University of Stavanger
Sources
[1] UiT: About UiT (page without a date; mentions the 2016 merger)
[2] Uniforum (University of Oslo): UiO goes down in new ranking but keeps the lead in Norway (QS 2027, all Norwegian universities) (published 18 Jun 2026; QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access)
[3] UiT: International admissions (admission, English requirements, funds, semester fee, tuition fee) (page without a date; refers to admission for autumn 2027)
[4] Wikipedia: UiT The Arctic University of Norway (type and founding year; page without a date)
[5] UiT: The story of UiT (page without a date)
[6] UiT: Rankings (page without a date; older results)
[7] UiT: Studies in English (page without a date; outdated on tuition)
[8] UiT: Cost of living in Norway for international students at UiT (page without a date)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.