Details

• Norway
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• SoSe 2026
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months
• Contact: Login to see contact information

1. Preparation

Always read all the information and letters regarding your exchange carefully, and be aware of the deadlines. Don't underestimate the Norwegian weather, especially in the winter. Take in account that the days in the winter are short and not sunny- take your vitamin D!! Prepare yourself for the lack of sun- it can be mentally challenging sometimes. Since I was travelling from Vienna I took the plane, Norwegian Airline is a good choice. Especially later when you travel from Oslo to other cities use the code UNDER26- to save some money.

2. Accommodation

The home university sends you recommendations for student accommodations. I chose BSN student living, which is 7 minutes walk from the campus. The building is really popular among international students, so you basically live with your friends together and also never have to walk home alone. The apartments are clean, spacious and modern, where you have your own bedroom and share the kitchen and bath with one other student. Only minus point for the kitchen, that it doesn't have microwave, but you can get use to it quickly:) I absolutely loved the neighbourhood- Nydalen- which I found safe and modern. Everything is in 5-10 minutes walking distance: big shopping mall, tram, bus and subway station. Just at the dorm is a small grocery shop, almost always open. And a gym is also in the building, not the biggest but it's enough for a decent workout. If you apply for this accommodation be aware of the deadline since it's first come first serve.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus is really pretty and modern, with a lot of study spaces. My favourite is the library, which even feels cozy. In the building there is a gym- for an excellent price for students- and also a medical center. The food is decent for the price and also the two cafés and super market offers good options if you are not in the mood to cook at home. Although if you bring your food, they have some microwaves in the canteen to heat it up. Most of my courses were frontal teaching, which I didn't enjoy that much. Though there was most of the time no attendance (making travelling around easier) and usually the final exam is decisive (read the syllabus carefully).

5. Every day life in the host country

Public transport works really well and not really crowded, but the subway system can be confusing first. Overall I felt safe, except one district called Grønland, but it's not much to do there anyways. The locals are seem reserved, but if you need help you can freely ask since they speak a very good English and are usually nice. The Norwegians are the most sporty people I know, I was totally amazed how much sport they do- no matter the weather. If you are sporty and outdoorsy Norway is the place to be, you can try cross country skiing- Oslo offers great opportunities or go on beautiful hikes etc.

6. Testimonial

During my exchange I learnt really valuable people know, who now are one of my closest friends. I had the opportunity to travel around Scandinavia (Bergen, Stavanger- Preikestolen, Tromsø, Kopenhagen, Stockholm, Göteborg). I experienced the polar lights in Oslo and was skiing in -20 degrees 3 hours away from Oslo. Also the start of the scandi summer, where every people begins to chill and bbq on the islands of Oslo as soon as a little sun comes out. And not just the short days- in the winter- but also the long days- where the sun goes down at 22:30 and you loose your feeling of the time passing by- are a unique experience.