NHH Norwegian School of Economics

About NHH Norwegian School of Economics

NHH is an independent, state-owned Norwegian higher-education institution classified as a specialized university. Its disciplinary scope is narrower than that of a comprehensive university: teaching and research center on economics, business administration, management, finance, accounting, and adjacent analytical fields. This focus may suit students seeking a business-school environment, but it offers less breadth for those who want unrelated disciplines within the same institution. The school officially opened in 1936 and retains Norges handelshøyskole as its Norwegian legal name. NHH Norwegian School of Economics is its current English institutional name. Its main address is Helleveien 30 in Bergen, and official schedules show active bachelor’s and master’s teaching in autumn 2026. NHH awards qualifications at bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Prospective international students should distinguish between programmes available in English and programmes intended primarily for Norwegian-language applicants. The English-facing portfolio prominently includes the Bachelor in Business, Economics and Data Science and the Master in Economics and Business Administration. The institution also provides executive education, but such credentials should not be assumed to correspond to the three degree levels recorded here. NHH’s concentrated subject profile shapes the wider experience: student organizations, employer engagement, international exchanges, and academic activities are closely connected to business and economics. Applicants comparing NHH with broader universities should weigh this specialized setting alongside programme language, eligibility rules, and the cost differences between nationality groups.

Admissions are programme-specific. For the English-taught Bachelor in Business, Economics and Data Science, 2026/27 eligibility requires education equivalent to the Norwegian Higher Education Entrance Qualification, specified mathematics preparation, and the published English requirement. NHH provides country- and qualification-specific rules. EU, EEA, and Swiss applicants completing school in the application year may be considered conditionally, whereas non-EU/EEA/Swiss applicants must hold their final upper-secondary diploma by the relevant application deadline. The official bachelor’s page states a 15 February deadline for the former route and a 15 November deadline for the latter; applicants must verify the cycle shown when they apply. For international-degree applicants to the Master in Economics and Business Administration, NHH requires a degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree and 90 ECTS in economics and business administration, including at least 30 ECTS in business administration. The published expectation is approximately a B on the ECTS scale. Unless exempt, applicants also need an accepted GMAT or GRE result and evidence of English proficiency. For the 2026 intake, the deadline was 15 February and has passed. NHH states that applications for autumn 2027 will open on 1 November 2026; applicants should recheck requirements when that cycle opens. PhD recruitment uses advertised Research Scholar positions. For positions normally starting in August 2027, the published deadlines are 15 September 2026 for the early round and 15 January 2027 for the main round. Department-specific availability applies, including a 2027 Finance intake.

NHH’s English-taught Bachelor in Business, Economics and Data Science integrates business administration and economics with programming, data analytics, information technology, mathematics, statistics, ethics, and sustainability. The three-year curriculum is organized around progressively broader themes. In the fourth semester, students may pursue an exchange, an internship pathway, or electives, subject to the programme rules. Graduates receive a bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics and Data Science and are eligible for direct transition to specified NHH master’s programmes under the published curriculum. The Master in Economics and Business Administration is a 120-ECTS programme. Its published specializations include Accounting, Business Analytics, Economics, Energy, Natural Resources and the Environment, Financial Economics, Marketing and Brand Management, Strategy and Management, and Economic Analysis. The available combinations allow students to emphasize quantitative analysis, markets, organizational questions, or particular industries. Applicants should confirm the current curriculum for their starting cohort because courses and programme structures can change. International opportunities described by NHH include semester exchange, double-degree routes, CEMS, ENGAGE.EU activities, internships abroad, and summer courses. Availability and selection conditions vary by route; they should not be treated as guaranteed components of admission. At doctoral level, admission is linked to advertised PhD Research Scholar positions and relevant departments. Candidates normally need a completed five-year, three-plus-two study cycle culminating in a relevant master’s degree. The PhD route is therefore an employment-linked and research-focused process rather than a general taught-programme application. For the 2027 start, NHH publishes separate early and main admission rounds.

Key Highlights

• Public, state-owned specialized university in Bergen
• Founded in 1936
• Verified bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD awarding institution
• Specialized in economics, business, and related analytical fields

Student Life & Environment

Students automatically become members of NHHS, NHH’s student association. Its activities cover sports, entrepreneurship and finance groups, student media, photography, dance, and choirs. This creates many routes into campus life, though participation is voluntary and the time commitment can vary considerably. NHHS also organizes business-facing events, including a career day, while major student initiatives include the UKEN cultural festival and the NHH Symposium. Globus brings Norwegian and international students together through social events, networking, and committees. New students are introduced to the institution through Welcome Week, with groups supported by older student mentors or hosts. NHH’s 2026 welcome programming also includes access to student well-being, study guidance, career counselling, and IT support. The institutional Service Centre handles study-related questions and connects students with advisers. The wider Sammen student-welfare organization provides housing, health, and other student services across Bergen. Housing is not universally guaranteed: NHH specifically states that incoming exchange students can receive a Sammen housing guarantee only when they meet the stated conditions and deadlines. Full-degree students should check their own eligibility and apply early rather than rely on exchange-student arrangements.

Location & Surroundings

NHH’s main campus is at Helleveien 30, 5045 Bergen, north of the city centre. Bergen is Norway’s second-largest urban area and a major west-coast center, but students should evaluate the campus itself rather than assume a downtown location. NHH’s practical guidance indicates that buses connect the campus area with central Bergen and Åsane. Grocery shops are available near campus, and Wi-Fi is provided on campus. Sammen operates student housing across Bergen. Hatleberg Student Hostel is directly across the road from NHH, while Øyjordsveien is another nearby option; other residences require a public-transport journey. Placement in a preferred property is not assured when demand is high. The local climate is an everyday consideration. NHH explicitly advises students to bring rainwear, and students planning outdoor activities may also want suitable hiking or winter equipment. Bergen provides access to urban cultural life and surrounding outdoor areas, but regular rain, housing availability, and commuting distance should be included in practical planning.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For the 2026/27 cohort, students holding an EU, EEA, or Swiss passport are exempt from tuition because NHH is publicly funded. Non-EU/EEA/Swiss students beginning in 2026/27 are charged NOK 142,000 per year for the bachelor’s programme or NOK 204,000 per year for the master’s programme. NHH states that a cohort’s tuition rate remains fixed for the nominal programme duration. These amounts should not be generalized to later entry years. For study-permit planning for an August 2026 start, NHH lists NOK 166,859 as the living-cost amount to document. Combined first-year transfers are NOK 308,859 for bachelor’s students and NOK 370,859 for master’s students subject to tuition. These are immigration and deposit-planning figures, not a personalized living budget. Housing, travel, insurance, and individual spending may produce different actual costs. Tuition invoices are issued by semester, with published payment dates of 1 September and 1 February. Career support includes individual guidance on career choices, internships, part-time work, CVs, applications, and interviews. NHH also points students toward employer presentations, career days, job portals, and several ways to combine academic credit with internships. International students considering work in Norway should account for language: NHH notes that Norwegian proficiency can materially improve access to part-time employment. Career services and employer links are useful resources, but they do not guarantee employment or a particular salary after graduation.