Norwegian University of Life Sciences
Norges miljø- og biovitenskapelige universitet
Norway's only veterinary school and its former agricultural college, on a park-like campus 17 minutes by train from Oslo.
- Students
- 8,397
- Tuition
- NOK 80,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1859
- QS World Ranking
- 761-770
- 2027 edition
About NMBU
The Norwegian University of Life Sciences began in 1859 as the Higher Agricultural College at Ås, became the Norwegian College of Agriculture, gained university status in 2005 and merged with the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science in 2014. Today it has 8,397 students, 474 doctoral research fellows and 1,867 staff, organised into seven faculties: Biosciences; Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science; Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management; Landscape and Society; the School of Economics and Business; Science and Technology; and Veterinary Medicine.
NMBU is the only institution in Norway that educates veterinarians, and its research centres on food, health, the environment, climate and the sustainable use of natural resources. Most of its 81 study programmes are taught in Norwegian, including bachelor's degrees in biology, aquaculture, renewable energy, forestry and economics and five-year master's degrees in engineering and landscape architecture. For international undergraduates the English-taught option is a single bachelor's degree, International Environment and Development Studies, while the English-taught offer is much larger at master's level.
It suits students interested in the environment, food, animals and development who want a green, self-contained campus close to Oslo. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay no tuition; students from outside Europe pay fees from NOK 80,000 a year and must be fully self-financed.
Knowledge for life
University motto
Why students choose NMBU
NMBU is the only place in Norway to study veterinary medicine, and its campus includes what the university calls Europe's most modern veterinary building.
The English-taught BSc in International Environment and Development Studies offers an exchange semester and a field course in India or Tanzania.
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens pay no tuition fees, and non-EU fees for the English-taught bachelor's are NOK 80,000 a year.
Campus Ås is 17 minutes by train from Oslo, and international students get priority for on-campus student housing.
Admissions
Autumn 2027 entry
Selectivity
NMBU does not publish an admission rate. For the English-taught bachelor's, it states that admission is highly competitive and normally requires higher grades than the minimum needed to qualify. Applicants with Norwegian-level entrance qualifications (including Norwegian at B2) compete for places through Samordna opptak by grade point average.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary education from outside the Nordic countries | Must meet the HK-dir GSU list requirements for your country; entrance requirements must be completed and documented by 1 December (no conditional admission) |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | Accepted under the GSU list; English A at grade 3 or English B at grade 5 or better satisfies the English requirement |
| Norwegian-taught programmes (via Samordna opptak) | General study competence (generell studiekompetanse) including Norwegian at B2 and any programme-specific subject requirements |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 80 Bachelor's level: TOEFL iBT 80 (or 4.5 on the new scale), IELTS Academic 6.0 overall, PTE Academic 59, Cambridge B2 First grade B or C1 Advanced grade C. Test results must be under two years old; One Skill Retake results are not accepted. Applicants educated in countries listed without an English requirement on the GSU list are exempt. |
Deadlines
- International admission (English-taught BSc, incl. EU/EEA applicants without Norwegian) Non-binding Next deadline · In 56 days1 December 2026
Portal opens 15 October 2026; results by the end of April 2027; programmes start in August 2027.
- Samordna opptak (applicants meeting Norwegian entrance requirements) Non-binding In ~6 months15 April 2027
National coordinated admission; required for Norwegian-taught bachelor's and professional programmes.
NMBU's pages give fixed annual dates (portal opens 15 October, deadline 1 December for international applicants; 15 April in Samordna opptak), which apply to autumn 2027 entry. Non-EU students admitted in the international process must pay their first-year tuition by 20 May.
How to apply
Applicants with secondary education from outside the Nordic countries who cannot document Norwegian apply for the English-taught bachelor's in NMBU's international admission process (Søknadsweb) between 15 October and 1 December, uploading all academic documents, English proof and (for non-EU applicants) proof of financial ability by 1 December. You can list up to two NMBU programmes. Applicants who meet Norwegian entrance requirements, including Norwegian at B2, apply through Samordna opptak by 15 April; Norwegian-taught programmes such as Veterinary Medicine use that route.
What admissions looks for
- Completed secondary education that meets Norway's GSU requirements for your country, fully documented by the deadline.
- Strong grades: admission to the English-taught bachelor's is competitive and usually above the minimum.
- English proficiency at NMBU's bachelor's standard (e.g. IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 80).
- For non-EU applicants, documented funds for living costs and tuition.
Tips for applying to NMBU
- 1 Book your IELTS or TOEFL early: NMBU warns that test dates fill up and the result must be uploaded by 1 December.
- 2 NMBU does not give conditional offers, so you must have finished school before you apply in the international process; many students apply the year after graduating.
- 3 Budget for the full cost: NMBU offers no scholarships for bachelor's or master's students, and non-EU students must document NOK 166,859 for a year's living costs (2025/26) on top of tuition.
- 4 Apply for SiÅs student housing as soon as you accept your offer, since rooms are allocated by queue date.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in NOK
NMBU does not offer scholarships for bachelor's or master's students, and none that cover tuition fees; all students must be self-financed. Non-EU students are exempt from fees only in specific cases, such as exchange students from partner universities or holders of NORPART, NORHED, Fulbright, Students at Risk or HK-dir full-degree scholarships.
- None
- Tuition for EU/EEA/Swiss citizens
- NOK 166,859 per year
- Funds non-EU students must document (2025/26)
- 20 May
- Tuition payment deadline (international admission)
- None offered
- NMBU scholarships for bachelor's and master's
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (autumn and spring)
International Environment and Development Studies (BSc, English-taught)
NMBU's only English-taught bachelor's, with an exchange semester, internships and a field course to India or Tanzania.
Veterinary Medicine (professional degree)
NMBU is the only institution in Norway that trains veterinarians; taught in Norwegian.
Aquaculture (BSc, Norwegian-taught; MSc in English)
Taught in Norwegian at bachelor's level (Akvakultur), with an English-taught master's (NOK 150,000 a year for non-EU students).
Landscape Architecture (5-year master)
Five-year Norwegian-taught master's, alongside the English-taught Landscape Architecture for Global Sustainability master's.
Data Science (MSc)
English-taught master's in the Faculty of Science and Technology.
Renewable Energy (BSc, Norwegian-taught)
Part of NMBU's energy and environmental physics programmes.
Research
- Research focuses on food, health, environmental protection, climate and the sustainable use of natural resources.
- NMBU had 474 research fellows (PhD candidates) and brought in NOK 0.6 billion of externally funded research in 2025.
- Campus Ås has what the university describes as one of Norway's most beautiful parks and Europe's most modern veterinary building.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Biosciences
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management
- Faculty of Landscape and Society
- School of Economics and Business
- Faculty of Science and Technology
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Student life
Student life at NMBU centres on the Ås campus, where classes, training facilities, social activities and nature are all within walking distance. The non-profit Student Welfare Association (SiÅs) runs housing, the sports centre, cafeterias and other services, and gives international students priority for on-campus rooms, from single rooms with shared kitchens to family flats. Oslo is a short train ride away.
- SiÅs student housing on campus, with one-year contracts running from 1 July to 30 June.
- Oslo is 17 minutes away by train.
- Field courses in India or Tanzania for International Environment and Development Studies students.
Housing. SiÅs, NMBU's Student Welfare Association, prioritises international students for on-campus housing but does not guarantee it; rooms are allocated by application date.
Location
Ås is a small university town in Akershus, south of Oslo, built around the NMBU campus with its historic brick buildings and large park. Life is quiet and green, public transport is good, and Oslo is 17 minutes away by train. Costs are Norwegian: NMBU's sample budget is about NOK 63,500 per semester.
Nearest airport: Oslo Airport Gardermoen (OSL)
Notable alumni
- LS Lars SponheimFormer leader of the Liberal Party and government minister; degree in agricultural science (1981)
- CS Christine SpitenSailing champion and co-founder of Blueye Robotics; MSc in Industrial Economics and Technology Management
- AR Anja RøynePhysicist and popular science writer; bachelor's degree (2003)
- MK Marit KolbyNutritional biologist and author; bachelor's degree in food science
- AH Aksel HagenMember of the Storting for the Socialist Left Party; doctoral degree
- MK Marit Knutsdatter StrandCentre Party member of the Storting; studied at NMBU from 2012 to 2017
Frequently asked questions
Is NMBU free for international students?
Only for EU/EEA and Swiss citizens. Students from other countries pay NOK 80,000 a year for the English-taught bachelor's, Norwegian-taught bachelor's and some economics and development master's, NOK 150,000 for most other master's and NOK 275,000 for Veterinary Medicine (2026/27).
Does NMBU offer bachelor's degrees in English?
One: the BSc in International Environment and Development Studies. All other bachelor's programmes are taught in Norwegian, while many master's programmes are in English.
What is the NMBU application deadline for international students?
1 December for international applicants (portal opens 15 October), for programmes starting the following August. Applicants who meet Norwegian entrance requirements apply through Samordna opptak by 15 April.
What IELTS score does NMBU require?
For bachelor's programmes, IELTS Academic 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 80; master's programmes require IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 92.
Can I study veterinary medicine in English at NMBU?
No. Veterinary Medicine is taught in Norwegian and admits through Samordna opptak, which requires Norwegian at B2.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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