University of Stavanger
Universitetet i Stavanger
Norway's energy-capital university: 13,600 students, a campus above Hafrsfjord and close ties to the region's industry.
- Students
- 13,647
- Tuition
- NOK 60,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 2004
- QS World Ranking
- 851-900
- 2027 edition
About UiS
The University of Stavanger (UiS) gained university status in 2004; before that it was Stavanger University College, whose roots go back to Rogaland Regional College, founded in 1969. In 2025 it had 13,647 students, 1,704 full-time-equivalent staff and five PhD programmes. Its main campus is at Ullandhaug, on land set aside for a university in 1966 and looking down on Hafrsfjord, and the performing arts are taught at Campus Bjergsted near the city centre.
Teaching and research are organised in six faculties, several national research and competence centres, and the Museum of Archaeology. The university's four strategic priorities are energy, health and welfare, learning for life, and the green transition, which reflects Stavanger's role as Norway's energy capital: UiS says the region has the most jobs per student in Norway and that 9 out of 10 of its students are employed after graduating.
Nearly all bachelor's degrees are taught in Norwegian, so they suit Nordic applicants or students who already meet the Norwegian language requirement. International students without Norwegian mostly come for UiS's roughly 30 international programmes, most of them master's degrees; the main English-taught bachelor's is Dance. Students who are not EU/EEA or Swiss citizens pay tuition fees, which UiS cut from 2026/27.
Utfordre det velkjente, utforske det ukjente
“Challenge the well-known, explore the unknown” — university motto
Why students choose UiS
UiS says 9 out of 10 students are employed after graduating, and Stavanger is the Norwegian region with the most jobs per student.
Non-EU tuition was cut from 2026/27 to NOK 60,000 or NOK 85,000 a year depending on the subject, and EU/EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition.
The main library at Ullandhaug is open 24/7, and the SiS sports centre on campus has a 16-metre climbing wall.
Campus Bjergsted, home of the Faculty of Performing Arts, hosts up to 200 concerts and performances a year near Stavanger Concert Hall.
Admissions
Autumn 2027 entry
Selectivity
UiS publishes no overall admission rate. Norwegian-taught bachelor's places are allocated by grades through the national coordinated admission system, and the Bachelor in Dance (15 places) admits through two audition rounds.
Typical entry requirements
| Norwegian upper secondary (generell studiekompetanse) | Higher Education Entrance Qualification, which also covers the Norwegian and English language requirements; some programmes add subject requirements |
|---|---|
| Nordic upper secondary | Accepted if it meets the Norwegian and English language requirements |
| International applicants (non-Nordic, no Norwegian) | Can apply to English-taught programmes such as the Bachelor in Dance, ConductIT or Music Production and Recording; requirements follow Samordna opptak rules |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 90 IELTS Academic 6.5 (writing 6.0) or TOEFL iBT 90 (writing 22; tests from 21 January 2026 use the new 1-6 scale, minimum 4.5) are the published minimums for international master's programmes. For the Bachelor in Dance, ConductIT and Music Production, UiS applies Samordna opptak's English rules. Norwegian-taught programmes also require Norwegian. |
Deadlines
- Bachelor in Dance (English-taught) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~2 months15 December 2026
Applications open 1 November 2026. Round 1 is a self-produced video, to be shared by 15 January 2027; round 2 is on Campus Bjergsted in week 10.
- Norwegian-taught bachelor's programmes (local applicants) Non-binding In ~6 months15 April 2027
Documents must be uploaded by the same date.
UiS publishes these as fixed annual deadlines (15 December for Dance, 15 April for local applicants). Some programmes, such as those at the Faculty of Performing Arts, have their own processes; check the programme page.
How to apply
Local applicants (Nordic citizens, holders of Nordic qualifications, or anyone meeting the Norwegian language requirement) apply to bachelor's programmes by the national 15 April deadline and upload documents by the same date. The Bachelor in Dance opens on 1 November with a 15 December deadline and video and campus auditions. After admission, non-EU/EEA students must pay the tuition fee in full and deposit the UDI living-cost amount before applying for a study permit.
What admissions looks for
- For Norwegian-taught degrees, the Higher Education Entrance Qualification plus the Norwegian and English language requirements.
- Competitive school grades for programmes with more applicants than places.
- For Dance, a background in dance and artistic and technical ability shown in auditions.
Tips for applying to UiS
- 1 Check first whether you are a local or an international applicant: citizenship, Nordic qualifications and Norwegian language skills decide which process and deadline apply.
- 2 If you do not speak Norwegian, look at UiS's English-taught programmes; most are master's degrees, and Dance is the main English-taught bachelor's.
- 3 Non-EU students should budget for the full tuition fee up front (no instalments) plus the UDI living-cost deposit of NOK 166,859.
- 4 UiS does not offer scholarships to incoming international students, so check whether you qualify for a tuition exemption.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in NOK
EU/EEA and Swiss students pay no tuition, only the semester fee. UiS does not currently offer scholarships to incoming international students, but some non-EU students qualify for exemptions from tuition fees. Norwegian students are funded through Lånekassen.
- NOK 925 (Kopinor NOK 285, SiS semester fee NOK 590, NOK 50 voluntary)
- Student payment, autumn 2026
- 13 of 79 (the rest had scholarships or exemptions)
- Non-EU students who paid tuition at UiS in 2025
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (autumn and spring)
Dance (bachelor)
Three-year, English-taught contemporary dance degree with 15 places, auditions and performances in the Faculty's black box and on stages around Stavanger.
Petroleum Engineering (master)
One of UiS's energy programmes in Norway's energy capital; NOK 85,000 a year for non-EU students.
Computational Engineering (master)
An international master's that UiS highlights for graduate employability.
Business and Administration (master)
Offered by the UiS School of Business and Law at the lower NOK 60,000 non-EU rate.
Music Production and Recording (one-year programme)
English-taught programme at the Faculty of Performing Arts on Campus Bjergsted.
Research
- NCS2030, a national centre for sustainable use of energy resources on the Norwegian continental shelf, is hosted at UiS.
- The Stavanger AI Lab, the Norwegian Centre for Learning Environment and the Greenhouse Centre for Environmental Humanities are among its research centres.
- The Museum of Archaeology in Stavanger has been part of UiS since 2009.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Arts and Education
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Science and Technology
- Faculty of Performing Arts
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- UiS School of Business and Law
UiS reports that 9 out of 10 students are employed after graduating, and that most international students find jobs in Rogaland or elsewhere in Norway.
Student life
Campus Ullandhaug is the hub: students walk from student housing to lectures, and the campus has a 24/7 main library, a thrift store and the SiS sports centre, one of Norway's biggest exercise and climbing centres. SiS, the student welfare organisation, runs housing, the cafeteria and the gym. Student organisations range from football and board games to ION Racing, which designs and builds electric racing cars. Performing arts students are based at Campus Bjergsted near Old Stavanger and the concert hall.
- ION Racing student team builds electric racing cars.
- SiS sports centre with a 16-metre climbing wall, crossfit area and squash halls.
- Main library open 24/7.
- Up to 200 concerts and performances a year at Campus Bjergsted.
Housing. Student housing is provided by SiS, the student welfare organisation, including accommodation close to Campus Ullandhaug.
Location
Stavanger is a city on Norway's south-west coast and the centre of the country's energy industry. UiS notes that one in five people in the region is international and that most Norwegians speak English. Old Stavanger, the colourful Fargegaten street and the student culture house Folken are in town, and Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock), Kjerag and the Lysefjord are a bus or ferry ride away.
Nearest airport: Stavanger Airport, Sola (SVG)
Notable alumni
- HT Hadia TajikFormer Norwegian government minister and party deputy leader; bachelor's in journalism from Stavanger University College (UiS's predecessor)
- IF Ingrid FiskaaSocialist Left Party politician; bachelor's degree from UiS
- MH Margret HagerupConservative Party member of the Storting; degree in change management from UiS
- HE Helge EideOil and gas executive, former managing director of DNO; bachelor's in petroleum engineering from Rogaland University College (UiS's predecessor)
- SK Stian KristiansenFilm director (The Man Who Loved Yngve); studied at Stavanger University College
- TR Torbjørn RødlandArtist and photographer; studied cultural studies at UiS
Frequently asked questions
Is the University of Stavanger free for international students?
Only for EU/EEA and Swiss citizens, who pay just the student payment (NOK 925 for autumn 2026). Other international students pay NOK 60,000 or NOK 85,000 a year from 2026/27, depending on the subject.
Does UiS offer bachelor's degrees in English?
Very few. Nearly all bachelor's programmes are taught in Norwegian; the Bachelor in Dance is the main English-taught bachelor's, and most of UiS's international programmes are master's degrees.
What IELTS score does the University of Stavanger require?
For international master's programmes, IELTS Academic 6.5 with at least 6.0 in writing, or TOEFL iBT 90 with 22 in writing. English-taught bachelor-level programmes follow Samordna opptak's English rules.
When is the application deadline for UiS?
15 April for local applicants to bachelor's programmes, and 15 December for the Bachelor in Dance (applications open 1 November).
How much money do I need to study in Stavanger?
Non-EU students must deposit the UDI living-cost amount, NOK 166,859 for one academic year (as of March 2025), in addition to paying tuition in full.
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.
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to UiS in the QS World University Rankings 2027.