Kindergarten
Children from around one to five years old can attend kindergarten (barnehage), which is also referred to as Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Kindergarten is optional, but the vast majority of families choose to enroll their children.
General information
In Norway, there are both public and private kindergartens, which are generally very similar as they all follow national guidelines and operate within the same government-regulated fee structure.
Children are entitled to a kindergarten place from the August after they turn one year old, provided that an application is submitted during the main application period.
How to apply
You apply for a kindergarten place through the municipality where you live. In Bergen, applications are submitted through the Bergen municipality's website. The main application deadline is March 1st for admission in August. You can apply outside of the main application period, but available places may be limited.
If you need a kindergarten place before or after August, contact kindergartens directly to check availability.
If you do not yet have a Norwegian ID number or electronic ID (BankID/MinID), you will need to contact Bergen Municipality at innbyggerservice@bergen.kommune.no.
Kindergarten for children of UiB employees
The university has an agreement with Fagertun Kindergarten, which is run by the Student Welfare Organisation (Sammen) and owned by UiB. The kindergarten prioritizes children of UiB employees and visiting researchers.
For other alternatives, you can find a complete overview of kindergartens in Bergen on the municipality webpages.
Other alternatives for childcare
Nannies and babysitters
Kindergarten is the most common form of childcare in Norway. Families who require additional flexibility may also consider hiring a nanny (dagmamma) or babysitter, although private childcare services are generally expensive and may be less readily available.
Staying home
If your partner wish to stay at home with your child, you may be eligible for the childcare benefit kontantstøtte from the National Insurance Scheme. There are no requirements for stay at home parents, only for when the child reaches school age.
Open kindergarten (åpen barnehage) is a free meeting place for young children and their parents or caregivers. Children attend together with an adult and can take part in play and organised activities while families meet others in a similar situation.
School
Norway offers a high-quality, publicly funded education system. Education is free and compulsory for all children aged 6 to 16, but schooling continues beyond that with a variety of options.
The Norwegian school system
- Primary School (barneskole) – Grades 1 to 7 (Ages 6–13)
- Lower Secondary School (ungdomsskole) – Grades 8 to 10 (Ages 13–16)
- Upper Secondary School (videregående skole, VGS) – Typically Ages 16–19
After upper secondary schools, students can continue to higher education, complete an apprenticeship in a vocational trade, or enter the workforce.
For further information about the school system, visit Ny i Norge.
Admission
For admission to a public primary or secondary school, you should contact the school directly. As a general rule, children of primary school age attend the school closest to their home. Bergen Municipality has a list of all schools in Bergen. If you are unsure which school your child belongs to, you can contact Bergen municipality for guidance on school placement and enrolment process.
Language tuition
Norwegian is the language of instruction in Norwegian schools.
Pupils in primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary education who do not have sufficient Norwegian language skills to follow regular instruction may be entitled to additional language tuition, such as intensive language teaching in Norwegian and also mother-tongue education or bilingual voactional training.
To learn more about what can be offered for your child, you should contact the relevant school. You can also read more at the Bergen municipality webpages (Norwegian only).
Other schooling alternatives
Children may also complete their compulsory education through home education or by attending a private school approved under the Norwegian Private Schools Act. However, these options are less common, and most children in Norway attend public schools.
While private schools are relatively rare, Bergen has a number of private educational institutions. The International School of Bergen is the only school in the Bergen area that offers instruction in English.
All children residing in Norway have both the right and the obligation to complete compulsory education.
Career opportunities for partners
Information and support for accompanying partners and spouses who want to pursue employment, continue their career or build a professional network in Bergen.
Finding a job in Norway
Most vacancies are advertised online. The largest job portals are arbeidsplassen.no, finn.no and jobbnorge.no. Jobs can also be found through professional networks, so it pays to contact relevant employers directly and use LinkedIn. As a starting point, it may be useful to explore resources such as How to get a job in Norway (nyinorge.no), Finding a job in Norway (studybergen.com) or Find work in the EU/EEA or Switzerland (nav.no).
Studying in Norway
Norway offers a wide range of programmes at universities and university colleges, including around 350 programmes taught in English. Most are offered at master's level, but there are also some bachelor's programmes and shorter courses available. If you are interested in studying at the University of Bergen, see our overview of English-taught programmes (UiB.no).
Admission requirements vary by programme, and you may need recognition of your previous qualifications before applying. Tuition fees depend on your citizenship and the institution you apply to, but studies at public higher education institutions are generally free of charge for students from EU/EEA countries. For more information, visit StudyInNorway.no.
Recognition of education
If you have education from outside Norway, you may need recognition of your qualifications to work, study or practise a regulated profession. For information about requirements and application procedures, see the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills services on foreign education (HK-dir.no).
Norwegian language courses at UiB
We offer free Norwegian language courses not only to employees, but also to accompanying partners and spouses of UiB employees. For course dates, application deadlines and registration information, see Norwegian Language Courses (UiB.no).
Career counselling, courses and resources
UiB hosts a Dual Career Seminar twice a year for accompanying partners and spouses. The seminar provides practical information about the Norwegian labour market, job searching, networking and working life in Norway.
Career Vestland offers career counselling free of charge. For more information, visit Karriere Vestland (vestlandfylke.no).
Registering your child in Norway
Where and how to register your child in Norway
Registration with authorities
EU/EEA citizens: Register the child's right of residence with the police.
Non-EU/EEA citizens: Obtain a residence permit for the child through UDI.
All nationalities must register the move to Norway at National Population Registry (managed by Skatteetaten).
Healthcare
General Practitioner (GP)
Children will be assigned a GP (fastlege) once registered in the National Population Register and becomes a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme.
Child health centre (Helsestasjon)
Children aged 0–5 should be enrolled with their local helsestasjon, which offers routine health checks, vaccinations, developmental assessments, parental guidance and more.
Parents usually contact the local municipality's helsestasjon directly after arrival.
Child benefit (social security)
Many families may qualify for child benefit (barnetrygd) through the National Insurance Scheme, contact NAV to register your child if eligible.
The university
You should also register your child in UiB's self service portal to allow you to register absence related to your child.
Useful links
Official websites for families moving to Norway.