Norwegian School of Sport Sciences - Kines Only
Located in Oslo, this university campus is the perfect place to experience Friluftsliv ("free air life") - living life close to nature, an integral part of Norwegian culture.
Established in 1870, the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (called NIH or "Norges idrettshøgskole" in Norwegian) is a scientific university that specializes in research and education within the field of sport sciences. Located in Oslo, the capital city of Norway and Green Capital of Europe (2019), NIH is located just 25 min to the city centre by train, and metres from the wooded, serene Sognsvann Lake.
Spend your breaks swimming or skating on the lake, or take a half-hour between classes to jog around the lake's perimeter, and experience Friluftsliv ("free air life") - living life close to nature, an integral part of Norwegian culture.
Note: If you're unable to travel or can't fit a full semester exchange into your degree, or if you want to sample NIH's unique sport science courses before committing to studying abroad in Oslo, consider applying for an online exchange!
Key information
Student experience
Click the image to read an interview with stories from past exchange students!
Simran Sadhwani
Program details
The information below was last updated on: October 23, 2025
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Course offerings & requirements
Courses at NIH are structured as course packages. Exchange students are required to choose 1 package. The advantage of these packages is that you join a cohort of NIH students & faculty over the semester, resulting in a personalized learning experience!
Consult NIH's website for details on the Bachelor level course packages. Note, the specific courses included within each package may vary slightly year to year, but the overall theme remains the same.
- Autumn (Fall) semester: "Exercise, Health & Performance"; "Outdoor Studies"; "Sport Management & Coaching"
- Spring (Winter) semester: "Exercise, Health & Performance"; "Outdoor Studies"
Course requirements: In Europe, a full-time course load is typically 24-30 ECTS (European credits). 6 ECTS = 3 UCalgary units (1 standard semester course). The course packages at NIH offer up to 30 ECTS, meaning you will receive credit for 5 courses! How the credit transfers back (KNES, etc.) must be discussed with your UCalgary Kinesiology academic advisor.
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Unique opportunities
NIH offers some additional unique opportunities and courses for exchange students. General information is below; feel free to contact the UCalgary exchange advisor for more details.
- Students who will be in their 4th year during the exchange may be eligible to take Masters level course packages on a case-by-case basis.
- Students in the "Exercise, health and performance" course package may be eligible for a research internship course, THP320. This is used to substitute one other course in the package. THP320 has students join an active research project which may include labwork, testing, data collection/analysis, etc.
- There is also an independent research course, BAC200. It can be used to substitute one of the courses in any course package (except Outdoor Studies). BAC200 allows exchange students to pursue their own research topic of interest, with support from a dedicated supervisor and access to NIH facilities.
- Students doing a full-year exchange may pursue an internship course, SPM375. Students must take the Sport Management & Coaching course package in the fall to satisfy prerequisites, and then the internship is full-time in the spring semester, working with a local sports organization.
The academic year is divided into 2 semesters:
- Autumn (fall) semester runs from mid-August to late December
- Spring (winter) semester runs from early January to mid-June.
Please be aware that the Autumn semester tends to be popular and sometimes receives more applications than space available. Students applying for a fall exchange at NIH are encouraged to apply for back-up exchange programs. Of course, this is just a historic pattern and not guaranteed to repeat in future years.
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Costs
Exchange students pay their tuition and academic fees to the University of Calgary. Other expenses are paid directly to the service provider.
While Norway can be expensive, as a student it is a little more afjordable! Here is a rough cost estimate for a semester at NIH:
Student Housing 15,000-17,500 NOK
Food 12,000-15,000 NOK
Books & Supplies 5000 NOK
Transit 2500 NOK
Other expenses 12,000 NOK
Total semester cost 46,500-52,000 NOK (approx. $6000-7000 CAD)
*Note, students in the Outdoor Studies course packages are required to bring additional equipment, which may increase your overall budget; refer to the NIH course page for detailsIt's recommended that students budget a minimum of NOK 10,500 per month to pay for accommodation and living expenses. If you plan to register in the Outdoor Studies course package, you may need to budget more due to the amount of excursions - it is recommended to bring the relevant equipment from home where possible (contact exchange advisor for info on this). More financial information can be found online.
Oslo cost comparison vs. Calgary: Click Here
Student Tips: "Eating out and food/beverages overall were expensive, but exponentially cheaper from the grocery store, and rent is comparable to UCalgary. Also, only consider opening a Norwegian bank account if you will be there for a full year, as it takes considerable time (months) to set it up. I would recommend looking into the rates your bank will give you on foreign withdrawal/credit charges."
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Funding
Did you know that you can take your UCalgary funding with you on exchange? Since you remain a degree-seeking student at UCalgary while studying abroad, you remain eligible for any awards and scholarships you are otherwise eligible to receive from the university, as well as student loans.
Our office administers several awards, including the Global Access Fund and the Global Learning Award. Students may only receive these awards once. Please see the funding page, linked below, for more information.
Note: The UCalgary Faculty of Kinesiology has a study abroad award specifically for Kinesiology students attending exchanges at NIH! This is a faculty-nominated award worth $1000. Students must have a 3.0 GPA to qualify. Eligible students who have been accepted to the exchange program will be automatically considered for the award; there is no need to apply separately.
Student Tips: "Buy a student transit pass in the first week - you will need to use your student acceptance letter for this. To and from the airport, just add a zone onto your student pass. Your student pass also works for the islands on Oslo fjord. Visit the west coast early in the fall or summer if you plan to go: some of the most beautiful/famous hikes are only available in summer/early fall. The Grønland district has cheaper produce markets than anywhere else. Walk onto the roof of the Oslo Opera house, visit the Viking Ship Museum, and always have your student card - many activities/museums are cheaper for students!"
Housing at NIH is run in partnership with the Foundation for Student life in Oslo (SiO). Students accepted to this program by UCalgary must then submit an independent application to SiO's housing application. It is recommended that students stay in student housing due to cost and location.
SiO has many student housing units in Oslo and the surrounding areas, but it is strongly recommended to apply for Kringsjå, Fjellbirkeland or Sogn Student Villages (in that order), as they are the closest to NIH. In fact, Kringsjå student village is located only 100 meters from campus. Housing contracts for exchange students are normally issued for the entire semester, and students will need to provide their own duvets, pillows, kitchen utensils, and possibly lamps. For more info on housing, refer to the NIH page on housing.
SiO also offers a good selection of adapted homes for various types of disabilities. Once you are nominated, please speak with the exchange advisor on any needs so that they are submitted in your application to NIH to allow sufficient time to arrange this for you.
This exchange is open to regular, full-time undergraduate or graduate students in the Faculty of Kinesiology at UCalgary, who have completed at least 24 units (8 courses) at the post-secondary level at the time of application, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 (B-).
Please note: a minimum 3.0 GPA is required to be considered for the Kinesiology study abroad award, mentioned in the Costs & Funding section above.
No knowledge of Norwegian is required, as all courses offered on this program are taught in English.
Do I have to speak Norwegian?
No prior knowledge of Norwegian is required for this exchange. NIH offers a selection of Kines courses in English.
How can I learn or improve my Norwegian?
Har du lyst til å lære norsk? NIH offers 20 hours of Norwegian language instruction for beginner learners, free of charge for exchange students. The course is coordinated with other courses for exchange students so it does not overlap with regular classes. Students who attend 80%+ of the course will be given a participation diploma (however no credits are awarded). You will be able to sign up with your application to NIH, if nominated to this exchange by UCalgary International.
What's special about Oslo?
Surrounded by dense forest and opening onto the expansive, island-spotted Oslofjord, it's easy to imagine how Norway's capital city has evolved in its 1000+ years of settlement. Here, it's easy to take a brief escape from the urban hum and delve into the natural surroundings. Catch a ferry to explore the fjord's multitude of small islands, travel out of the city to try your hand at climbing and bouldering, or round the corner and spot a waterfall while walking down riverside streets. In Oslo, ski jumping ('ski' is Norwegian for "piece of wood") is a popular sport, with competitions held at Holmenkollen, the world's most modern jump. For more information on life in Norway, please visit the Study In Norway site for their information on "Living in Norway"
What resources are available for new students?
NIH organizes a Buddy Week for new incoming students at the start of the semester, which includes things like BBQs, hikes, campus tours, social quiz/bingo, pizza nights, etc.
GiGass is a club at NIH for anyone interested in participating in affordable social trips to ski the Alps, go on a ski/snowboard trip to nearby Hemsedal, surf trips, climbing trips, longboarding, figure skating, cake fighting, slakkline, and more. No experience required, and membership is only 60 Krones!
NIH also has good fitness facilities for students, including a swimming pool and rental equipment. Next door is Toppidrettssenteret, the elite training centre operated by the Norwegian Olympic Committee for Norway's top athletes, which gives students the opportunity to learn and interact with top athletes, trainers, and coaches - students can get access here for a fee (est. $70/month).
What supports or services are available at NIH?
NIH's UPT team offers support to students with any physical and mental accessibility needs or support, and for individual learning or exam needs. Students who require exam arrangements should notify the exchange advisor early in the application process in order to meet NIH's deadlines on special arrangements. NIH is affiliated with SiO, which arranges housing - they offer a good selection of adapted homes for various types of disabilities. Advanced training facilities for paralympic athletes is also available.
For information on accessibility and support services at campuses across Europe, please check out Inclusive Mobility. For city-specific services and places in Europe, the Jaccede interactive platform (website and/or smartphone app - both Android and iOS) also provides a searchable user-built database to identify important accessibility information of public places and locations.
Have questions?
The exchange advisor for this program is: Kathryn Bauer
How to Apply
Download the application guide
This PDF contains information on how to complete your application and what to do after you have applied.
Identify three programs of interest
We recommend applying for your top three programs for the priority application deadline, as placement may be competitive. We will assess your applications in ranked order.
Check requirements and deadlines
These may vary by program, so check the individual program pages and make sure that you are aware of any different application deadlines or eligibility requirements.
Start your application
Once you have gathered everything you need, you can begin your application!
Please note: Applications will not be considered complete until all required documents are submitted in full.
International travel presents challenges that may not be found when attending classes on campus. There may be a lack of resources, emergency services, hospitals, accessibility issues and/or demands on the physical and the mental self, all of which can challenge individuals when away from their usual support systems and structures. Adequate preparation is essential.
For this reason, it is imperative that you evaluate all aspects of your own physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual condition against the rigors of the particular global learning program you are selecting. If you are unsure of whether or not this program is a good fit for you and/or if you have any circumstances that could impede your enjoyment of the program, please contact us. Our Global Learning Advisors will be happy to assist in finding the best options for you and arrange any supports or accommodations necessary to ensure your success.
If you have or are seeking a certificate from Student Accessibility Services, you should provide this early to your Global Learning Advisor to ensure that the option that you are seeking can support your needs.
Please note: All participants must adhere to COVID-19 and other vaccination-related requirements for the destinations visited on this program. Failure to do so may have consequences such as being denied access to accommodation/housing, program activities, or to the host country itself.