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From breathtaking landscapes and seeing the Northern Lights to making life-long friends: My 6 months in Norway!
I'm Fiona - 24 years old, from Vienna, Austria and currently doing my Master's in International Management/CEMS at WU Vienna. I've always been fascinated by foreign cultures and wanted to travel the world. I was lucky to explore South-East Asia in my Bachelor's during a study abroad program. Now in my Master's, it was time to explore Scandinavia! To be fair, Norway was not my first choice (I had to rank 10 partner universities and Norway was my last) but keeping an open mind, it turned out to be a great experience!
Tom
Navigation
From breathtaking landscapes and seeing the Northern Lights to making life-long friends: My 6 months in Norway!
Campus Life
NHH is a rather small university, located right next to the fjords on the outskirts of Bergen (amazing view btw!!!). I really liked the simple, minimalistic interior design (very Scandinavian). You can use an app to get around and find rooms and lecture halls, which was very useful (MazeMap). It also has a huge basement full of student bars (different ones with different themes!) where they sell cheap alcohol ;) There is also a gym on campus, which was very convenient and also not too expensive.
Campus Facilities:
In general, the university is well-equipped with modern classrooms and a nice cafeteria. Prices are quite high though. NHH also offers study rooms, a big library and available computers and printers.
Campus Rating:
Ease of Getting Around:
Extra Curriculum Rating:
Cleanliness
Size:
Education Rating:
Subject Alignment
Teaching Staff:
Support Services:
The school has a lot of student organizations, especially related to sports and arts, which are well-equipped and get a lot of funds from the university. There are also a lot of counseling options but some of them are only in Norwegian...
Sports:
I personally didn't use the gym and wasn't part of any sports clubs (there are many though!). Hiking was a great way to stay in shape. I personally am scared of heights, so I couldn't do every hike but I highly recommend hiking while enjoying the breath-taking landscapes of Bergen!
Societies:
I was involved in the CEMS Club at NHH (the official club of my Master program) and was part of the board there (Head of Marketing). I can recommend this to every CEMS student - a great experience!
Accommodation
Housing Comments:
Accom. Rating:
Housing Type:
Dorm / Campus Hosing
Housing Cost Rating:
Finance Comment:
Money Saving Tips:
There are multiple supermarkets in Bergen - Rema 1000 is generally a bit cheaper. And eating out is rarely an option - it's super expensive to go to a restaurant, so my cooking skills improved significantly ;)
Home Sickness / Loneliness Tips:
I personally didn't experience of lot of home sickness or loneliness. Luckily, I was always surrounded by my flatmates and by friends. But it is also important to not lose touch with your family and friends back home! So try to have regular video calls - my tip: you can try to schedule calls but, I will tell you now, you'll be very busy because there is always something new to experience, so when you think of a family member or a friend, just give them a spontaneous call! Sometimes, they won't have time and you'll have to schedule a call for later, but most likely, they will pick up and the call can turn into a 1h long conversation :D
📸 Check out these snaps...
Administration
Visa:
Luckily, no need for a visa for me
Home Country Admin:
Host Country Admin:
Subject Timetabling
It wasn't hard to get into the courses that I wanted, mainly because the courses that were mandatory (most of them) were offered only to my cohort (CEMS curriculum).
Telecommunication Providers and WiFi
I could use my Austrian phone number in Norway due to a free-of-charge Roaming agreement that the EU has with Norway. Also, there was Wifi everywhere on campus and in my room and kitchen.
Student Card
The student card in Norway is electronic, i.e. you have to get an App to obtain it but that is not difficult. The only thing that you have to get on campus is a chip to open doors in the university building.
Application Process
Since the semester abroad is a mandatory part of my Master's curriculum, I was assigned a spot right after applying for my Master's - no separate application process was needed.
Region / Travel Options
Trip 1
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Region Rating:
Travel Options:
Ease of Getting Around to Travel:
Trip 2
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Trip 3
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Trip 4
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Country
I had Norway in my top 10 ranking for a semester abroad but, to be very honest, it was not one of my first choices - my university chose this destination for me.
Events / Celebrations:
National Day on May 17th is a very important day in Norway - everyone is out and celebrates, a day you have to experience in Norway!
Country Rating:
Work During Abroad?
Things that Took Me by Surprise:
As Bergen is quite a small city, there were only busses and a few trains, and you have to be careful - make sure to look at their schedule before planning trips, as most of them don't drive at certain times, e.g. when booking very early flights, you might have to either take a cab (very expensive!) or take the last bus/train and spend a couple of hours at the airport...
General Comments and Advice:
When I initially did some research on Bergen, I found out that it was supposed to be the rainiest city in Europe and now I can confirm: it's very true! It does rain almost every day, especially in the fall and winter, so make sure you have a rain- and wind-proof jacket and boots, or at least an umbrella with you at all times!
Social and Culture Integration
Norwegians tend to be very trusting and there are generally high trust levels in the society, which I found very refreshing - so make sure to never abuse the trust you're given. I also liked the fact that Norwegians really value equality in every aspect and generally have a very flat hierarchy in organizations and the universities, as well as a very informal way of communicating. This was also quite refreshing to me, as Austrians tend to be quite formal.
Locals:
The locals were a bit distant at first but as soon as they start to get to know you better, they open up. They were always willing to help out though.
Cultural Integration Rating:
Culture & Religion:
What was the Food Like?
To be very honest, the food was not amazing - however, there are some things that are considered very Norwegian that you should try:
1. The frozen pizza brand Grandiosa (national treasure if you ask Norwegians - Italians will most likely disagree ;))
2. Brunost (traditional brown cheese),
3. Taco Friday (most Norwegians have Mexican food every Friday for dinner - it's almost an unwritten rule)
4. Cinnamon buns!!! The only food I really miss :(
5. Fresh seafood and fish, especially salmon if you like seafood
6. Reindeer sausage (considered a local delicacy)
7. And finally in general: dinner at 4pm (I was very shocked that hear that Norwegians have dinner that early haha)
Safety / Security / Health
I actually felt pretty safe in Norway - everyone is very respectful of your private space and crime rates are generally quite low.
Safety Resources:
Not my home institution but my host university - you get the most important information via email.
Host Country Safety:
Provider / Institution Safety:
Housing Safety:
Health Issues Addressed:
Health Insurance / Policies:
No health insurance needed for EU citizens.
Extra Comments:
Luckily, I didn't have any health issues, which is why I don't have experience with the Norwegian healthcare system. From what I have heard from friends though, it seems to be really good!
Growth and Memories
I think I learned to take better care of myself and take responsibility in the club I was active in. And as restaurants and takeaway food were quite expensive, I also became a waaay better cook ;)
Memories:
I will always remember the fun cabin trip I went on with about 15 friends and how we ran out of running water on our first day there and had to go to nearby waterfalls multiple times per day and wash hands, shower, cook and wash dishes with waterfall water for an entire weekend - but hey, we survived ;)
I will also always cherish the beautiful National Day that I got to experience. The days prior to National Day were all very Bergen-like aka rainy and cloudy BUT on National Day, we had 20°C, beautiful sunshine and not a single cloud in the sky! My friends and I spent all day outside in the city and made memories that I will never forget :)
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Professional Development:
Memorable Time Abroad:
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Ease of Making Friends:
Professional Network Built:
Social Life:
Most of the people I made friends with were actually also exchange students - it was a bit hard to make friends with locals. They already had established friend groups and it was hard to penetrate these.
Tips for Making Friends:
There are many events and clubs at NHH that you can join: sports, photography, student counsel,... This is also a good way to get to know locals!
If you're a CEMS Master student, I can only recommend getting involved in CEMS Club Bergen. I did that and it was an amazing and rewarding experience!
FEATURED
Looking Back at My Experience...
Originally unsure whether I would study abroad with all the unknowns, I was extremely close to not applying. In the end, exchange was THE BEST thing that I have pushed myself to do - I got to live in another country, meet global friends, travel to nearby countries, make life-long memories and in general have a great time, all while studying! I still can't believe I almost missed out on this opportunity simply because I was too 'unsure' to apply - do not make the same mistake. Hopefully sharing my experience helps!
What I Liked Most:
My cohort there was really small (25 people), so I really liked the family-like atmosphere (in my home university, we were over 160!). I also really liked how helpful the International Office (and CEMS Office) were - super friendly and helpful!
Start Date:
5 January 2022
End Date:
15 June 2022
Overall Rating:
Finance Rating:
Budget Rating:
Improved:
I was a bit dissapointed by how one specific (CEMS) course was taught but that's only a minor thing ;)
Orientation/Onboarding:
Because of the COVID situation in January 2022, the welcome session (mandatory) was held via Zoom. The International Office explained the most important things, e.g. the course registration, the systems used to schedule your courses, how to get around campus, etc. Afterwards there was a Welcome Week organized by the NHH student reps (not mandatory) with activities and mentoring in small groups where you could get to know your peers.
How My Home Institution Prepared Me:
I received sufficient preparation and support from my home university - every question I had, the CEMS Office back home was only one email/call away :)