The number of Norwegian students abroad is declining. The decline started before the corona pandemic and has continued for the last two years, according to the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Statens lånekasse for utdanning).
A total of 19,300 Norwegians receive support from Lånekassen to study abroad this academic year. That is the lowest number since 2008–2009, apart from the corona year 2020–2021.
“Corona is an obvious reason, but the decline started before that,” Lånekassen chief Morten Rosenkvist stated.
The weak Norwegian krone, uncertainty associated with Brexit, as well as turbulent times in the world may also have had an effect, he added.
Out of the total, 14,000 are getting their entire degree abroad, while 5,300 are there for one or two semesters. Two years ago, before the corona pandemic broke out, there were 15,400 Norwegian graduate students and 8,300 Norwegian exchange students abroad.
The United Kingdom is still Norwegian students’ favorite country, but there has been a clear decline this year – 3,800 Norwegians are studying in the UK at the moment, compared to 5,500 in 2013–2014. The number of Norwegian students in Denmark, the USA, and Australia is also falling.
From next autumn, an additional scholarship has been introduced for students to go on exchanges to Brazil, India, China, South Africa, Japan, or South Korea, as Norway cooperates with these countries on research and education.
Source : © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayEducation
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