June 2026 Education Changes
Norway monthly archive generated from one synced JSON batch.
Norway Adds New Vocational Cross-Path from VG1 Craft, Design and Product Development to VG2 Wood Technology (Norway, June 2026)
The Directorate for Education and Training listed a new vocational cross-path from VG1 Craft, Design and Product Development to VG2 Wood Technology in Building and Construction. The pathway applies from 1 August 2026.
Norway Exempts School Health Service Visits from Absence Counts (Norway, June 2026)
Norway adopted regulation changes so that visits to the school health service no longer count as absence from education. The change applies in both compulsory and upper-secondary education from 1 August 2026.
Norway Sets 2026 Income Limit for Free Kindergarten Core Time (Norway, June 2026)
The Directorate for Education and Training published that the income limit for free core time in kindergarten will be NOK 692,465 from 1 August 2026. The update affects families’ eligibility for moderated kindergarten fees.
Norway Allows Newly Qualified Steiner University College Kindergarten Teachers to Serve as Pedagogical Leaders (Norway, June 2026)
The Directorate for Education and Training stated that newly qualified kindergarten teachers from Steiner University College can now be employed as pedagogical leaders in all types of kindergartens without additional kindergarten-pedagogy education.
Norway Publishes Guidance on Remote Sami Language Instruction (Norway, June 2026)
The Directorate for Education and Training published new guidance for schools providing Sami language instruction by distance teaching. The guidance clarifies school responsibilities and supports planning, organisation, and follow-up for pupils with a right to Sami instruction.
Norway Publishes Autumn 2026 Student Survey Calendar (Norway, June 2026)
The Directorate for Education and Training published key dates for the autumn 2026 Student Survey. The administration portal opens for school owners on 5 October, and the survey period runs from 19 October to 13 November 2026.
Norway Sets National Recommendations Limiting AI Use in Primary School (Norway, June 2026)
Norway announced national recommendations for age-appropriate use of generative artificial intelligence in education. Pupils in grades 1–7 should generally not be given access to AI for schoolwork, while lower-secondary use should be gradual and upper-secondary students should learn appropriate use.
Norway Proposes Legal Requirement for Access to Printed Textbooks in Primary and Lower-Secondary Schools (Norway, June 2026)
The government proposed a statutory requirement that compulsory schools must have access to printed learning materials. The proposal is part of a broader effort to rebalance screen use and physical books in Norwegian schools.
Norway Extends Equipment Grant to All Upper-Secondary Students Including School-Based Apprentices (Norway, June 2026)
Norway changed practice so that all students in upper-secondary education can receive an equipment grant for necessary equipment and school computers. The change covers around 3,000 additional students who combine school and apprenticeship training.
Norway Adds Cautious Digital-Device Use to Grades 1–4 Curriculum Rules (Norway, June 2026)
Norway amended the curriculum framework and subject curricula for grades 1–4 to state that digital-device use must be especially cautious and must not dominate teaching. The changes take effect on 1 August 2026.
Norway Legalises Right to 12 Hours of Free SFO for Grades 1–3 (Norway, June 2026)
Norway made 12 hours of free school-age childcare, known as SFO, a statutory right for pupils in grades 1–3. The right applies from 1 August 2026.
Norway Expands Upper-Secondary Admission After Deadline for Vulnerable Applicants (Norway, June 2026)
Norway expanded county authorities’ duty to admit applicants to upper-secondary education after normal deadlines in special welfare-related situations. The change covers moves to or from child-welfare measures and return after involuntary stays abroad.
Norway Allows Expanded Distance Teaching in Some Rural Vocational Programmes (Norway, June 2026)
Norway gave county authorities the option to provide more extensive distance teaching in VG1 and VG2 vocational programmes in areas with low population density and long distances. The model must be combined with practical training and regular physical gatherings.
Norway Removes County Requirement to Set a Written Main Language for Each Upper-Secondary School (Norway, June 2026)
Norway removed the requirement for county authorities to set a written main language for each upper-secondary school. Students’ individual right to choose their written main language remains unchanged.
Norway Introduces Institutional Accreditation Rules for Tertiary Vocational Colleges (Norway, June 2026)
Norway amended the tertiary vocational education regulations to introduce conditions and procedural rules for institutional accreditation of fagskoler. Accredited institutions can establish and change programmes across all subject areas within the accreditation framework.
Norway Makes Working Life Subject a Mandatory School Offer (Norway, June 2026)
Norway amended education regulations so municipalities and private schools must offer the working life subject, while offering in-depth subjects in English, Norwegian, Sami, and mathematics becomes optional. A transition rule applies until 1 August 2027.
Norway Adds Faith-Affiliation Requirement for Private Schools Approved on Religious or Life-Stance Grounds (Norway, June 2026)
Norway amended the Private Schools Act to require schools applying for approval on religious or life-stance grounds to have a connection to the belief system used as the basis for approval. The change entered into force immediately on 19 June 2026.
Norway Allows Lower Tuition Fees for Students from Outside the EEA and Switzerland (Norway, June 2026)
Norway approved changes to higher-education law allowing universities and university colleges to set lower tuition fees for students from outside the EEA and Switzerland. The same legal package also gives authority to set an upper limit for legal-expense coverage in certain student cases.
Norway Changes Private Kindergarten Rules for Family Kindergartens and First-Grade Instruction (Norway, June 2026)
Norway amended kindergarten law rules for private family kindergartens and introduced a new exception allowing first-grade pupils in approved private schools to receive instruction in a kindergarten setting when this matches the school’s approved curriculum. The changes entered into force on 19 June 2026.
Norway Publishes National Survey on Democracy Knowledge Among Upper-Secondary Students (Norway, June 2026)
Norway published a national mapping of democracy knowledge among VG2 upper-secondary students, the first such national survey in 20 years. The Ministry said the results showed major knowledge gaps and low democratic engagement among a significant share of students.
Norway Requires Schools to Share Key Safety Information When Students Change Schools (Norway, June 2026)
The Norwegian Parliament approved a legal change requiring schools to share necessary information when a student changes school if the information is needed to protect the school environment or staff working environment. The measure is aimed especially at cases involving violence history or serious conflicts.
Norway Updates Mathematics Curriculum for Grades 1–10 (Norway, June 2026)
Norway announced an updated mathematics curriculum for grades 1–10, with implementation from the start of the 2026 autumn school term. The update gives greater emphasis to core numeracy, clearer competence aims, and more precise progression across primary and lower-secondary education.