University of Bergen Bergen, Norway Founded 1946 Where is it? • 500 km west of Oslo • About 1,000 km northeast of London • “Gateway to the Fjords” one of Norway’s most popular tourist attractions • Sits between the North and Norwegian Seas About University of Bergen • Student population: 14,359 • 3,000 graduates each year • Degrees: undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, professional • One of 8 universities in Norway • Ranks 135st of all universities in the world, according to Times Higher Education About University of Bergen • Science-based background, now an internationally-recognized research university • Over 500 on-campus laboratories • Strong focus in northern marine life research, health sciences, and global issues • Also houses a humanities department and law school Courses Offered • Many classes are designed for exchange students and taught in English. • Undergraduate exchange students can take classes in: humanities and aesthetic studies, social sciences, law and psychology, natural sciences, and pedagogy. • Graduate or doctoral students can also take courses in health and welfare. • Course listings can be found here: http://www.uib.no/education/studies/coursesfor-exchange-students#natural Grading Policy Symbol Description General, qualitative description of evaluation criteria: • • • • • • A Excellent An excellent performance, clearly outstanding. The candidate demonstrates excellent judgment and a high degree of independent thinking. B Very good A very good performance. The candidate demonstrates sound judgment and a very good degree of independent thinking. C Good A good performance in most areas. The candidate demonstrates a reasonable degree of judgment and independent thinking in the most important areas. D Satisfactory A satisfactory performance, but with significant shortcomings. The candidate demonstrates a limited degree of judgment and independent thinking. E Sufficient A performance that meets the minimum criteria, but no more. The candidate demonstrates a very limited degree of judgment and independent thinking. F Fail A performance that does not meet the minimum academic criteria. The candidate demonstrates an absence of both judgment and independent thinking How to Apply • The application form for all exchange students i available between the 1st of September through the 15th of October each year for students wanting to study in the Spring. It is available from March 15th – May 15th for students wanting to to study in the fall. Academic Calendar • Semester system • The Autumn Semester: Lasts 19 weeks from week 33 (mid August) to week 5 • The Spring Semester: Lasts 21 weeks from week 2 (early part of January) to week 24 Introductory Programme Each semester starts with a program for all incoming international students • Free of charge • Helps finalize details of your study • Lets you meet other students Cost of Attendance • Tuition is paid directly to K-State • Only charge from the University of Bergen is the Student Welfare fee of 470 Norwegian Krone (about 81 USD) • The average student pays about 9080 NOK per month while in school (1570 USD) which will cover travel, housing, books, social activities, food, and clothing Housing • Exchange students are guaranteed a single room in a student home • Must apply within application period and use your unique reservation code • For the Autumn semester apply online between April 1st and May 15th • For the Spring semester apply online between October 1st and November 1st • The most affordable rooms are in the student hostels Residence Permit • Required for all U.S. students wanting to stay in Norway for more than three months • Must be obtained prior to arrival in Norway • Contact the university if you need assistance or go to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration’s webpage What to Bring • Must have a valid passport and a visitor’s visa to show upon arrival to Norway • Electrical outlets in Norway are different from those in the U.S. Pack a two-pin continental adapter. What to Bring • Weather in Norway is variable, so bring clothes you can layer • Winter: heavy coat, gloves, hat, scarf, and boots are musts • Spring/Autumn: waterproof boots, umbrella • Summer: lighter clothes, jacket for evenings What to Bring • Camera – Bergen is one of the most scenic cities in Norway • Pictures and small keepsakes from home • Journal or computer to blog about all of your adventures • Cash to exchange once you get to the airport for bus fees Staying Connected • Bergen is 7 hours ahead of Kansas • The university offers free internet so bring a laptop to skype, email, chat, and Facebook friends and family back home • Send your friends and family postcards or your own snapshots so they can see your adventures Getting to Bergen • Fly into Oslo International Airport and take the scenic Bergen Line train to the Bergen train station • Fly into Bergen Airport Flesland and take the airport shuttle to the city centre Traveling from Bergen • Bergen Airport Flesland has connections to major European cities including Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and London • From these, you can explore all of Europe! Traveling within Bergen • Student Periodic Travel Card lets you ride the city’s buses and light rail free of charge • Cycling is common on campus and around town • Taxis are available but are very pricey Eating in Bergen • Norwegian food includes lots of seafood • Salmon, cod, herring, and mackerel are all common • Fish are smoked, fresh, salted, or pickled • Crabs, prawns, and mussels are also consumed Eating in Bergen • Due to its mountains, game is also a staple in Norwegian cuisine • Reindeer, duck, and moose are favorites • Whale meat is considered a delicacy in some areas • Traditional European and American dishes are also available Life in Bergen • Population: 256,000 • Climate: oceanic, humid • Weather: rains daily, highs in July reach around around 16 degrees celcius, highs in January are around 1 degree celcius Things to Do in Bergen • Tour the Hanseatic Museum – located in the world-famous, 900-year old Bryggen waterfront strip • Visit the Bergen Fish Market • Check out the Bergen Art Museum, Aquarium, and Science Centre Things to do around Bergen • • • • • Sail the Norwegian Fjords Hike or ski in the surrounding mountains Cruise the neighboring islands Tour the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo Visit the Arctic Circle HAVE FUN!!! Studying Abroad is a life-changing experience. No matter where you decide to study you will have a blast! GOOD LUCK!