Finances and accommodation
Students on the YorkCourse do not pay any tuition fees in York. That’s a major saving given how high international tuition fees usually are in the UK! However, you must, of course, meet your own living expenses, which are the same as (or less than) in Norway. There are also still some fees associated with your time on the YorkCourse, detailed below.
Fees and funding
You will be required to pay to join one of the University of York's Colleges (Derwent) for a fee of around £10 per semester.
Cultural excursions are a planned part of the YorkCourse teaching. An excursion fee of NOK 2500 will be invoiced at the beginning of the semester for YorkCourse students. If you are enrolled in the “School Experience” option (10 days practice in a York school), the activities fee is NOK 3500 to cover the costs of practice mentorship. Transportation to and from the practice school will also need to be paid by students.
If you are registered on a course in Norway (i.e., you are a current student) then you are entitled to funding (loan and grant) from Lånekassen. If you are not currently a student (i.e., you are currently an in-service teacher) then you should consult Lånekassen and/or your employer to see if you are eligible for any funding.
If you are a Norwegian citizen and are studying in the UK for 6 months or less then you do not have to apply (or pay) for a UK student visa. In such circumstances you are also exempt from paying the UK health surcharge. The same applies if you are a citizen from any other country where the UK does not require application for a visitors' visa and, again, if you are studying in the UK for 6 months or less. You will, however, have to apply and pay £20 for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). The University of York provides additional guidance on visa issues. You can also find out more information from the UK government on both ETAs and student visas.
If you have another citizenship (except, of course, UK citizenship), or are staying in York for a full year, then you will have to apply for a student visa. Currently, this costs £558. You will also have to pay a health surcharge for access to the NHS. As of 2026, this costs £776.
Accommodation and living costs
As an undergraduate (BA) visiting student, you are guaranteed on-campus accommodation from the University of York. In recent years all our postgraduate (MA) visiting students have also received such offers, although these are not guaranteed and it is possible you may need to look for something off-campus. You can find out more about the process on the University of York's dedicated page for visiting student accommodation.
The cost of living in the UK is generally lower than in Norway, although the degree to which this is the case will, of course, vary depending on where you are based in Norway. York is based in the North of England and is thus a substantially cheaper place to live than London and the surrounding area. It is also generally cheaper than many other major UK cities (such as Edinburgh or Manchester). York's desirability and reputation for quality living standards does, however, mean that some activities (e.g., eating out) can be more expensive than in other cities in the region.
It is possible for you to bring your partner/spouse and/or children with you to York should you so desire, but you should be aware that the costs will - of course - be considerably higher, especially if you need to apply for visas and incur additional costs.
