Maria: Welcome to this podcast from the University of Oslo for students from all over the world who are curious about studying in Norway. My name is Maria Eduarda Malinverni. I am an international student here at the University of Oslo from Brazil, and with me in the studio today I have two other international students who also study here at UiO. Welcome!
Mieke: Thank you.
Kevin: Thank you.
Maria: So let's start with a quick introduction. What is your name, what are you studying, and where are you from?
Mieke: So my name is Mieke. I am from the Netherlands. I've been studying at the University of Oslo for three years now, and I'm studying the program Peace and Conflict Studies.
Kevin: Hi, my name is Kevin. I come from the United States. I study philosophy, and I've been here at the University of Oslo for about two years now.
Maria: So why did you guys choose UiO, the University of Oslo?
Mieke: I know academic rigor is very high here. So I know there's a lot of focus on doing research and the thesis is quite a big part of it. So I'm doing the master program, so the master thesis was quite present and I wanted to be able to do a lot more independent research. And that was also very much encouraged. And for my specific thematic area, I know that Oslo is kind of the peace hub of the world — we have the Nobel Peace Center and quite some thematic focus leading back to Norway. So that's what I think was a perfect fit. And I love Scandinavia anyway, so I really wanted to go to Scandinavia and ended up here.
Kevin: Yeah, absolutely. I can recognize myself a lot in a lot of what you just said, too. Yeah, I had a really strong desire to study outside of the U.S. and just experience life abroad. So it was kind of like two birds with one stone. So that was also a big reason to apply.
Maria: Taking it back two years ago, how did you guys hear about the University of Oslo and how was the application process?
Mieke: In the application process, or in the orienting phase of universities for me, I just tried to look at countries I was interested in, which Norway was already one part of. And then I found the University of Oslo domain website. I just assumed there was going to be a university or more in Oslo. And from that, I searched the program I was interested in, Peace and Conflict Studies, and I made my decision based on that. And the application process that I started, it was very transparent and doable for me. I didn't feel, compared to some of the other application processes with other universities, that there was a lot more to think about or a lot more time that went into it. I did apply to other universities, so I went through several of these processes, but the University of Oslo was very doable.
Kevin: Yeah, similar. I was interested in going abroad and I looked at a few other universities from other countries around the world. But then it was kind of hard to find this balance of the subject I wanted to study, and I considered a few other departments too, and what was available in English, and what kind of had an application process that made sense. With a few other universities I looked into, I was honestly just kind of confused or a bit overwhelmed by the application process. So with the University of Oslo, again, I was able to visit Norway, and I had found out about the University of Oslo, and so then I was just like: okay, why not just apply and see what happens? It was a relatively simple and smooth, intuitive application process, and I was just really thrilled to get the admission letter. I think judging from the website and things, it seemed really welcoming. The University of Oslo, maybe compared to some other universities, seemed like they really wanted people to come from abroad, actually. So that was a good feeling of: okay, yeah, you're welcome here. If you don't know Norwegian yet, you can just come and start your program. And then, having been to Norway, I knew that most Norwegians had really excellent English abilities. So then you know you're in safe hands and you'll be able to manage everything.
Maria: And what do you guys think are the benefits of studying at the University of Oslo, like academic reputation or the programs or the city itself?
Kevin: You definitely know you're in good hands when you're taking a class at the University of Oslo. They really make sure to have top quality professors. That much is clear in my experience. You have really world-class education. There's really no doubt about the quality of the education and the instruction that you're getting. But then at the same time, there's this more casual feel to the university, at least from my previous experience at university. So then it's this really cool mixture where you get these really fantastic, world-renowned professors, and then you get them in these smaller seminars, and you get a lot of time and space to interact and talk and develop your ideas.
Mieke: Yeah, just the idea of sitting with world-renowned professors, the people who make up datasets, who publish these incredible research papers and research in general — seeing them presenting in a classroom is quite cool. And also just the focus in general at UiO on doing your own research. A lot of the programs are structured in a way that you're able to do your own independent studying and also researching for everything. For instance, in my program, you're encouraged to look for the books yourself. The readings are not widely presented to you immediately. You're supposed to find them on your own in the library, which provides great help services as well for finding those. And then along the way, you get a lot of freedom. With this, you learn how to balance study, work, and personal life, and how to go about independently doing research. I think I learned a lot from that. And the university itself also provides a lot of great help services. Like I said, the library is amazing — they have all the tools. And every time I find out something new: they have a writing center, they have things you can borrow, there's even a puzzle to unwind every week. There's a lot of great services offered here at the university.
Kevin: Yeah, there's a tremendous freedom you have in choosing your master's topic. I think that's also a good balance where, at least in my program, you have a lot of freedom. You can really pick whatever you want to write about, but then you have your advisor. In my experience, my advisor's been really good at saying: okay, you have whatever kind of crazy idea, how do we turn that into academic research and a paper? So that's a great maturing process and developing as a researcher or writer.
Maria: Amazing! So you feel like it's very personalized studies where you could choose a lot.
Kevin: Yeah, even with the exam term papers, usually there's been quite a lot of freedom. You kind of have the core syllabus, and then in a lot of cases you're encouraged to go beyond and make the material your own in a certain way. And also attendance — that's your own responsibility. There's no one putting out a list every week, maybe for some seminars, but it's all you. The university puts a lot of responsibility on you, and I think that also allows you to develop yourself much more. At least I did — just getting smarter at choosing topics to write about and finding the right balance between ambitious and narrow good research. That's always a bit tricky, but you learn that in the process.
Mieke: You learn the most from doing that indeed — from making those choices and going through all of that.
Maria: And what made UiO and Oslo stand out for you?
Mieke: Coming back to doing a lot of focus on independent research, I knew that that was a big thing. Also, a lot of the topics I was interested in were very highly developed at UiO. For me specifically, there are a lot of initiatives and research tied to democracy, which I am very interested in. So that was a specific one for me. And I also knew of all the facilities, like the library and academic help. Then there are also a lot of social initiatives, and things like the Green Office where you can just fix broken clothes. Across the wide variety of social life, academic life, fixing clothes — they have everything.
Kevin: Yeah, one thing that's really stood out to me is the community — both with the professors and especially the students. Having this community of people undertaking the same master's project has been really invaluable. It's nice that at the University of Oslo we have our own little building for most of the philosophy students with a little cafe. So there's always a daily little seminar or discussion going on, and it's really easy to take part in and develop your ideas with your peers.
Maria: Okay, so you actually had to move to Norway. Talk a little bit about it — what was the big obstacle for you when you were planning to move concerning housing or anything else?
Mieke: When I got the acceptance letter, I was worried the most about housing. But I applied shortly afterwards with the housing organization called SiO. Through them, I got housing very quickly, so that went from my biggest stress to my least stress. That was so nice. I got an unfurnished place, but coming from the Netherlands, me and my dad drove 20 hours with the furniture. That's something you can do if you live relatively close by. But there are also places where you can furnish a place, and there are a lot of furnished places available, so for people coming from far away it would be best to apply for a furnished room.
Kevin: Coming from outside the EU, from the US, there can be slightly more challenges. Once you come to Norway, you have to make an appointment with the police, get your Norwegian identification number, and get a bank account. Even just the physical act of moving was hard. I got an unfurnished student apartment in Bjølsen and had absolutely no furniture. Luckily, my family came with me and was able to run to IKEA, pick up all the stuff, and get things started. Then you can improve your experience as you go along.
Maria: Before you came here, what did you have to do before moving?
Mieke: The main thing before moving here was just to make sure I had all the essentials — diplomas and relevant papers, because they might get checked, and housing. I wouldn't go to Norway if I did not have housing.
Kevin: There were a few appointments I had to get registered for a visa to come, and I needed to have all my papers in order when I first got off the plane. At border control, tourists usually say they stay for two weeks, but when you say you'll be here for two years, they need to see your papers. But the border officials were actually really nice, had a bit of humor, and asked what I was studying. It was typically chill and really nothing to worry about too much. It can be a bit strict with paperwork details in Norway, but once you interact with a person, they're really quite nice.
Mieke: What helped me a lot in preparing the move is a page on the University of Oslo website which tells you what to prepare before coming to Oslo and what to do when moving. It helped me figure out what I needed to do with a nice little list to follow. I suggest future students look at that.
Maria: Is there anything practical that you think people often forget, but is very important?
Mieke: Getting a Norwegian phone number. You need a Norwegian phone number tied to your banking app and Vipps (the money exchange app). I bought a Norwegian SIM card with a small amount of data just to register the phone number, while regularly using my Dutch SIM card. Whenever I need to receive an SMS for Vipps or banking, I switch to the Norwegian SIM.
Kevin: I found out you can just change your phone plan and get a new SIM without getting a whole new phone, so I kept my American number too.
Maria: Did you experience any culture shocks or biggest differences from home?
Kevin: Be prepared for all stores being closed on Sundays and holidays. Norway has different holidays like Pentecost, Ascension Day, and Easter lasting several days, so you have to buy everything in advance. The alcohol regulations are also different: you can buy beer and cider in normal grocery stores up to a certain time, but anything stronger requires going to Vinmonopolet, the state alcohol monopoly.
Mieke: The government heavily taxes candy, chocolate, and alcohol to encourage a healthy life. But Norwegians have *Lørdagsgodt* — on Saturdays, they buy candy and go crazy despite the prices! Also, Norwegians are extremely active no matter the weather. Another culture shock in my first week was personal space. On the subway, if someone sits in a four-seater, the next person sits diagonally, avoiding eye contact. In stairwells or apartments, people don't always make eye contact or say hello. They do this out of respect so as not to bother you with small talk. Once you get to know Norwegians, they are very friendly, but you usually need a common activity — like joining student associations or going blueberry picking together — to bond!
Maria: What about the weather and winter? Is it always cold and snowy?
Kevin: Norway is a land of extremes. Winters are an experience, but summers are astonishingly beautiful — when the sun comes out, everyone stops what they're doing to enjoy it. In Oslo, winters aren't unbearably bad. It gets dark early around 3 PM, but the snow brings a special charm with skiing and sledding culture.
Mieke: I was scared about the darkness, but the snow reflects the light and makes it feel brighter and cozy. In March, temperatures fluctuate around zero, creating slippery ice layers on the roads. You can buy shoe spikes (*brodder*) to attach under your shoes so you don't slip. And when April comes and direct sunlight returns, everyone gathers outside to enjoy a drink in the sun!
Maria: Thank you both so much for sharing your stories about UiO and moving to Norway. And thank you for listening. In the next episode, we'll focus on what it's like to study here — teaching, exams, language, and academic support at UiO. My name is Maria, and we hope to welcome you to Oslo one day!