What is Norway’s best folk high school? It completely depends on what YOU are looking for. There isn’t one single school that is best for everyone. Here are 7 important things you should check out before deciding.
1. What will you learn?
YOUR CHOSEN LINE SUBJECT makes up the largest part of the teaching and is the most important thing you need to consider. At Hurdal Verk, you choose 2 line subjects which together account for approximately 14 hours a week in a normal week. In addition, we have 7 dedicated line weeks throughout the year, which are used for study trips abroad, among other things.
ELECTIVE SUBJECTS are also very important for many. Here you can challenge yourself in areas you’ve only dreamed of and learn many new things. Elective subjects are a refreshing break in everyday life, and something we prioritize highly at Hurdal Verk. In regular weeks, we have elective subjects 2 days a week. In addition, we have dedicated elective weeks. We offer more than 60 different elective subjects.
COMMON SUBJECTS are something all folk high schools have. At Hurdal Verk, for example, we have the subject Life Skills where you learn about mental health, mental training, personal finance, and other topics that will equip you for life. Read more about our common subjects.
2. Well-being / Social environment
One of the most important aspects of attending a folk high school is the social community.
Each cohort is unique, and the environment is created by the students who are together right now. Nevertheless, some schools manage to create a good environment year after year.
At Hurdal Verk, we place great emphasis on environment and well-being, and actively work to ensure that everyone feels seen, included, and respected, no matter who you are.
The EPSI 2025 user survey comparing folk high schools shows that Hurdal Verk was among the schools that scored highest on well-being and environment.
Our student surveys report very high satisfaction every year, and we don’t think that’s a coincidence…
3. Travel
Travel is important for many who attend folk high school.
For us, study trips are a central part of the educational program. We have long experience in organizing educational and meaningful study trips and have destinations in Asia, Africa, America, and Europe.
Our trips go beyond tourist destinations and are completely different from a holiday trip you can plan on your own. Most of our trips take you to places and provide experiences that would be difficult to achieve on your own. In addition, the experience becomes stronger when you can share it with many friends, while safety is ensured.
Our study trips aim, among other things, to foster understanding of other people and cultures, and to give you experiences you need for life.
The size of the school can influence the social environment.
There are quite a few small folk high schools with 70 or fewer students, and there are a few very large folk high schools with more than 150 students. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.
Hurdal Verk has been fully booked for many years, averaging about 115 students. We believe this is a size that allows us to see all students, ensuring you don’t get lost in the crowd and always find someone to be with.
5. Surroundings / Facilities / Leisure
Does it matter to you to have beautiful surroundings?
You might not be used to beautiful school buildings? But did you know that it actually has a lot to do with well-being and comfort? We dare to claim that we have Norway’s most beautiful folk high school!
At Hurdal Verk, we have also invested a lot in beautiful premises and facilities for our students, and have recently renovated many classrooms and common areas.
If you love sports, we have built 2 new strength training rooms, and we have a sports hall, artificial turf pitch, and alpine center within walking distance of the school.
Our rooms maintain a consistently good standard, there is WiFi coverage everywhere, and most have private bathrooms. Take a look around the school here.
6. Location
Some schools are located in a city or near a larger town, and some are in the countryside.
If the school is located near a town or city, students can go to cafes and cinemas in their free time. For some, this is important, while others worry that the school’s community will suffer if students spend a lot of time ‘going out’.
If the school is in the countryside, you have to find things to do at the school. This requires a bit more from the students but leads to a very active environment at the school. Hurdal Verk is located in a village with 3,000 inhabitants, and there isn’t much to do outside the school. Students have to be social and fill their free time themselves!
Nevertheless, we are a short distance from towns like Eidsvoll Verk (20 min) and Jessheim (30 min). In addition, you can easily get to Oslo S from Hurdal center by public transport in just 60 min.
Another advantage is that our school is located only 30 minutes from Oslo Airport Gardermoen. This makes it very easy for our students when they go home, and especially when we travel abroad. And they save money by avoiding transit travel.
7. Student reviews / Reputation
What do former students think about the school?
The experiences of former students are important to listen to when evaluating a school.
The analysis company EPSI conducts an annual survey among former students at all folk high schools. In the 2025 survey, Hurdal Verk was among the top 5% of schools for customer satisfaction, meaning higher than 95% of schools. We score particularly high above average on well-being and social environment.
Areas where we score particularly high above average are “The social environment”, “The school’s study trips”, “How you describe the school to friends”, “How likely you would be to choose the same school again”, “The school contributes to personal development”, “The quality of the school’s facilities and equipment”.
