What’s the Best Folk High School in Norway?

1. What Will You Learn?

The main subject line you choose makes up the largest part of your weekly schedule — and is the most important thing to consider.
At Hurdal Verk, you choose two main lines that together make up about 14 hours per week during normal weeks. In addition, we have 7 full “line weeks” throughout the year, often used for international study trips.
Elective subjects are also a big deal for many students. They give you the chance to try new things, explore new interests, and develop skills you never thought you’d have. Electives are a refreshing break in the week — and something we prioritize highly at Hurdal Verk. In regular weeks, electives are taught two days per week, and we also have entire elective weeks. We offer more than 60 different electives.
Every folk high school also has common subjects. At Hurdal Verk, one of them is Life Mastery, where you learn about mental health, personal finance, resilience, and other topics that prepare you for life. Read more about our common subjects.

Each student group is unique, and the atmosphere is created by the people who attend that particular year. Still, some schools manage to build a great social environment year after year.
At Hurdal Verk, we place huge emphasis on inclusion and wellbeing, and we work actively to make sure everyone feels seen, included, and respected — no matter who you are.
The EPSI survey, which compares Norwegian folk high schools, shows that Hurdal Verk consistently ranks among the top schools for student satisfaction and social environment.
Our own student surveys confirm the same — students thrive here year after year, and that’s no coincidence.

For us, study trips are a central part of our educational philosophy. We have many years of experience organizing meaningful, educational trips — with destinations in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe.
Our trips go off the beaten path — they are not tourist holidays, but journeys that give you experiences you couldn’t easily plan on your own. You’ll visit places few tourists ever see, and the experience becomes even more powerful when shared with friends — while safety is always taken seriously.
Our trips aim to build understanding and empathy for other people and cultures — and to give you experiences that will stay with you for life.

Some folk high schools are quite small — with fewer than 70 students — while others are very large, with over 150. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
Hurdal Verk has about 115 students each year, and has been fully booked for many years. We believe this size is ideal: big enough to always find someone to connect with, yet small enough that no one disappears in the crowd.

You might not be used to stunning school buildings — but did you know that your surroundings actually have a big impact on wellbeing and happiness? We dare to say that we have Norway’s most beautiful folk high school!
At Hurdal Verk, we’ve invested heavily in modern classrooms and student spaces, many of which have recently been renovated.
If you love sports, we have two new strength training gyms, and within walking distance you’ll find a sports hall, artificial turf field, and ski resort.
Our dorm rooms are of consistently high standard, with Wi-Fi everywhere, and most rooms have private bathrooms. Take a virtual tour of the school here.

If a school is near a city, students can spend their free time at cafés, cinemas, or shops — something some people value. Others prefer a quieter environment where the school community becomes stronger because students spend more time together on campus.
Hurdal Verk is located in a small village with about 3,000 inhabitants. There isn’t much happening outside the school — so students become creative, social, and active together!
At the same time, we’re only 20 minutes from Eidsvoll Verk and 30 minutes from Jessheim, and public transport can take you to Oslo Central Station in about an hour.
Another big advantage is that we’re only 30 minutes from Oslo Airport (Gardermoen) — super convenient when traveling home or abroad, and it saves money on transfers.

Their experiences are worth listening to when you’re making your choice.

The independent research company EPSI conducts an annual survey among former students from all Norwegian folk high schools.
In the most recent survey, Hurdal Verk ranked among the top 15% of all schools in student satisfaction — scoring higher than 85% of schools nationwide.
We were above average on 25 of 30 criteria, including: “The social environment”, “Study trips”, “How students talk about the school to friends”, “Likelihood of choosing the same school again”, “Personal development”, “Quality of facilities and equipment”.