Take your gap year in Norway
Surf the coast, climb the peaks, kayak the fjords. Everything right outside your door.
Live where others come on holiday
You'll live on campus with students from Norway and all over the world. You'll pick up Norwegian, sharpen your English and experience real Norwegian culture through trips, meals and daily life at school.
A year that you will never forget or regret
🏔️Get to know Western Norway
Wake up to fjords, mountains and wild nature at your doorstep, with new adventures never far away.
🌱 Challenge yourself and grow
Live away from home, try things you’ve never done before and build confidence and get more independent.
💪 Learn a new language
Learn Norwegian from scratch and grow more confident in English. You'll use both every single day.
💛 Do what you love
Pick a programme built around your interests, whether you are drawn to outdoor life, horses, circus or more.
🌍See more of the world
Join study trips far beyond Norway. Where you travel to depends on your programme.
🫶 Leave with more than photos
You’ll build new skills, a stronger confidence, and most likely a clearer sense of what you want next.
Explore our programmes
Outdoor Life Explorer 360
Explore every side of Norwegian outdoor life
Surf in Hoddevika, climb, ski, kayak, hike Skåla and sleep under the stars. You will experience Western Norway through all four seasons, and learn how to move safely in the wild.
International study trip: Pacific Ocean
Movement X Modern Circus
Build your circus skills and stage presence
Train aerial and floor acrobatics, balance, juggling, strength, and mobility. Get close follow-up, time to practise and space to build your own expression.
International study trip: Europe
Vikings
Learn Viking crafts and live the history
Work with traditional crafts, cook over an open fire, and take the oars on the Myklebust ship at Sagastad. Hands-on history that gets you closer to how people lived in the Viking Age.
International study trip: Iceland
Functional training
Build strength, technique and better habits
Train in a 270 m² WODBOX and master strength, conditioning, mobility, recovery and mental focus. You’ll learn how to train well and how to keep it going after the year ends.
Training trip: Monte Feliz, Gran Canaria
Sewing and knitting
Learn to design, sew, knit and make your own clothes
Take an idea all the way to finished piece. Sew, knit, redesign, repair and create clothes you’ll actually wear. The sewing room is open both day and evening.
International study trip: Europe
Equestrian sport
Grow as a rider
Ride, train and care for horses in Nordfjordeid, close to the home of the Norwegian Fjord Horse. Work on horse welfare, riding techniques and the bond between horse and rider.
International study trip: Portugal and Denmark
Spend a year doing something that matters to you
A Norwegian folk high school is a one-year boarding school where you choose a subject you genuinely care about, and learn it by doing.
There are no grades or exams. It is a year to take part and discover where your interests can take you.
At Fjordane, you are expected to show up, take part, try, fail, learn and contribute to the community. You’ll live with other students, share meals, join trips and leave the year more independent than you were when you arrived.
Who is this for?
You don’t need to know Norwegian before you apply. You don't need to be an expert in your programme.
But you should be curious. You should want to take part, and you should want to live in a community where what you give matters.
This year is for you who want to
do more of something you already love
try something new in a safe, but challenging environment
meet people from all over the world
learn Norwegian and get better in English
carry new skills and confidence with you into whatever comes next
Your year in Nordfjordeid
Fjordane folk high school is located in Nordfjordeid, surrounded by fjords, mountains, between the coast and the glacier. Hit play and see what a year here really looks like.
Living on Fjordane folk high school
You’ll live in a small student house with up to ten students, not in a big dorm. That makes it easy to feel at home, and the people you live with often become your little family for the year.
Each house has double rooms, a few single rooms, shared bathrooms, a cosy living room and a small kitchen. Your room comes with a bed, wardrobe, desk, shelf and washbasin.
Frequently asked questions
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Coming to Norway may feel like a big step. You will not be doing it alone.
Fjordane welcomes international students, and several students each year arrive without speaking Norwegian. You will learn Norwegian during the school year, while also using and improving your English in everyday life.
You will live, learn and share experiences with Norwegian and international students. Many of them know exactly what it feels like to arrive in a new country, meet new people and begin a year unlike anything they have done before.
You do not need to have everything figured out before you come. You need curiosity, motivation and the willingness to take part.
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No. International students are part of the community at Fjordane folk high school, and several students arrive in Norway without knowing the language or anyone at the school.
You will meet students from Norway and other countries who are also beginning a new year, in a new place, with new people. The first weeks are designed to help everyone get to know each other and feel at home.
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You do not need previous experience to apply for Outdoor Life Explorer 360, Movement X Modern Circus, Equestrian Sports or Vikings. Our teachers meet you at your level and help you develop throughout the year.
What matters most is that you are motivated and willing to take part.
For 2nd Year Equestrian Sports, you need relevant previous experience. Contact us if you are unsure whether this programme is right for you.
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You will live on campus in a small student house with space for ten students.
Each house has double rooms and a limited number of single rooms, shared bathrooms, a common living room and a small kitchen. Your room includes a bed, wardrobe, desk, shelf and washbasin.
Living together is an important part of the year. You share everyday life with other students and help keep your student house clean and comfortable. You are responsible for keeping your house clean and comfortable. One of our student houses is accessible for wheelchair users.
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The price includes tuition, programme equipment, accommodation in a double room, four meals a day, five trips with the whole school, internet, electricity, access to washing machines, a yearbook and school clothing.
Prices for the school year 2026–2027:
Movement X Modern Circus: NOK 141,100
Vikings: NOK 152,100
Outdoor Life Explorer 360: NOK 162,100
Equestrian Sports: NOK 166,900
2nd Year Equestrian Sports: NOK 149,900
A single room costs an additional NOK 7,000, subject to availability.
If you are offered a place and choose to accept it, you pay a registration fee of NOK 2,900.
Lurer du på noko meir kan du sende epost til inspektøren på Fjordane, Annifrid.
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You receive four meals every day: breakfast, lunch, dinner and an evening meal.
Our kitchen serves everything from Norwegian home-style food to street food and international flavours. Vegetarian, vegan and allergy-friendly alternatives are available at no additional cost. Tell us about your dietary needs before you arrive, and our kitchen team will take care of you.
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As a Dutch citizen, you are an EU/EEA national and do not need to apply for a Norwegian residence permit before travelling to Norway.
Because the school year lasts longer than three months, you will need to register in Norway after arrival and document that you meet the requirements for staying here. We will help you understand what you need before the school year begins.
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Fjordane is located in Nordfjordeid on the west coast of Norway.
The nearest airports are Sandane Airport and Ørsta/Volda Airport. Sandane is approximately 40 minutes from the school, including a ferry crossing. Ørsta/Volda is just over one hour away by car, and there is a public bus connection from the airport.
It is also possible to travel via Bergen or Ålesund and continue to Nordfjordeid by bus.
Before the school year begins, we can help you plan the final part of your journey to school.
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The 2026–2027 school year starts on Friday 21 August 2026 and ends on 15 May 2027.
Trips in Norway and abroad
You will join trips in Norway and share experiences that brings the whole school community together. Depending on your programme, you will also join study trips abroad.
Møt Kjartan
Teacher | Outdoor life
Kjartan loves taking on whatever nature throws at him, all year round. He climbs, skis, bikes and explores the sea — both above and below the surface.
Kjartan is a qualified outdoor education teacher from the University of South-Eastern Norway and has years of experience guiding a wide range of outdoor activities. With Kjartan, you learn how to move safely in nature, trust yourself outdoors and enjoy the nature in every season.
Møt Veera
Teacher | Movement X Modern Circus
Veera is originally from Finland and brings a calm, focused and playful energy to the school. She is the kind of person who makes the training hall feel both safe and full of possibility.
She teaches at Movement X Modern Circus and brings together physiotherapy, dance, circus teaching and strength and conditioning in her work with the students. Veera knows when to challenge you, when to slow things down, and how to help you trust what your body can do.
When she is not training, you might find her in cold water. Veera loves an ice bath followed by a hot sauna, or baking while listening to Finnish radio.
Meet Alex from USA
Alex | Father to William 2024-2025
– William has become much more independent. Living alone in a new country, learning to take responsibility and being part of a community has done him good, says his father.
How to get started
1. Send your application
Tell us who you are, what you're into and which programme you'd like to join.
2. We’ll review it
We'll read through and reach out if we need more information.
3. Say yes or no
If you get a spot, you have 10 days to decide. When accepting, you’ll need to pay an enrolment fee of NOK 2,900.
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