Oslo - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
OIS is the best-known, located in Baerum just outside Oslo. There are other options (e.g. Nordlys) and more international schools to take a look at. I don't know anyone that "loves" OIS; it's not-great to fine. If you have a child that requires special needs, or is gifted, seriously consider whether moving to Norway is a good idea. Norwegian schools (less so OIS) tend to teach to the middle, and social cohesion is valued more than pushing students. Overall, teachers are caring and the kids are happy, but even the OIS curriculum is pretty stuck in the 1990s. They are making improvements and genuinely seem to care about community feedback, but don't expect a world-class experience. Best advice is to shop around for schools to see which is the best fit. And note that Norwegian schools assume kids are ok to go home by themselves at 3 (or 1:30 on Fridays for local schools), and if you are working at an embassy or company that doesn't keep Norwegian hours, childcare will be a challenge. Note that you will need to purchase/rent skis for cross-country skiing as it is part of the national curriculum. - May 2026
There are multiple international schools and our experience at both Frogner International Preschool and OIS has been excellent. - Dec 2022
The Lycee francais is good for francophones. There are a couple of international schools that go through MS. We know Oslo International School. Teaching is very standard and does not go beyond the basics. It is a British school that does the IB diploma. The school has little focus on the arts and very little sports clubs. There is a serious issue with toxic environment among kids in elementary middle and secondary ... too many wealthy Norwegian kids who are there their whole life, not international. Norway is very homogenous and white. It is a consensus society and people tend to want to be all alike and like each other. The kids are like that too. Bullying is a real problem. Teachers are dedicated and deliver good results. - May 2021
We had a great experience at Oslo International School. - Jan 2020
Every Embassy child I knew attended Oslo International School. I think most parents were content. The school is open 9am-3pm, only 180 teaching days a year with various breaks throughout the year. This makes it difficult for spouses to have a full-time job. It's not that teachers are more educated than those in US public schools. I think what helps run the school more smoothly are the ample budget, smaller classes, and lots of parents volunteering. - Dec 2016
The Oslo International School is a British IB curriculum school that most folks use and seems well-liked. I don't think they have much capacity to deal with anything beyond the most basic learning disabilities or special needs, but that could certainly change as well as be a case-by-case status. There is also a French School right downtown a few blocks from the palace, but I have no experience with it. We opted to put our son first in a local barnehage (preschool and kindergarten rolled into one) since he turned 5 right as we arrived. He was fluent in the language by our first Christmas and we opted to stay with the local public school system for our whole time. Norway just lowered the starting age for first grade from 7 to 6 in the last ten years or so. School is very play and experience-focused rather than academic, so depending on your kid's age and particular personality, this may not be the right choice for everyone. Our son has loved nearly every day and we are happy with his academic process as well. - Jun 2015
Oslo International School is the main school for expats (non-Norwegian speakers) in Oslo. I think it is a mixed bag. The primary school is not as challenging as schools in the Washington DC area, but once they get to secondary school it tends to get more challenging. The primary and secondary schools follow the IB curriculum. - Aug 2011