1 Types of institutions

Public or private enterprises and organisations approved by the county authorities to take on apprentices are responsible for apprenticeship training. Thus, in Norway, both schools, enterprises, and organisations may be VET providers.

2 Geographical accessibility 

Upper secondary education and training – both general and vocational education – is available all over the country to ensure equal education for all.

3 Admission requirements and choice of school

To enter upper secondary VET year one (‘VG1’), young people must:

• Have completed lower secondary education
• Be younger than 25 years
• Submit an application through the county admissions system
• No grades or subject prerequisites are required

Adults (25 years and older) may apply for:

• Full VET programmes
• Shortened/competence‑based pathways (based on validation of prior learning)
• Direct access to Vg3 apprenticeship in some cases (after validation of prior learning)

4 Age levels and grouping of pupils/students/apprentices

As in general upper secondary education, pupils are 15–16 years or older when they enter vocational education and training. In the standard model for vocational education and training, the first two years are spent in school (year 1 and year 2), followed by a two-year apprenticeship, though some programmes require up to three years of company-based training. The apprenticeship normally consists of one year of full-time instruction combined with one year of productive work in an enterprise in the public or private sector. The training is sometimes combined with some teaching at school. County authorities assist pupils in finding apprenticeship enterprises. If there is a shortage of available apprenticeship places, or if a pupil is not placed in an enterprise, the county authorities are obliged to provide a specialisation option in year 3 in school, leading to a trade or journeyman's certificate. In such cases there is no productive work in an enterprise i.e. the trade or journeyman’s test is taken directly after the school year. Thus, this structure requires close cooperation between schools and employers.

5 Organisation of the school year

Pupils in vocational upper secondary programmes follow the same regulations as pupils in general programmes. Apprentices follow the working day and week of the training enterprise, regulated in the Work Environment Act.

6 Organisation of the school day and week

There are no national regulations concerning the organisation of the school day or week in the upper secondary schools. The distribution of hours is decided by the local authorities or the school.