Overview
To become a police officer in Norway you need the bachelor's degree in police studies from the Norwegian Police University College (Politihøgskolen, PHS). The degree is 180 credits over three years, full time, and starts each autumn. It can be taken in Alta, Bodø, Oslo and Stavern. There is no single written entrance exam: applicants must meet set requirements, pass physical tests, and be found suitable in a suitability assessment, then compete for a place on points.
The dates below are as listed on the official site in 2026.
Who can apply
Applicants must meet all of these:
General university admission qualification (generell studiekompetanse) by 1 March in the year of application.
At least grade 3 in written Norwegian (hovedmål) by 1 March.
A class B driving licence, held no later than 1 August of the year before applying.
Norwegian citizenship by 1 March.
A clean record, shown with a police certificate (politiattest).
Medical requirements, shown with a doctor's statement (legeerklæring).
Exam pattern
Admission has three parts after the application.
Digital tests and video interview (April). Every applicant completes a personality test, two timed reasoning tests (deductive and inductive) and a recorded video interview with set questions. The tests are run for PHS by an outside provider. They take about an hour and a half in total and can be done on a phone or computer, alone in the room. They cannot be repeated.
Physical tests. There are six exercises and you must pass every one. Failing one means you do not go on to the next. Examples include pull-ups, bench press (4 repetitions, 60 kg for men and 32.5 kg for women), and a six-minute shuttle run with floor obstacles (802 metres for men, 704 metres for women). There is also an underwater swim.
Suitability assessment. If you pass the physical tests, an admissions committee reviews your digital test and interview results. It judges six competences: openness and inclusion, cooperation, maturity, decisiveness, analytical ability and integrity. Applicants the committee is unsure about are invited to an extended interview of about 45 minutes on Teams.
Marking and results
Candidates who pass the tests and are found suitable compete for places on a competition score. The final date to upload documents that carry points is 1 July.
Important dates
For the intake the official site described in 2026:
1 March: application deadline on Samordna opptak.
20 March: deadline to send the cover letter, doctor's statement and police certificate by Digipost.
April: digital tests and video interview.
Mid-June: latest notice of an extended interview.
20 July: offers are published. The deadline to reply is 24 July.
How to apply
Apply through Samordna opptak (sok.samordnaopptak.no) and upload the required documents. Then send the cover letter, doctor's statement and police certificate through Digipost by the March deadline.
After the exam
The first year is theory. The second year is practical training in a police district, covering investigation, patrol and prevention. The third year combines theory and practice and includes a bachelor thesis. With the degree you are fully qualified as a police officer.
Preparation tips
The physical tests are pass or fail, so train for them from the start. PHS publishes a training programme for them. The reasoning tests cannot be learned in advance, but sample questions are shown before each test.
Is PHS the only police training institution in Norway?
The official site says that to become a police officer in Norway you need the bachelor's degree in police studies, which is taught at PHS.
What does PHS admission assess beyond grades?
Physical tests, digital reasoning and personality tests, a video interview, and a suitability assessment by an admissions committee.