Choice of a Study Program

According to Brekke (2006), consistency of the study program with previous education and future plans is high on the agenda for international students coming to Norway. In my study I tried to examine the students’ choices in order to understand how important it is for them to get an admission for the program that fits their future plans. It helped to get a first glance on their future plans.

The choice of the study program is often determined by the former studies and future career prospects. Basically students described study programs they followed at that moment when I interviewed them as a deliberate choice. Jevon, from Africa, describes his decision to study in Norway as a step to his future career. His undergraduate studies and future career prospects were relevant to what he was studying at the University of Oslo.

I excelled during my Bachelors course, I got a first class degree, and then the Faculty of (…) [Education] decided to call me to come and apply for this course at Oslo

University. Because there’s a staff linkage program between the Faculties [in his home country and in Norway], and normally they bring here their lecturers. So it was under that program that they called me to come, apply to come here, and I was chosen.

He continues his reflection on this decision, pointing out the benefits of making this effort for his future career:

I chose Norway mainly because the Master that I was coming to study here was consistent with what I have studied at Bachelors and diploma level. That was one consideration, but the biggest consideration was because the Faculty which helped me to come here [in Norway], has promised, gave me like a 50 per cent hope of being employed as a lecturer at the university when I get back. So I thought that when I come here I would have a higher chance of a better employment at the university. That was the decisive factor. (Jevon, Africa)

Being aware of the study program choice helped George (Oceania) to avoid disappointment.

He examined the program content cautiously and got all the information necessary in order to make a decision. Considering that choosing a study program is a financial investment, it was important.

It was exactly what I expected it to be, really. I asked a lot of questions before I started so I had a good idea of what was involved… I went to the administration and I asked what courses they offered and then they gave me the list of all the professors and master projects they had available. And then I looked through them, got in contact with my professors, and I could speak to him and ask him more questions about it.

Kaitlyn (Northern America) was told by a friend about international aspect of the study program she was considering to take. She was excited to experience another cultures and describes it like a huge incentive to come in Norway:

He said that one of the big things was the fact that there’re students from all over the world, and that really interested me, because I like to get to know another culture, another people. That to me was a huge motivator. It’s a totally international program, and that was interesting.

To choose a program in order to get a scholarship can be an incentive by itself. Natasha (Eastern Europe) chose the program that had at least some connection to what she intended to study because she did not find a language program which could be relevant to her previous degree. She had to take a priority of the study program where scholarship was provided:

Because it was somehow connected with my work in (…)[her home country] and I thought I would get a scholarship. So my first aim was to come here and to get a scholarship. So if I wouldn’t have chosen this program, then maybe I wouldn’t be chosen to get a scholarship…I chose a program which I though it would be easier to get in for me, because of my background, working background.

For some students the location of a university can have quite an impact on the choice of the program. The University of Oslo therefore has an advantage of being located in the capital.

The location of the University was a determinative factor which made Stefan (Western Europe) to choose a study program in Oslo, a goal of being a diplomat brought him to the capital city of Norway:

I have to be in Oslo…I already studied abroad but I want to become a diplomat, so it was important to be were the things happen, and that would be in the capital- first thing. The second thing, the UiO [University of Oslo] is the one that gives courses in Arabic. There is one in Bergen but it wouldn’t be in a capital. It was important for me to be in a capital to be where things happened.

The choice of the education program for the motivation to come to Norway is comparatively high for the student. Students seem to look for a program that would match their previous education and future plans, and if they find one in Norway, they make a decision to come.

However, some of the informants had to adjust educational program content and location to other needs.