Primary Education - A Right and an Obligation
In Brief
Children have the right to attend school from the year they turn six until they complete the 10th grade.
Description
Children have the right to attend school from the year they turn six. At the same time, parents have an obligation to ensure that their child receives primary education. This education can take place at a public school, a private school, or through private homeschooling. For children arriving from other countries, the right to education applies if it is likely that the child will stay in the country for more than three months. In such cases, the child must be offered a school placement no later than one month after arriving in Norway. The obligation to attend school applies to children from other countries once they have been in Norway for three months. If a child stays abroad for three months, this obligation ceases.
Target Group
Children of primary school age, from 1st to 10th grade.
Price for the Service
Primary education is free. This means that parents do not have to pay for education, learning materials, transportation during school hours, or school trips. However, parents are responsible for covering certain costs, such as:
- Packed lunches or any food expenses during school hours
- Gym clothes and outdoor clothing
- Internet expenses at home
Related brochures, documents, maps and similar
Regulations
This is a legally required service. See, in particular:Opplæringslova § 2-1, § 2-2 og § 2-5.
Laws
Practical Information
Guidance - how to obtain or receive the service
It is the responsibility of the child’s parents to ensure that the child receives the primary education to which they have both a right and an obligation. The municipality is responsible for ensuring that all children residing in the municipality have access to public primary education.
2025 KF (Kommuneforlaget AS), Oslo, KF Tjenestekatalog.
Tjenestebeskrivelsene i KF Tjenestekatalog viser lovpålagte kommunale tjenester til innbyggere og næring. Beskrivelsene blir oppdatert fortløpende ved endringer i lover og sentrale forskrifter.
Tjenestebeskrivelsen er automatisk oppdatert 26.02.2025
Sist oppdatert