The process of acquiring Norwegian citizenship takes years, thanks to the residence requirements, and other conditions such as the language exams, background check, citizenship, or social studies test mean it's a far from straightforward road.
Still, it should be worth it in the end, even if you have to wait a lengthy time to receive a decision on your application due to long processing times.
Citizenship or social studies test?
The main difference between which test you may take will depend on the type of residence you were granted when you first moved to Norway.
The state offers an introduction to Norway programme to some people who move to Norway. This course, usually provided along with language training, aims to get new arrivals up to speed with the country.
Those typically offered these courses originally arrived in Norway on a family immigration or asylum seeker permit.
If you arrived in Norway under the EEA or work permit rules, then you will not have been offered this course.
For those who have done this introductory course, you will likely have been presented with the opportunity to sit the social studies exam. If you have sat and passed this exam in Norwegian, then you are all set, as the exam doesn't have an expiration date and can be submitted with the rest of your documents.
Even if you didn't get the chance to sit this exam in Norwegian or complete the course, fret not, the syllabus for the course will be the same as for the citizenship exam. Therefore, you should have picked up a few things that will be useful for the test.
Most applicants who didn't do the social studies course will probably prefer the citizenship test as it is slightly easier.
The reason it's easier isn't the content of the test itself, as both tests are drawn from the same syllabus. Instead, the language used in the citizenship test is considered more accessible.
Where to learn what's included in the tests
Both tests require knowledge of Norwegian history, the school system, healthcare, politics, and geography. They also include questions on societal norms in Norway, working life, and government agencies.
The syllabus is available online and can be divided into the topics of "education skills and the labour market," "family, health and daily life," and "Norway now and before."
These different topics are broken down into various sub-topics. These topics will cover how a system works in Norway and the cultural values behind a particular system – understanding both will give you the tools you need to ace either exam.
Course materials are available in several languages (however, the online portal can be glitchy). The curriculum is found on the website of HK-dir (The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills).
How to practice for the test
Thankfully, having the curriculum available should help.
Another helpful aspect of the online curriculum is that it includes discussion points and multiple-choice questions.
For the discussion points, ask somebody to read out the questions to you in English or Norwegian as another way of testing your retention.
There is also an official mock available online. The only downside is that the questions don't change. Still, it should be good for familiarising yourself with how your knowledge will be tested and learning the language used for the test.
There are also unofficial practice exams online. Some of these charge users for access to example questions. Still, there are free mocks available online that applicants can take.
Key tip – take it at your own pace
With the right preparation, you should be able to sit the test when you feel ready rather than rushing into it. Local municipalities are responsible for providing the exams and there are quite a few opportunities to take the test throughout the year.
If you need more time to get up to speed with your Norwegian reading skills, or the syllabus then its better to wait a few weeks or couple of months for more slots to open up.
Alternatively, if you want everything ready to submit when you meet the residence requirements, and your Norwegian skills are good enough, then you can take the test ahead of time.
Either way, there's no point in booking a police appointment to hand your documents in until you've passed the test – so there shouldn't be any need to put yourself under any pressure.
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