Oslo International School: English-medium education and the IB in Bekkestua

Oslo International School is a not-for-profit day school for ages 3–18 in Bekkestua, Bærum, west of Oslo. The address is Gamle Ringeriksvei 53. It is a practical option for a family seeking English-medium continuity through the International Baccalaureate Diploma, provided the child meets the entry and support requirements.

The qualification matters more than the word “international”. OIS does not follow the French route of Lycée René Cassin or the German–Norwegian route of Deutsche Schule Oslo. Compare the final subjects, teaching language and likely next move before comparing facilities.

The admissions FAQ requires pupils to live with at least one parent throughout enrolment. OIS provides neither boarding nor host families and does not run a student-exchange programme. A teenager cannot use an OIS offer as an arrangement to live independently in Oslo.

The educational route

OIS uses its own Year numbers. Year 1 begins at age five, so it is not equivalent to Norwegian first grade.

OIS stage	Typical age or placement	Programme
Pre-School 1–2	Ages three and four by 31 August; Pre-School 1 applicants must be toilet-trained	Early-years learning
Primary, Years 1–6	Approximately 5–11	Literacy and mathematics alongside the thematic International Primary Curriculum, IPC
Lower Secondary, Years 7–10	Approximately 11–15	OIS lower-secondary programme
Pre-IB, then IB1 and IB2	Approximately 15–18, with some pupils graduating at 19	Preparation followed by the two-year IB Diploma

The IPC is a teaching framework, not a leaving qualification. The IB Diploma is the final two-year academic programme. Ask which subjects and levels are available for the pupil’s intended university course.

The admissions policy bases early placement on age. From Year 3 it also considers successful completion of the previous year or an equivalent. OIS makes the placement decision; another country’s year label does not determine it.

IB1 pupils must join no later than 30 September of that academic year. Direct entry to IB2 is unusual. It requires transfer from another IB Diploma programme with exceptionally close subject and programme alignment, coordinated between the schools.

The FAQ reports average classes of 15 in Primary and 17 in Secondary. These are school-reported averages, not promised class sizes. Ask for the actual proposed class and the size of relevant senior subject groups.

English entry requirements and Norwegian study

English is the main teaching language. Primary applicants have no minimum English requirement, but the school still assesses whether its provision can meet the child’s needs.

Secondary applicants whose first language is not English take a supervised assessment at their current school. The policy uses the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, CEFR, to set these minimum levels:

Entry year	Minimum English level
Year 8	A2
Year 9	B1
Year 10	B2
Pre-IB	B2
IB1	B2

These labels describe language proficiency, not school grades. The published table does not give a Year 7 threshold; ask admissions how that entry is assessed.

English as an Additional Language, EAL, is available for eligible younger pupils. The support page describes small-group sessions outside the main class. However, the current FAQ explicitly says EAL is not offered from Year 10 through IB2. Do not assume that an English catch-up programme accompanies a senior place.

All pupils in Years 1–10 study Norwegian. Norwegian A is for native-level language and literature, B is language acquisition, and C is a two-year beginners’ course preparing pupils for B. The language page also describes Norwegian national tests for Norwegian A pupils in OIS Years 6, 8 and 9.

From Year 8, pupils choose French or Spanish. Norwegian A or B can continue in the IB. Some home languages may be studied through school-supported self-taught or special-request IB arrangements, sometimes with an external teacher. Confirm availability, supervision and cost for the particular language.

For a family staying in Norway, I would ask to see the Norwegian timetable and progression expectations. Taking Norwegian as a subject is not the same as following the Norwegian national curriculum.

Admission and learning-support limits

Applications are accepted throughout the year. Existing pupils receive re-enrolment priority, with new offers made as places become clearer around the February–March re-enrolment process. A rolling application process does not establish availability in a particular class.

The policy distinguishes:

• Category 1: expatriate families relocating to Norway.
• Category 2: internationally minded families already resident in Norway.
• Category 3: an existing reduced-tuition category being phased out. Pupils already in it remain, but entrants in Categories 1 or 2 cannot switch into it later.

Apply through the school’s admissions process. The application fee is non-refundable even if no place is offered. Supply complete school records and relevant assessments through the requested secure process.

The Support for Learning, SfL, programme can admit a limited number of pupils with mild learning difficulties who can access the curriculum with up to four support lessons weekly. Capacity in the relevant year is part of the admission decision.

The support page explains how those sessions differ. Primary support may be in class or in small groups. Lower Secondary and Pre-IB divide support between mathematics and literacy. Upper Secondary uses tutorials.

The admissions policy identifies needs OIS says it cannot effectively meet: significant cognitive limitations, specified conduct-related disabilities, and the combination of learning difficulties with limited English. Discuss the individual reports rather than assuming that a diagnosis alone settles admission.

Families must disclose relevant needs at application. The policy allows OIS to close an incomplete application or withdraw a pupil if it later finds that it cannot meet the pupil’s needs. Obtain a written description of the proposed support before accepting.

OIS’s terms state that it operates under Education Act section 22-1 without Norwegian subsidy. They say it has no statutory government funding entitlement for special educational support from Year 1. The policy also excludes specified statutory language provision, and the terms exclude transport entitlement. Ask how any required support will be provided and funded; do not assume ordinary municipal arrangements apply.

Campus and the practical day

The campus page describes two buildings with classrooms, science laboratories, study areas, a sports hall and a flexible performance hall. The library has more than 15,000 books and dedicated library staff.

An innovation space contains fabrication equipment, including 3D printers. Its recording studio, The Cube, supports audio and digital projects. Outdoors, the school has two playgrounds, two courtyards and a separate early-years area. A nearby football pitch and public park provide additional space.

Those facilities are useful starting points for questions about access. Ask how often the child’s year uses laboratories, the library and the innovation space. Arrange classroom observation through staff and respect pupil privacy.

The usual school day is 08:45–15:00, although upper-secondary timetables can extend beyond it. The office’s 08:00–16:00 hours should not be mistaken for a guaranteed childcare service. Confirm supervision before and after the child’s lessons.

There is no canteen. The FAQ describes optional catered hot lunches on up to three days weekly. Check booking, dietary arrangements and current cost. Test Bekkestua from the intended home, including the return after activities, rather than judging the journey from central Oslo alone.

2026/27 fees without double-counting

The school’s current fee page gives these amounts:

Charge	NOK	Treatment
Application	5,000	Per applicant; non-refundable
New-pupil registration, Year 1 or above	25,000	Non-refundable; also charged when a preschool pupil enters Year 1
Enrolment or re-enrolment	10,000	Non-refundable advance credited to annual tuition
Annual tuition, Year 1–IB2	288,700	Already includes the 10,000 advance

For a new full-year Year 1–IB2 pupil, NOK 318,700 is our calculation of tuition plus application and registration. It excludes optional services. Adding the NOK 10,000 again would overstate the total.

The 2026/27 terms show NOK 129,900 for Term One and 158,800 for Term Two. The first amount includes the advance. The main table gives 15 May and 15 November 2026; section 2.4 mistakenly repeats 2025 dates. Ask finance to confirm the invoice schedule. The May 2026 date has passed.

Preschool has a separate nationally regulated price. The published figure is NOK 1,200 monthly for eleven months, or 13,200 annually, subject to change. Its schedule divides that total into NOK 5,000 in March, 1,000 in May and 7,200 in November. Confirm the arrangement for a new preschool applicant; the Year 1 tariff is dramatically higher.

Bus fees are annual: NOK 25,800 return or 15,100 one-way, although invoiced by term. Places are subject to availability. Paid bus fees are not refunded after mid-term cancellation or a change to one-way travel. A new mid-term bus user is billed from the starting month.

Activities start at NOK 850 per activity per season on the current fee page, with seasons typically lasting about eleven weeks. Prices vary. Optional trips and catered meals need separate budgeting; tuition includes specified mandatory co-curricular trips.

Leaving, payment liability and financial assistance

Tuition is charged for the whole term, with no reduction for a late start. Entry after April is not typical. New pupils must pay the required amount before attending, even if an invoice shows a later date.

The terms require at least one month’s written withdrawal notice and do not refund paid school fees. They also exclude refunds if a family withdraws before starting. Check the exact liability if a posting may end mid-year.

Our view

Choose OIS if English-medium continuity and an eventual IB Diploma are priorities, the child can access the programme, and the full cost is sustainable. It is particularly important to resolve English readiness before a Year 10 or later move.

I would not choose it on the assumption of extensive specialist support, a later switch into reduced tuition, or publicly funded transport. For French or German curricular continuity, compare the two Oslo schools linked above. For a long-term Norwegian pathway, investigate the local public option alongside OIS.

Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.