History
The University of Agder is one of Norway's newest universities, but our roots span over more than 190 years.
Education
UiA has six faculties and one teacher unit governed as a whole by the University Board, which consists of a majority of members elected by faculty, staff and students and a minority of external members appointed by the Ministry of Education and Research.
Research
Six centres are awarded the status of Priority research centres at the University of Agder. From 2019 the centres will be among UiAs flagships for research at an international scale. They are prioritized by the university based on past results and their ambitions for further development.
Housing services
- Student accommodation in Kristiansand and Grimstad is offered by The Student Association of Agder (SiA).
- International students who are spending a minimum of one semester at the University of Agder are guaranteed student accommodation in shared or single rooms.
Library services
The University Library is primarily an information resource for students and staff at the University of Agder. The library also provides services to individuals, business, education and culture.
Campus life
- Campus Grimstad has 3 500 students and is co-located with Grimstad’s Technology Park. The campus was established in 2010.
- The facilities are excellent and include a simulated hospital and smart house where the Centre for eHealth is developing ways to use technology to help care for the elderly and disable
- Campus Kristiansand has approximately 9 500 students. The buildings are surrounded by greenery and have a sleek, contemporary design. The campus is close to recreational areas and in walking distance of the city centre.
Sports facilities
The students' gym Spicheren has excellent facilities, including a climbing wall and a swimming pool, and many outdoor options.
Student clubs
- The Student Organization in Agder (STA) is the official representative body for students at the University of Agder.
- The overarching goals of the organization is to work for the professional, social, economic and welfare interests of the students at UiA. STA organizes around 13,000 students and is the umbrella organization for a variety of student activities. STA is the voice of our students on campus, in the local arena and nationally.
Accreditation
The School of Business and Law at UiA is accredited by the American organisation Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AASCB).
University of Agder Overview
University of Agder Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 24.9% Norway
Top 35.7% Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
Best Global Universities Rankings
827
By U.S. News & World Report
Climbed 75 places compared to 2025
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1346 | 902 | 827 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
University of Agder Campus Locations
#1 Main Campus
Norway Country
Kristiansand City
#2 Branch Campus
Norway Country
Grimstad City
University of Agder Student Reviews & Awards
4.4
Based on 25 reviews
- 5 Star 12 Reviews
- 4 Star 12 Reviews
- 3 Star 0 Reviews
- 2 Star 0 Reviews
- 1 Star 1 Review
How Students Rated This University
- Student Teacher Interaction 4.3
- Student Diversity 4.5
- Quality of Student Life 4.3
Good support for arriving international students
A good university for international students. The professors are helpful and the facilities are accommodating to students. They have an administrative office to provide the necessary information to better integrate to the new environment as a foreigner
Good community and opportunities
Its an okay university, it offers a lot of studies. Id say the university is a mix of good and bad. I love the opportunities and the diverse community, but dealing with admin stuff can be a headache. The classes are sometimes too rigid, but overall, I'm grateful for the experiences and connections I've made. It's definitely shaping me for the better.
Highly recommend it for Tourism & Leisure
This is a really good university and campus in France. It is recognised into the hospitality industry. The teacher can be traditional ones or professional. They share a lot about their experience. The next working building is promoted and a lot of opportunities exist to do so . Hence, there are events such as job fair with a lot of very important companies into the hospitality industry in France and abroad. The infrastructure is good as well as the amenities. There are a lot of continuous assessment through group work that I consider as way more interesting. Indeed, you need to think by yourself and make research. It's really innovative compared to traditional french education in uni.
Studied here? Share your experience
Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2025
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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Student Teacher InteractionHow helpful were your teachers?
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Student DiversityHow diverse was the atmosphere at your university?
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Quality of Student LifeHow was your everyday life?