WHAT IS FOLK HIGH SCHOOL?

Folk high schools in brief
Folk high schools are one-year boarding schools offering a variety of exciting non-traditional and non-academic subjects, as well as academic subjects. The idea of folk high schools is learning for life, an opportunity to grow both individually, socially, and academically in small learning communities. All students live on campus in close contact with staff and their fellow students. One important part of the folk high school experience is to form a community, in and out of class. 

 

The whole person
The folk high schools do not grant degrees or conduct exams. They are a supplement to the regular education system, with the aim of nurturing “the whole person”.  You develop knowledge in a subject you will make use of every day for the rest of your life: yourself. By taking away the pressure of grades and exams, you learn to motivate yourself. You choose the topics that interest you, for instance outdoor life activities, theatre, sports, music, creative arts, media and communications, just to mention a few. 

 

Schools for all people
Folk high schools are separate from the rest of Norway’s educational system. Students can be any age and can have any level of educational experience. Indeed, these are schools for all people, all “folk”. However, almost all students who attend folk high schools are young adults between the ages of 18 and 25.   

 

Folk high school, what we offer in place of a formal qualification:
It is important to emphasize that, by law, folk high schools conduct no formal examinations and issue no degrees. After finishing your school year, you will receive a diploma detailing what you have participated in. The folk high school have different courses from the regular education system in Norway.

 

International students at a folk high school who want to continue to study in Norway do not automatically qualify for enrollment as students in a Norwegian college or university; they must meet the same entry requirements as other international students.

About Hallingdal Folkehøgskule

One year at Skaga (the local name of the school) is hard to portray through a website or catalog. The year simply has to be experienced! However we´ll do our best to give you a small insight on what one year at our school might look like. 

Your year at Skaga is created mostly by you, however all our staff will do their best to give you your most memorable year ever. You’ll experience to push your limits and you can take fully charge of your life and set your own goals. This year will be filled with joy, challenges, friendships, love and a pinch of craziness.  

At Skaga we’ll live in a community with youth from different places and backgrounds. You’ll get close friends and you’ll learn a lot about yourself through conversations and working together with others. There will be time and space for reflections and thoughts about the future and the choices you will have to make in the future. 

You’ll experience an increased ability to joint responsibility, tolerance and care for others. You’ll be able to collect numerous adventures and experiences either in the classroom or out in the nature, on foot, ski touring, in the ski resort, on various events, domestic and international trips and not to forget through your life in the community of Skaga.

If you feel you need a break from a busy life of expectations and things you’re supposed to do, you’re now able to use one year on something you really desire! 

Best regards
Terje Leren, principal 

Hallingdal Folkehøgskule is situated in Gol in Hallingdal. Gol is situated about 200 km from Oslo, the capitol of Norway. The school is situated in beautiful natural surroundings and is very suitable for those who like to be out in nature. The school has a well equipped athletics department with exercise room and sauna. Slopes for alpine activities are near by the school.

THE COURSES

  • BRATT [climbing]
    We will try different forms of climbing, indoors/outdoors, on ice and snow, and most likely make a trip abroad. Off-pist skiing during winter.
  • DIGGI [film & photography - digital creativity]
    This is a course for digital creativity focused on photography and film making. The course has a low-budget profile. To create pictures that touche an audience depends mainly on the photographer, not expensive equipment. The course is covering a wide specter of themes from working with portraits to action packed portraits, and all between.
  • FJELL [outdoor life]
    Hiking and skiing trips in the mountains, sometimes daytrips, sometimes spending the nights in a tent or snowcaves, learning about the great interaction in nature (ecology), protection of nature and the environment.
  • REIS [travelling]
    Through the key words excursions, experience, activities, culture, planning, service and management you will study tourism in Norway. World tourism will also play a part. We will not spend all our time on classroom study, but try out a lot of exciting activities bouth outdoors and indoors. We plan on making one excursion abroad.

Apply online >

CLASSES
Classes are mainly in the Norwegian language. Foreign students will receive Norwegian instruction. We will point out that English is used as an intermediate language. Hallingdal Folkehøgskule is a boarding school where you live and work in a tight community. Many tasks must be solved, and in order to succeed everyone must be a good team-player.

Program work
In addition to classes there are also other challenging tasks. You will, for example, together with a group of students, be responsible for entertainment ar so called “programkveld”.

Practical chores
You will have to take your turn at practical chores such as kitchen duty and cleaning.

Teacher/student relations
We strive to have close co-operation between students and teachers. All teachers live on or near by the school and also take part in the school`s life after regular classes.

ADMISSION
You are able to apply to our school from February 1st. The intake is an ongoing process and we have no application deadline (first come first served basis). 

Apply online >

Admission requirements

  • You have to be 18 years
  • SWITCH shall have an equal (or close to) distibution of skiers and boarders 

EXPENSES

  • Tuition fee: 72 000 NOK
  • This fee includes:
  • Room and board
  • Common excursion fall and winter
  • Various costs
  • Concerts, theater, wireless internet
  • Common international school trip in the spring of 2012
  • Additional cost for single room is 4000 NOK

Additional costs:

  • Program costs varies depending on which program you choose from 10 – 20 000 NOK (this is to cover excursions, transportation, accommodation when we are away from the school, international trip etc) 
  • Ski pass, approx 5000 NOK (season pass that covers all the resorts in Hallingdal, inkl Hemsedal) for the following programs; Sports, Switch and Adventure.

RULES at Hallingdal Folkehøgskule
Our two most important rules are:

  • To participate. All our lessons and common activities are mandatory
  • No drugs allowed. Use or keeping of any narcotic drugs are illegal in Norway and the school operates with a zero tolerance on this matter. If you break this rule you’ll get expelled immediately.

Hallingdal Folkehøgskule | N-3550 Gol, Norway | +47 32 07 96 70 | post@hallingdal.fhs.no | www.hallingdal.hfs.no

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