Both tests can prove Norwegian at B2, and Helsedirektoratet accepts either for authorisation — so you don’t strictly need one over the other. For most foreign-trained healthcare workers, the Norskprøve is the more practical choice: it’s built to certify exactly B2 across the four skills, and it’s offered more widely. The Bergenstest is the better option in two specific situations.
Last reviewed 1 July 2026. That both tests are accepted at B2 is confirmed by Helsedirektoratet’s language-requirement guidance; Bergenstest format and dates come from Folkeuniversitetet, which runs it.
First, the reassuring part: both are accepted
For authorisation, Helsedirektoratet accepts either test at B2 — the Norskprøve with a B2 result on all four subtests, or the Bergenstest (Test i norsk – høyere nivå) with a pass on both its written and oral parts. So whichever you sit, a B2 result documents the language requirement.
Keep in mind that this test — whichever one — is the language requirement, which for anyone trained outside the EU/EEA is one piece of authorisation, not the whole of it. And “B2” here means B2 across all four skills — reading, listening, writing, and speaking — not a single conversation.
So the real question isn’t which test is “accepted.” It’s which one fits your situation.
The Norskprøven — the standard route
The Norskprøve is run by HK-dir, the state skills directorate, and it’s the test most people take to meet the B2 requirement. It certifies your Norwegian across the four skills — listening, reading, writing, and speaking — and for authorisation you need a B2 result on each. It’s held around four times a year at test centres across Norway.
For most healthcare workers already living in Norway, this is the natural choice: it’s designed to certify exactly the B2 level Helsedirektoratet asks for, and it’s the most widely available. It’s also the exam whose oral part most B2 speaking preparation is built around.
There’s one real limitation: the Norskprøve is generally only offered inside Norway.
The Bergenstest — still running, and stronger in two cases
You may have seen claims that the Bergenstest no longer exists — and they weren’t always wrong: it was genuinely discontinued in 2022, which is why some sources still say so. But Folkeuniversitetet has since resumed it, with test dates scheduled in 2026. Formally called Test i norsk – høyere nivå, it certifies B2 and C1 — a plain pass (bestått) is B2, a high pass (godt bestått) is C1.
It comes in two separate parts, which can be taken independently:
- A written test of about 5.5 hours, in five sub-parts — reading, listening, a summary task, grammar and vocabulary, and free writing. You must pass all five to pass the written test.
- An oral test of around 20 minutes — a self-presentation, a picture description, giving your opinion on a statement, and a conversation with the examiner.
It’s held roughly three times a year, in Oslo, Bergen, and Stavanger — and this is the key difference — it can also be sat abroad, through an approved test centre such as a Norwegian embassy, consulate, or Sjømannskirken (the Norwegian Church Abroad).
That makes the Bergenstest the stronger choice in two situations:
- You’re still outside Norway. If you need to document B2 before you move, the Bergenstest is usually the only Helsedirektoratet-accepted test you can actually sit from abroad. The Norskprøve generally isn’t offered outside Norway.
- You’re already advanced, or you need C1 as well. If you’re comfortably at B2–C1, the test is pitched at exactly that range — and it can document C1 if you also need it for something else, such as university admission.
So which one?
If you’re in Norway and your goal is authorisation, take the Norskprøve — it’s built for exactly the B2 result you need, and it’s the easiest to access. If you’re certifying from abroad, or you’re aiming at B2–C1, the Bergenstest is the better fit.
Either way, you can’t make a wrong choice for authorisation: both are accepted, so this is about convenience, not eligibility. (On cost, both charge a fee — Folkeuniversitetet lists the Bergenstest’s written test at 2,500 kr, with the oral priced separately; check each provider for current fees.)
Where the hard part is — for either test
Notice that both tests assess speaking the same way: presenting, giving and defending an opinion, and holding a real conversation in Norwegian. That’s the part you can’t cram from a textbook — and it’s the same skill whichever test you sit.
That speaking practice is what muntligb1.com is built for — rehearsing the Norskprøve B2 oral out loud until it’s the part of your test you’re least worried about.