For a new candidate, the Norskprøve is the clear active route to documenting B2 for healthcare authorisation. Historic Bergenstest passes remain accepted, but the position for new Bergenstest sittings is not yet clear enough to treat the two tests as interchangeable: Folkeuniversitetet is offering the test again in 2026, while Helsedirektoratet’s published pages give conflicting information about whether it can currently be taken.
Sources: Helsedirektoratet’s general language-requirement guidance lists the Bergenstest, while its current UK guidance says it is discontinued and only previous passes are accepted. Current Bergenstest format and dates come from Folkeuniversitetet; Norskprøve format and availability come from HK-dir.
What Helsedirektoratet currently says
Helsedirektoratet’s general guidance lists two relevant results: B2 on all four Norskprøve subtests, or a pass on both the written and oral parts of Test i norsk – høyere nivå, traditionally called the Bergenstest. Historic Bergenstest results therefore remain valid documentation.
The uncertainty concerns new sittings. A separate Helsedirektoratet page says the Bergenstest is discontinued and that only people who passed it previously can use it, yet Folkeuniversitetet is now advertising new 2026 test dates under the same name. Until Helsedirektoratet updates or clarifies that guidance, a new candidate should not assume that a newly issued Bergenstest result will be accepted for authorisation.
Keep in mind that this test — whichever one — is the language requirement, which for anyone trained outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland 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.
For most new candidates, that makes the immediate choice straightforward: use the active HK-dir route unless Helsedirektoratet confirms the alternative for your case.
Norskprøven — the standard active route
Norskprøven is run by HK-dir, the state skills directorate. It assesses Norwegian across four separate skills — listening, reading, writing, and speaking — and for authorisation you need a B2 result on each. Most test centres offer it around four times a year.
For most healthcare workers already living in Norway, this is the natural choice. Norskprøven covers levels A1–B2: candidates choose a level range for writing and speaking, while reading and listening adapt during the test. To meet the healthcare requirement, the result must be B2 on all four parts. It is also the exam whose oral format most B2 speaking preparation is built around.
There is one real limitation: HK-dir states that Norskprøven is not held abroad. People living outside Norway can instead travel to one of the Norwegian test centres that accepts external candidates.
Bergenstesten — relaunched, but verify acceptance
Folkeuniversitetet is again offering Test i norsk – høyere nivå (Bergenstesten), with test dates scheduled in 2026. It measures B2 and C1 — a plain pass (bestått) is B2, while a high pass (godt bestått) is C1. That confirms the test is available, but it does not resolve the conflicting Helsedirektoratet guidance about new results and healthcare authorisation.
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.
Folkeuniversitetet currently lists sittings in Oslo, Bergen, and Stavanger. It also says the test can be arranged abroad through a test site it approves, such as a Norwegian embassy, consulate, or Sjømannskirken (the Norwegian Church Abroad).
Those features may make the test attractive in two situations, but they do not by themselves establish that a new result meets the authorisation requirement:
- You are still outside Norway. Folkeuniversitetet may approve an overseas site, whereas HK-dir does not hold Norskprøven abroad. If the purpose is healthcare authorisation, obtain written confirmation from Helsedirektoratet before paying for a new Bergenstest sitting.
- You are already advanced. The Bergenstest reports B2 or C1. It is not the only C1 option, however: HK-dir also runs a separate Norwegian language C1 – higher academic level test.
So which one?
If you are choosing a new test for authorisation, Norskprøven is the clear route supported by current, unambiguous guidance. If you are considering a new Bergenstest sitting — particularly from abroad — ask Helsedirektoratet to confirm in writing that the exact test, provider, and sitting date will be accepted before you register.
If you already passed both parts of the historic Bergenstest, Helsedirektoratet says that result remains accepted. For new sittings, eligibility — not just convenience — needs confirmation. As of September 2026, Folkeuniversitetet lists the written test at 2,500 kr and prices the oral test separately; always check current fees before booking.
Where the hard part is — for either test
The two tests assess overlapping oral abilities through different formats. Both ask you to present and defend an opinion and hold a conversation in Norwegian, but the Norskprøve includes a candidate-to-candidate exchange while the Bergenstest uses conversation with an examiner. Those are skills you can’t cram from a textbook. Worth knowing before you pick a level to aim at: what healthcare employers actually ask for is not always the same as what the law requires.
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.