Hi! I was just accepted into BI in Oslo for study abroad. I’m having a hard time picking housing, as I’ve never been to Oslo and do not know a ton about the city. They have a few different housing options (some single rooms, double rooms, apartment-style). I like the idea of a private room but I’ve been sharing a room since arriving at college almost 2 years ago so it doesn’t bother me. Also I like that sharing a room can force me to be social. If anyone has lived in these housing or has opinions about the area please let me know. They are all within my budget so cost is not an issue.

Here are the options;

1. Boligstiftelsen Nydalen (BSN) –> double rooms, 5 min from campus
2. SiO –> single rooms, lots of different student villages
3. Diakonhjemmet –> single rooms /apartment style. Area between Majorstuen and Vinderen. 20 min away by metro to campus
4. Anker —> lots of studios in good locations including Sandakerveien (5 min walk from campus).

[https://www.bi.edu/study-at-bi/housing/#bsn\_193806. ](https://www.bi.edu/study-at-bi/housing/#bsn_193806) .

I am hoping to live somewhere social if possible and not sure if its better to live closer to campus (in the USA it usually is but not sure in Norway).

4 comments

  1. I would go with SiO
    Mind you, there is a housing shortage in Oslo

    BSN is outside of town and the apartments suck. Only benefit is proximity to campus. But Oslo is so small anyways. (Have lived there)

    Anker is a shitty for profit dorm where the goal is to squeeze as much money as possible out of students in dire need of housing. Standard is thereafter. (Have not lived)

    Never heard of Diakonhjemmet housing so can’t say anything.

    There are different SIO campuses. The places inside ring 3 are most popular. A lot foreign students go to Kringsjå, which I guess is nice. But only way to get to campus is to commute. If this is only option. Go with BSN.

  2. I would go for Bjølsen studentvillage in SiO. It is close by BI. Also be careful to apply for studenthousing early preferably as soon as possible, it can get hectic if you apply close to summer

  3. BSN is pretty popular with many BI students. There is a great environment up there, and close to the school.

    What people mean here with “out of town” is just that you need a metro, bus or tram ride to get down to central Oslo, which isn’t bad at all. In the warmer six months you can use “Bysykkel” if you like to ride bikes, and Nydalen has great park areas to hang by the river.

    Oslo is a small city and I tend to walk a lot in the summer.

    Let me know if you have any other questions

  4. I would go for the Bjølsen studentby by Sio, I lived there myself during my exchange semester at BI and I think it was pretty good. You have grocery shopping close by, it’s only 10 minutes walking to the university and the city is also not far away 🙂 they have single apartments with own bathroom/kitchen but also rooms where you share the kitchen and a small living room with five other people, so good if you want to be social, yet still have privacy in your room 🙂
    If you have any specific questions you can ask me

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