Buskerud Folkhøgskole: A centre of art and cultural learning

By Molly McPharlin | Photos: Buskerud Folkhøgskole

For more than a century, Buskerud Folkhøgskole has been a gathering place for young people to explore art, culture and life, together. Opening its doors in 1909, Buskerud has been a home for creativity, curiosity, and community.

Located in Buskerud municipality in Eastern Norway just west of the capital, Oslo, Buskerud Folkhøgskole has a long and proud tradition in the folk high school system. Focusing on art and culture, Buskerud offers subjects such as film production, writing, comic art, and game design. The school even has courses in areas such as cosplay and e-sports. “Students are encouraged to collaborate across curriculum and develop their own projects, from short films and games, to books, concerts, and exhibitions,” says Melissa Hernandez, information advisor at Buskerud.

The school’s teaching body is made up of professionals in their field – filmmakers, authors, illustrators, and designers – many of them actively working in the creative industries. They combine solid artistic experience and a genuine passion for teaching, mentoring, and inspiring young people.

Buskerud Folkhøgskole: A centre of art and cultural learning

Students live on campus in comfortable, recently renovated dormitories. Living together is an integral part of the folk high school experience, in line with its learning for life philosophy, which holds that you learn just as much outside the classroom as inside it. “The atmosphere in the dorms is friendly, social, and inclusive,” says Hernandez. “Buskerud puts a lot of effort into creating a welcoming environment.”

Teachers enjoy working with young people and coaching them in their fields of expertise.

The school values its international students. “They bring diversity, new ideas, and fresh perspectives that enrich the entire community,” says Hernandez. In recent years Buskerud has welcomed students from such diverse places as the US, Iceland, Ukraine, Spain, and Sweden, and hopes to attract even more nationalities in the future.

Buskerud Folkhøgskole: A centre of art and cultural learning

International students can join Norwegian language classes, both one-on-one and in small groups. Each class is tailored to the participant’s level and learning goals, helping them progress at their own pace. Folk high schools are tuition-free and international students, like Norwegian ones, pay only for accommodation, board, school materials, and trips.
At Buskerud there are no exams, grades, or tests. This is part of the folk high school philosophy. Instead, students work on their own creative projects and measure success through learning and a sense of accomplishment. Hernandez adds: “Our main goal over the year is personal growth. We want our students to develop as individuals and not compare themselves with others.”

Buskerud Folkhøgskole: A centre of art and cultural learning