Norway: Primary school starting age (years)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Norway's primary school starting age (years) did not change 0 on 2024 (from 6 to 6).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was −0.03 and a typical year strayed about 0.18 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly fall was 1 in 1997. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains less than 1% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Norway had the 33rd highest value of the 210 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Norway in the 2025 ranking

• Nicaragua — 132nd of 210: 6
• Nigeria — 133rd of 210: 6
• North Macedonia — 134th of 210: 6
• Oman — 136th of 210: 6
• Palau — 137th of 210: 6
• Panama — 138th of 210: 6

What this measures

Primary school starting age is the age at which students would enter primary education, assuming they had started at the official entrance age for the lowest level of education, had studied full-time throughout and had progressed through the system without repeating or skipping a grade.

Limitations: The theoretical entrance age to a given programme or level is typically, but not always, the most common entrance age.

All 56 values

Primary school starting age (years) in nearby economies

• Albania — 6 (2025)
• Andorra — 6 (2025)
• Armenia — 6 (2025)
• Austria — 6 (2025)
• Azerbaijan — 6 (2025)
• Belarus — 6 (2025)
• Belgium — 6 (2025)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 6 (2025)
• Bulgaria — 7 (2025)
• Croatia — 7 (2025)
• Cyprus — 6 (2025)

More education data for Norway

• Primary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 13 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 434,422 (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 469,508 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 1 (2020)
• School enrollment, primary and secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.98 (2020)
• School enrollment, secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.95 (2020)
• Government expenditure on education, total (% of GDP) — 5.43% (2022)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Norway's primary school starting age (years)?

6 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is down 14.29% from 7 in 1970 (0.28% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 7 in 1970 and the lowest 6 in 1997.

How does Norway rank?

33rd highest of 210 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in primary school starting age (years) unusual for Norway?

In 2025, Norway's primary school starting age (years) did not change 0 on 2024 (from 6 to 6). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was −0.03 and a typical year strayed about 0.18 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.PRM.AGES, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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