Folk high schools, 2012

The most popular courses in 2012 were Aesthetic subjects and Handicraft, which had more than 7 200 participants. Social sciences, Humanities, philosophy and ethics, and Health, social and sports subjects also had more than 2 500 participants each. With only 23 participants, Transport and communication was the least popular.

Women are in the majority in most subjects in short courses at folk high schools. In 2012, 61 per cent of all participants were female. Natural resource management, ecology, environmental protection and outdoor recreation and Transport and communication are the only subjects that have a majority of male participants.

Short courses are most popular within the age group 50 years and over. The county of Nordland has the highest number of participants in folk high schools, with around 4 100, which is over 20 per cent of all participants. Telemark had the least participants.

Norwegian folk high schools offer a wide variety of short courses lasting a minimum of 12 hours, normally over at least 4 hours a day. The courses attract domestic as well as foreign participants. In 2012, about 1 100 participants on short courses did not have Norwegian citizenship. Most foreign participants were from Sweden, Denmark and Russia.