MF vitenskapelig høyskole

What MF vitenskapelig høyskole does

MF vitenskapelig høyskole is an accredited private scientific university college founded in 1907 as Det teologiske menighetsfakultet and renamed in 2018, organised as a Norwegian foundation (Stiftelsen MF vitenskapelig høyskole). It is the largest theological academic environment in Norway, operating from a single campus at Majorstuen in Oslo with approximately 120 employees, around 1,000 students, and about 50 PhD candidates. The institution delivers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programmes in theology, religious studies, peace and conflict studies, and social sciences, including the Profesjonsstudium i teologi that qualifies graduates for ordained ministry in the Church of Norway and the Lektorprogram that trains KRLE/Religion and Ethics teachers for Norwegian schools.

MF's product surface is built on a third-party technology stack — Canvas (Instructure) for the learning management system, Wiseflow for examinations, Oria for library discovery, StudentWeb for registration and payment, and NVA for research output management. Two dedicated research centres (MF CASR for advanced study of religion and MF KOM for church and congregation competence) anchor its research mission, complemented by a specialised library holding 88,300 printed books, approximately 250,000 e-books, and access to more than 2,500 journals, plus a historical archive dating from 1907.

Revenue comes from three streams: semester tuition fees (approximately NOK 4,550 per semester for ordinary programmes, NOK 6,250–8,900 for continuing education, and NOK 60,000 for non-EU/EEA students), partial state subsidies as a private accredited institution, and approximately NOK 4 million in annual gift income from individuals, congregations and bequests. Domestic students apply through Samordna Opptak; international students arrive via Erasmus+ agreements with partner universities in Germany, Spain, the UK (Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies), and Nepal. Governance is led by Rector Sturla J. Stålsett, with Agnes Skagemo as Director for Organisation and Business Operations since 2022, and Åshild Mathisen as Board Chair.

Name

MF vitenskapelig høyskole

Legal name

Stiftelsen MF vitenskapelig høyskole

Website

https://mf.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1907

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

MF vitenskapelig høyskole is Norway's largest accredited private theological university college, founded in 1907 and based in Oslo, offering bachelor's, master's, and PhD programmes in theology, religious studies, peace studies, and social sciences to approximately 1,000 students and serving the Church of Norway and the Norwegian school system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Religious Organizations (8131), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA), Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG), Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Theological higher education
• Religious studies programs
• Professional ministry training
• Religious research centres
• University college education

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and semester fees: Students pay semester fees each term. Regular study programmes charge approximately NOK 4,550 per semester; further education programmes charge NOK 6,250–8,900 per semester; non-EU/EEA students pay NOK 60,000 per semester. Fees include SiO membership and a voluntary aid fund contribution.
2. Donations and gifts: MF relies on approximately NOK 4 million in annual gift income to supplement lower state funding received as a private institution. Donations come from individuals, congregations (church offerings), and organisations. Tax deductions are available under the 'Gaver til forskning' scheme. MF also receives testamentary bequests and jubilee gifts.
3. State funding: As a private accredited institution, MF receives lower state subsidies than public universities, making it dependent on tuition fees and private donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MF vitenskapelig høyskole is an accredited private scientific university college offering higher education programmes (bachelor's, master's, and PhD) and research in theology, religious studies, and social sciences. Core offerings include the Profesjonsstudium i teologi qualifying graduates for ordained ministry, the Lektorprogram for KRLE/Religion and Ethics teachers, continuing education for clergy and church workers, and PhD programmes, supported by two dedicated research centres (MF CASR and MF KOM) and one of Norway's largest specialised libraries in theology and religion.

Product overview

MF vitenskapelig høyskole is an accredited private theological university college offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and research services. The core offering consists of study programs at bachelor's, master's, and PhD levels in theology, religious studies, and social sciences. Key programs include the Profesjonsstudium i teologi (professional theology degree for ordained ministry) and the Lektorprogram (teacher education in religious education and social sciences). Supporting the academic programs is the Canvas learning management system as the central digital platform, along with the MF Library (one of Norway's largest theology libraries with approximately 88,300 printed volumes and access to 250,000 e-books). The institution also operates two research centers: MF CASR (Centre for Advanced Study of Religion) and MF KOM (Competence Center for Church and Congregation), alongside a PhD program with approximately 50 doctoral students. MF International coordinates exchange programs including Erasmus+ partnerships, while continuing education programs serve working clergy and church professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor's Study Programmes Three-year bachelor's programmes in theology, religious studies (religionsvitenskap), and peace and conflict studies for students pursuing careers in the Norwegian Church, education, or the public sector.

Quantifiable outcome

• MF is the largest theological academic environment in Norway
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Holbergprisen i skolenminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 September 2025MF entered a collaboration with Holbergprisen i skolen to promote religion as an exciting research field for upper secondary school students. The partnership aims to make religious studies more visible and attractive to young people.
• Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 August 2022MF students can study Hinduism through a two-week summer course in Kathmandu (1–14 August) followed by a semester at Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. Students receive credit towards their MF degree. This provides unique international study opportunities in Hindu studies.
• STRAPAC (Strategic Partnership for Representatives from Religious Communities)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 January 2019EU Erasmus+ funded project with partners: Gal del Ducato (Italy), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), University of Craiova (Romania), and Foundation for Regional Development (Bulgaria). MF participates through postdoctoral researcher Daniela Lucia Rapisarda and international advisor Karoline Oftedal. The project provides training tools for religious organisations to combat social exclusion.
• MishMash – Senter for KI og kreativitetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMF entered an agreement with MishMash – Centre for AI and Creativity to conduct research on manuscripts and cultural heritage. This partnership enables interdisciplinary research at the intersection of artificial intelligence, creativity, and MF's areas of expertise in theology and religious studies.
• ERASMUS+coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorERASMUS+ provides exchange opportunities for MF students to study abroad at partner universities in Europe, with additional travel and study grants available on top of loans from Lånekassen. MF also receives inbound exchange students from partner institutions through ERASMUS+.
• Studentsamskipnaden i Oslo (SiO)coreOthersMF students have access to all SiO services including student housing, mental health support, GP services, kindergarten, student associations, fitness facilities, and career services. SiO membership is included in the semester fee.
• Norwegian School in Rojales, SpainminorOthersNorwegian School in Rojales (Costa Blanca, Spain) offers MF teacher training students the opportunity to complete practice periods abroad. Students such as Linde Lie and Charlotte Lothe have completed 8-week internships at this school as part of their lecturer programme.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• VID vitenskapelige høgskole: VID is a Norwegian private university college formed by merging several faith-based institutions (including Misjonshøgskolen, Diakonhjemmet, and Betanien). Like MF it offers theology, diakoni, and Christian professional education, and competes directly for Norwegian students in the same faith-based higher education market.
• NLA Høgskolen: NLA Høgskolen is a private Christian university college in Bergen with teacher education, theology and social science programmes. It is MF's closest private Christian higher-education competitor in Norway, sharing the same funding model and denominational mission.
• Det teologiske fakultet, Universitetet i Oslo: The theology faculty at the University of Oslo is MF's principal public-sector competitor for Norwegian theology and religious studies students. It offers tuition-free degrees and historically educates a large share of Norwegian clergy and academics, making it MF's main pricing and pipeline rival.
• Princeton Theological Seminary: Princeton Theological Seminary is a leading international private seminary offering graduate theological degrees and operating dedicated research centres. While larger and U.S.-based, it is directly comparable to MF in mission: training clergy, sustaining a major theological library, and producing religion-and-society scholarship.
• Fuller Theological Seminary: Fuller Theological Seminary is a large multi-denominational private seminary offering master's and doctoral theology programmes and operating research centres. It is comparable to MF as a private accredited graduate theological institution with a research mandate and continuing-education offerings.

Regional players

• Teologiska fakulteten, Lunds universitet: Lund University's Faculty of Theology is one of the oldest and largest theology faculties in the Nordics. It serves a comparable Swedish Lutheran-majority market and competes for Nordic and Erasmus+ students in the same disciplinary space as MF.
• Teologiska fakulteten, Uppsala universitet: Uppsala University's Faculty of Theology is another major Nordic theology faculty with strong research output and historical ties to the Church of Sweden. It is comparable in scale and mission to MF, though it operates in a different national context.
• Det Teologiske Fakultet, Københavns Universitet: The Faculty of Theology at the University of Copenhagen is the principal Danish theological education and research institution, training clergy for the Danish folkekirke and serving a Nordic Lutheran context comparable to MF's Norwegian mission.
• Faculty of Theology, University of Helsinki: The University of Helsinki's Faculty of Theology provides theology and religious studies education and research in a Nordic Lutheran context. It is comparable in disciplinary focus though larger in scale than MF.
• Åbo Akademi University: Åbo Akademi is a Swedish-language private university in Finland with a faculty of theology and a public-sector equivalent. Its private foundation status and Nordic Lutheran orientation make it structurally comparable to MF.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/MFvitenskapelighoyskole
• Facebookfacebook.com/mfvitenskapelighoyskole
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mf-vitenskapelig-hoyskole
• Instagraminstagram.com/mfvitenskapelighoyskole
• TikToktiktok.com/@mfvitenskapelighoyskole

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about MF vitenskapelig høyskole