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Become an air traffic controller

    Do you dream of a job where you can combine quick decisions with complex challenges? Then an air traffic controller might be the perfect career for you! Here you get an insight into the profession, whether you're just curious or looking to apply for education.

    Air traffic controllers in a control tower monitor air traffic using binoculars and computer screens.

    About the job as Air Traffic Controller

    1. What does an Air Traffic Controller do?

      An air traffic controller ensures safe and efficient traffic flow by instructing pilots on specific altitudes, directions, speeds, and other procedures. They are responsible for aircraft in various phases of flight, such as departure, approach, and transit through the airspace, and must have good multitasking capabilities, be focused, and accurate.

    2. Where does an Air Traffic Controller work

      Air traffic controllers may work in control towers, at approach control, or at an area control unit. Most are employed by Avinor, and the workplace depends on the type of control they perform, whether it is in the control tower, within approach control, or in area control covering larger airspace between airports.

    A man in a control room environment is working with several computer screens in front of him. He is wearing a gray hoodie and looks focused. The screens display information that may be related to monitoring or control functions.

    The Education

    To become an air traffic controller, you undergo a combined theoretical and practical education that lasts about 2 years. The basic part of the education takes place at the Czech Air Navigation Institute (CANI) in Prague, Czech Republic, and the practical part occurs in a control tower or control center in Norway. The costs for the theoretical part are covered by Avinor, and the education is approved by the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund as a nine-month study. During the practical portion, students are temporarily employed by Avinor and receive a salary.

    The training includes:

    Introductory course in Norway (about 1 week):
    Initial training to prepare students for further education and practical studies.

    Initial Training at CANI in Prague, Czech Republic (about 9 months):
    Over two semesters, students receive basic education about the air traffic controller profession, along with simulator training with instructors. This prepares them for the next step in practice.

    Transition course (about 2-3 weeks):
    Course in Norwegian rules and regulations, system training, and meteorology to adapt the education to Norwegian aviation regulations.

    Practical training (approximately 1 to 1.5 years):
    Training at a control tower or a control center in Norway.

    Admission requirements

    To be considered for the entrance exams, all of the following requirements must be met:

    Age requirement: 

    • You must be 19 years old by January 1st of the admission year.

    Grade requirement:

    • General study competence with an average grade from high school of 4.0 or better. No additional points, age points, or similar will be counted. Only the grades on the diploma or competence certificate count. The diploma must be ready at the time of application. If you receive your diploma in the summer, unfortunately, you must wait until next year to apply.

    Language requirement: 

    • Fluent oral and written Norwegian. Applicants who do not have Norwegian as their native language must have passed the Norwegian test B2. Applicants who do not have Norwegian as their native language, but have completed Norwegian high school with a grade of 3 or better in both written and oral Norwegian, do not need Norwegian test B2.

    English proficiency: 

    • You must have good skills in English.

    Security clearance: 

    • Must be able to meet the requirements for security clearance.

    Health requirements: 

    • You must have normal color vision and vision correction no more than +5 or -6 diopters, as well as good hearing and clear speech. If you have undergone vision correction surgery such as laser treatment, your vision before the procedure must not have been worse than +5 or -6.

    Entrance exams

    Everyone who is qualified will receive a call for admission tests. If you have participated previously and did not pass, you will not have the opportunity to retake the tests.

    The first two phases of the admission test consist of computer-based tests. The tests measure if you have the necessary qualities to complete the education and work as an air traffic controller. The qualities that are particularly emphasized are:

    • Three-dimensional perception (spatial awareness)
    • Quick perception
    • Good concentration ability
    • Simultaneous capacity (ability to handle multiple tasks/information at the same time)
    • Decision-making ability
    • Coordination ability
    • High stress tolerance
    • Good cooperation skills

    This is how the admission process works

    • Phase 0: Application review: It is checked that you meet the admission requirements and have uploaded your high school diploma in the application.
    • Phase 1: Initial admission test: It is not required that you have extensive computer skills. The tests are conducted in English. Original diploma or duplicate must be obtained and brought to the admission tests for verification.
    • Phase 2: If you pass phase 1, you proceed to phase 2, which lasts approximately 4 hours. The tests are conducted in English.
    • Phase 3: If you pass phase 2, you will be invited to phase 3, which is an interview. The interview is conducted in Norwegian.
    • Phase 4: Health check and security clearance.

    Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

    I do not have an electronic version of my diploma, what should I do?​

    If you are unable to take a picture of or scan the diploma, you must as soon as possible send a paper copy to:

      •  Avinor Flysikring AS, Kompetanse, Postboks 150, 2061 Gardermoen. Please mark the envelope with Air Traffic Controller Training.

    The sooner you send it, the sooner you will receive a response to your application.

    I have previously participated in the entrance exams and did not pass. Can I apply again and retake the entrance exams?

    No, unfortunately. It is not possible to retake the tests. If you have participated in the entrance tests through Naviair (Denmark) or LFV (Sweden), you cannot participate in the entrance tests through Avinor Flysikring as the Scandinavian countries use the same tests.

    There was previously a requirement for clarified compulsory military service. Does this no longer apply?
    The requirement for completed military service has been removed, meaning that you can apply for air traffic controller training even if you have not completed initial military service. Those who are offered a place of study will receive conditional exemption from initial military service as long as they are air traffic controller students.
    I am in my last year of high school - can I apply and send my diploma later?

    No, unfortunately. You must have completed high school when you apply and be able to attach the diploma confirming that you have achieved general study competence.

    I have been called to an admission test and have been asked to present the original high school diploma for verification. I cannot find the original. Is it okay to provide a copy of the diploma?

    Unfortunately, it is not sufficient to present a copy of the diploma. We have already received the copy or electronic diploma as an attachment in the application, so we do not need a new copy. The purpose is to verify the copy against the original. If you cannot find your original diploma, you must contact the school. They will be able to issue a duplicate that we approve as an "original" document.

    How is the average grade calculated?

    We follow the same point calculation as the Common Admission Service. The average is calculated from all the grades on the diploma but without any extra points of any kind. You therefore do not receive any extra points for age, natural sciences, language, gender, specialization, folk high school, military service, etc.

    I have a 3.9 GPA from high school. Can I apply for admission?

    It depends. We operate with one decimal: 4.0 as an absolute requirement. If you have 3.95, this is rounded up to 4.0.

    I meet the requirements for general university admissions through the 23/5 rule. Does the 23/5 rule also apply to air traffic controller training?

    Yes, it also applies to air traffic controller training. You must have an average grade of 4.0 or better in the qualifying subjects (subject requirement). Remember to include documentation of 5 years of education/practice. See http://www.samordnaopptak.no/info/ for more information.

    I am considering retaking subjects to improve my grades - is a secondary diploma accepted?

    Yes, we accept secondary certificates (competency certificates) that show improved grades. You must also attach the initial certificate. You must have improved the grades by the application deadline. Late submission of competency certificates/diplomas after the application deadline is not accepted.

    I am 18 years old and will turn 19 during the admission year. Do I have to wait until the next admission before I can apply for the air traffic controller education?

    Yes, you will probably have to wait to apply for admission.

    There has previously been an upper age limit of 30 years. Has this been removed?

    Yes, it has been removed. There is no upper age limit for applying to air traffic controller training anymore.

    Can I obtain security clearance even if I have something on my record?

    To this question, the National Security Authority responds that as the clearance authority, they will assess your loyalty, reliability, and sound judgment according to given criteria in accordance with the first paragraph of Section 21 of the Security Act. There is no automatic denial of clearance if you have a background that is relevant to some of these criteria. Everyone is entitled to an individual assessment to evaluate their security suitability.

    Click here for more information.

    What is meant by the requirement that vision correction cannot be more than +5/-6 diopters?
    This means that farsightedness of less than +5 or nearsightedness of less than -6 is accepted. If you have undergone vision correction, the values prior to the surgery apply.
    I am considering undergoing eye surgery, will corrected vision from the surgery be approved?

    We recommend that you investigate the conditions surrounding a possible vision surgery with an ophthalmologist/optician. Health requirements are regulated by the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority. More detailed information about medical requirements for air traffic controllers (class 3) can be found in detail on the website of the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority: Medical Requirements Class 3 Air Traffic Controller.

    How can I prepare for the entrance exams?

    The tests used assess qualities that are relatively constant and can be practiced to a small degree, i.e., qualities that one either has or does not have. Some of the tests may resemble traditional IQ tests, while others are specifically designed for this testing purpose. What we test for is:

    • Three-dimensional visualization ability (spatial perception)
    • Quick perception ability
    • Good concentration ability
    • Simultaneous capacity
    • Decision-making ability
    • Coordination ability
    • High stress tolerance

    You can find more information about the tests used here.

    When can I expect to begin the education?
    Those who pass the entrance exams during the spring and receive an offer of admission can generally expect to start their studies in the fall of the same year.
    Do I have to pay tuition fees during air traffic controller training?
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    Is it possible to request a specific unit for the internship/mandatory service period?

    No, unfortunately. Individual wishes or special needs will not be considered when allocating internships (OJT unit) or duty service location.

    When the mandatory service is over, can one apply to another unit?

    When the mandatory service (3 years) is completed, one can apply for transfer to another unit, if desired. When one gets the opportunity to move depends on the staffing situation at the current unit and whether there is a vacancy at the unit being applied to.

    What salary and conditions can I expect during the training and when I have completed as an AFIS officer?

    During Education

    Trainee air traffic controllers are temporarily employed at Avinor Flysikring AS when they begin the practical part and receive a salary during their training.

    The salary is 415,100 NOK as of 04/01/2024. The salary is intended to cover all expenses related to the education, such as housing and travel expenses.

    For the basic part, it is possible to apply to Lånekassen under the usual conditions for international students, while Avinor covers the tuition fees.

    The training primarily takes place during the daytime, but some inconvenient work hours should be expected. The temporary employment lasts until the training is completed, and initial authorization is passed. The temporary employment is terminated if the student does not pass the necessary exams or is otherwise deemed unqualified for the service. The same applies if the training must be interrupted for other valid reasons.

    Salary After Education

    Overall, an air traffic controller has a good income, with a starting salary of 601,000 NOK as of 04/01/2024. Over time, the annual salary will increase depending on the unit one works at and seniority.

    Mandatory Service

    After completing the education, there is a three-year mandatory service at the unit determined by Avinor at any given time.

    ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

    If you have questions beyond what is answered above, feel free to ask us. If you have any inquiries regarding the air traffic controller profession, admission, or study period, please don't hesitate to contact us. We will answer questions as quickly as we can.

    You can send your questions to .

    Learn more about daily life as an Air Traffic Controller