Students at the Norwegian Academy of Music (NMH) are satisfied with their studies and the feedback they receive from their teachers. They also report having more close friends than the average student. However, NMH students smoke and drink slightly more than others.
On 15 September, the results of the Student Health and Wellbeing Survey were presented. The results from SHoT 2026 indicate positive trends. Nationally, the survey shows the highest quality of life in 16 years. NMH students are like most other students but differ slightly from the national average in some areas, both positively and negatively.
Fewer NMH students participated this year, with only 120 responding to the survey. Given the low response rate, all results should be taken with caution.
NMH students are satisfied with their studies and the feedback they receive, scoring significantly higher than the national average. Among NMH students, 81.5% were satisfied with teaching compared to 68.4% nationally. Satisfaction with feedback was 76.5% at NMH compared to 43.9% nationally.
94% of NMH students felt welcomed in their study programme, slightly higher than the national average, though most students across the country feel welcomed.
The proportion of NMH students who feel lonely is similar to the national average (15–19%). However, more NMH students than others report having some or many close friends. NMH students also score higher on feeling they matter to others.
Could it be that the practice rooms – so essential for developing one's instrument – create unnecessary loneliness? Could students invite peers more often to share what they're working on? Or take more breaks together outside? A quick walk around the building is good for both physical and mental health, as well as exercise and time in nature.
Astrid Kvalbein
The proportion of NMH students who rate their health as good is higher than among students nationally. At NMH, 79.0% rated their health as good compared to 77.2% nationally.
NMH students also use fewer over-the-counter painkillers. Among NMH students, 12.0% reported using them daily or weekly in the past four weeks, compared to 20.6% nationally.
However, NMH students are more likely to use medication or other substances to improve concentration, stay awake, or calm down during exams or presentations than the national average. At NMH, 8.4% reported such use compared to 5.3% nationally.
NMH students are also less afraid of speaking up in academic settings, with 19.3% reporting fear compared to 41.9% nationally.
Additionally, NMH students score better on quality of life than the national average.
The proportion of NMH students who reported verbal, non-verbal, or physical harassment was lower than the national level, though the figure remains high.
Regarding gender discrimination, the numbers show a different trend. While overall discrimination levels are similar to the national average, the proportion who experienced gender-based discrimination was 15.8% at NMH, nearly double the national average of 9.5%.
I wish the figures for harassment and discrimination were lower. At the same time, they provide us with a basis and motivation to continue working against unwanted attention. Our new ethical guidelines are also designed to support this.
Kvalbein
Almost half of NMH students (47.9%) feel overwhelmed by social media, and 35.3% reported that social media is a source of stress.
The proportion of students feeling overwhelmed by social media was higher at NMH than the national level, 47.9% compared to 31.8%. Similarly, 35.3% of NMH students reported social media stress compared to 22.7% nationally.
NMH students use artificial intelligence (AI) tools less frequently than the average student, likely due to less text-based work at NMH. Only 15.4% of NMH students used AI tools to understand academic material several times a week, compared to 56.3% nationally.
NMH students exercise less than half as much as the average student. Only 7.5% of NMH students met the recommendation of at least 150 minutes of exercise per week, significantly lower than the national level of 29.2%.
On average, NMH students exercised 2.2 hours per week, compared to the national average of 4.1 hours. However, NMH students spend more time in nature than the national average.
This highlights the importance of focusing on Musicians’ health and continuing long-term efforts to promote knowledge, prevention, and good work habits throughout the study period.
Senior Adviser in the Education and Research Department
The proportion of students who smoke daily or occasionally was 15.4% at NMH, higher than the national level of 8.9%. However, snus use among NMH students was half that of the national average.
The proportion of students who have tried at least one illegal drug was 23.3% at NMH, significantly higher than the national level of 13.9%. Twice as many NMH students have tried cannabis compared to the national average.
NMH students also drink more alcohol than the national average but consume less energy drinks.
Creating a healthy performance culture, without harmful use of medications and substances, is a challenge for institutions like NMH. We should allow room for intensity and strong emotions and let music help us navigate these fluctuations.
Kvalbein
"It’s encouraging to see that, in many areas, we appear to be back to pre-pandemic levels. It’s particularly positive that students feel welcomed when they start at NMH and are so satisfied with the academic learning environment and feedback they receive. This is also reflected in the Study Barometer (2026)", says Senior Adviser Cathrine Nymoen Dorg
It’s positive that students feel welcomed when they start at NMH, but we have a responsibility to ensure they experience belonging and community throughout their studies.
Nymoen Dorg
"The 2024 Learning Environment Survey showed that loneliness was a challenge for some students, and that they wanted more meeting places and activities across academic disciplines. This is an area we continue to focus on. It’s positive that many NMH students in SHoT report having close friends. Together, this paints a picture of a student environment where many have strong relationships, while we must continue working to ensure that everyone feels a sense of belonging and community."
"The 2024 Learning Environment Survey also showed that many students experienced physical and mental health challenges that affected their studies, with many linking physical issues to practice routines. SHoT highlights significantly lower activity levels among NMH students compared to the national average. It’s interesting to view these findings in relation to our work on Musicians’ health. This underscores the importance of maintaining focus on Musicians’ health and continuing long-term efforts to promote knowledge, prevention, and good work habits throughout the study period," concludes Cathrine Nymoen Dorg.
