Membership in The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters is election based. The Academy has Norwegian and foreign members.

Foreign members residing permanently in Norway also count as Norwegian members.

The members are divided into two divisions:

The Natural Sciences Division

•     Group 1 Mathematics
•     Group 2 Physics (including Astronomy and Geophysics)
•     Group 3 Geological sciences
•     Group 4 Chemistry
•     Group 5 Biology
•     Group 6 Cellular and Molecular Biology
•     Group 7 Medical sciences
•     Group 8 Technological sciences

The Humanities and Social Sciences Division

•     Group 1 History
•     Group 2 Culture and Aesthetics (including Archeology, Anthropology and Art History)
•     Group 3 Philosophy and Psychology
•     Group 4 Literary studies
•     Group 5 Philology and Linguistics
•     Group 6 Law
•     Group 7 Social sciences (including Sociology, Political Science and Economics)
•     Group 8 History of Religion and Theology

The Natural Sciences Division may have up to 140 Norwegian and 100 foreign members under the age of 70. The Humanities and Social Sciences Division may have up to 120 Norwegian and 60 foreign members under the age of 70.

The two divisions are subdivided into groups based on fields or disciplines.

A seat becomes available when a member passes away or turns 70 years of age. Members who have passed the 70 year age limit remain full members and keep the right to vote. 

The Academy may also have up to ten honorary members, who are exempt from the class- and group division.

The membership numbers of the Academy are as follows as of 16 March 2023

The Natural Sciences Division:

• Norwegian members: 282
• Foreign members: 261

The Humanities and Social Sciences Division:

• Norwegian members: 260
• Foreign members: 155

The Natural Sciences Division 2023
New Norwegian members:

• Bodil Holst from the Universitetet of Bergen. She is elected to group 2: Physics (including Astronomy and Geophysics)
• François Renard from the University of Oslo. He is elected to group 3: Geological sciences
• Åslaug Helland from the University of Oslo/Oslo University Hospital, Radiumhospitalet. She is elected to group 7: Medical sciences 
• Odd Sture Hopperstad from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. He is elected to group 8: Technological studies

New foreign members:

• Jun Xia from Wuhan University/Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. He is elected to group 3: Geological sciences
• Peifeng Li from Qingdao University, China. He is elected to group 6: Cellular and Molecular biology

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The Humanities and Social Sciences Division 2023
New Norwegian members

• Camilla Brautaset from the University of Bergen. She is elected to group 1: History
• Kristin Asdal from the University of Oslo. She is elected to group 2: Culture and Aesthetics (including Archeology, Anthropology and Art History)
• Ingjerd Hoëm from the University of Oslo. She is elected to group 2: Culture and Aesthetics (including Archeology, Anthropology and Art History)
• Unn Røyneland from the University of Oslo. She is elected to group 5: Philology and Linguistics
• Halvard Haukeland Fredriksen from the University of Bergen. He is elected to group 6: Law
• Jon Hovi from the University of Oslo. He is elected to group 7: Social studies (including Sociology, Political Science and Economics)
• Halvor Mehlum from the University of Oslo. He is elected to group 7: Social studies (including Sociology, Political Science and Economics)
• Jarle Trondal from the University of Agder:He is elected to group 7: Social studies (including Sociology, Political Science and Economics)
• Terje Stordalen from the University of Oslo. He is elceted to group 8: History of Religion and Theology

New foreign member

• Hanna Ilona Meretoja from the University of Turku, Finland. She is elected to group 4: Literary studies 

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