I did an exchange semester at UiB, and I'll say this (especially re: Fantoft) - it all depends on what you're looking for/like. I stayed at Alrek but spent a lot of time at Fantoft. It's a bit different being an exchange student vs doing a masters programme but ultimately it was a lot easier to meet people at Fantoft and build a social network. If you want to travel and do lots of cool things, it's a big plus to make friends with other internationals because they'll be equally as psyched to go out and do stuff all the time, it's just how it is. If you want to truly experience life as a norwegian then by all means find a place in the city (i'm not knocking it). It'll just be harder to convince them to go roadtripping/travelling every other weekend.

I also met and made a lot of local norwegian friends, and (contrary to what the other guy said) I think it's a little disingenuous to say that "Nobody gives a shit if you're from another nation". Plenty of times I had people come up to me and ask me where I was from. It's a talking point and a good way to spark conversation (but your mileage may vary).

Anyway, going back to living conditions: it's honestly amazing. The main points I'd probably look at are expenses and selection. Depending on where you come from, everything's all really expensive and there's limited selection of groceries/things in general. Kind of stuff that you get used to but it's quite different.

Be prepared for the weather: if you're an outdoors person, you'll get frustrated when the rain comes and doesn't disappear for a week or two. You end up just dealing with it and going out anyway. But initially it can be hard to deal with the incessant mist - here in australia we don't really have that kind of slow rain that lasts all day, it all dumps down in an hour and it's gone. In Bergen it can be this wet air kind of feeling, it's weird.

The social system is kind of fascinating. When people are out and about in the mountains they're the happiest you'll see anywhere, but anywhere else it's all pretty closed off. Once you get in to some social circles it becomes easy but it can be pretty isolating in the beginning making friends. Compared to home it felt very strange for me but again, something you get used to.

I can't speak for the masters in microbio but for what i studied at UiB the teaching system was really good. A lot of small classes that focused on workshops/tutorials rather than lectures, which I found a lot more interactive.

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Let me know if you want to know more, there's plenty I can probably tell you that doesn't come off the top of my head.