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Meta title: Applying to Norwegian Universities: Requirements, Deadlines
Meta description: How to apply to Norwegian universities: GSU entry rules, language tests, documents, non-EU deadlines for autumn 2027 and steps after admission.
Last modified: 2026-09-30

# Applying to Norwegian Universities: Requirements, Deadlines and Steps

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International applicants enter Norwegian higher education through one of two channels. Norwegian-taught bachelor's programmes are applied for through the national portal Samordna opptak by 15 April and require documented Norwegian. English-taught master's programmes are applied for directly at each university, and citizens of countries outside the EU/EEA face a much earlier window — typically between 15 October and 1 December, almost a year before studies start. A Russian or Kazakh school-leaving certificate does not open bachelor's entry by itself, because the GSU list adds a year of university. Russian citizens should also note that UDI grants study permits below master's level only in exceptional cases, which makes the master's route the realistic one for them.

This guide explains which route fits you, what documents and tests to prepare, the application calendar for autumn 2027 and what happens after you receive an offer of admission.

The Blindern campus square of the University of Oslo in front of the Frederikke building. Photo: Helge Høifødt / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Universitetet_i_Oslo_Blindern_plassen_foran_Frederikke.jpg), [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

## Which admission route is yours {#section-1}

| Your situation | Level | Where to apply | Key condition |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| School leaver from Russia | bachelor's | formally Samordna opptak or the university | one year of university at home, Norwegian or English; study permits for Russian citizens at this level are granted only exceptionally |
| School leaver from Kazakhstan, Belarus, Uzbekistan | bachelor's | Samordna opptak (Norwegian-taught) or the university (English-taught) | school certificate plus one year of university; language certificate |
| Bachelor's student or graduate from Russia or the CIS | master's | the university's portal (Søknadsweb or its own) | relevant degree, grade average, IELTS or TOEFL, application in October–December |
| Resident of Norway with a permit on other grounds | any | as a local applicant | later deadlines; possibly exempt from tuition |

Samordna opptak is the coordinated admission service for first-cycle programmes at public institutions. Applicants rank their choices and compete on points. Master's programmes are not part of it: each university runs its own master's admission. If you are still comparing countries, start with our [Norway country overview](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-norway).

## Bachelor's entry requirements {#section-2}

General eligibility. Norway compares foreign school qualifications with its own through the GSU list maintained by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir). A Russian certificate of secondary general education qualifies together with one year of university study; the same rule applies to Kazakhstan, Belarus and Uzbekistan. Russian vocational college diplomas are assessed individually.

Norwegian. Accepted proof includes a B2 result in every component of Norskprøven, level 3 of a university course in Norwegian for international students, a one-year 60-credit Norwegian course, or the advanced-level Test i norsk.

English. Russia and the CIS countries are marked on the GSU list as requiring English. The general minimum is IELTS Academic 5.0, TOEFL iBT 60 or PTE Academic 51, but individual programmes may ask for more.

Programme-specific requirements. Engineering, medicine and science programmes often require a particular level of mathematics, physics or chemistry.

## Master's entry requirements {#section-3}

A Norwegian master's programme is worth 120 ECTS credits, or two academic years. Admission committees look at three things:

- Subject background. You need a bachelor's degree in a related field with a minimum volume of core subjects. The University of Oslo's master's in economics, for example, asks for 90 credits in economics, of which 60 must be in mathematics, statistics, microeconomics and macroeconomics, plus a GRE score of at least 152 in Quantitative Reasoning or a GMAT result.
- Grades. NTNU expects at least a C on the ECTS scale for most programmes and converts foreign grades itself; it describes admission as highly competitive.
- English. The usual bar at UiO and NTNU is IELTS Academic 6.5 with no section below 6.5, TOEFL iBT 90 or PTE Academic 62. Test results older than two years at the application deadline are not accepted.

A key detail for final-year students: UiT states that it only accepts completed qualifications from non-EU/EEA applicants by the application deadline and does not accept provisional certificates. NTNU allows spring-semester documentation to follow later only for EU/EEA applicants. In practice, many applicants from Russia and the CIS apply after graduating and start in Norway a year later.

Programme choices and fees are covered in our guide to [master's degrees in Norway](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-norway).

## Documents to prepare {#section-4}

Lists vary by university, but the core is the same:

1. Passport pages showing your photo, name, date of birth and nationality; the name in your application must match the passport.
2. School certificate with transcript. NTNU accepts upper secondary documents without translation.
3. Bachelor's diploma and transcripts for all years (for master's). Documents not in English or a Scandinavian language must be accompanied by an authorised English translation.
4. Language test results. UiO verifies IELTS results online via the TRF number and does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake or TOEFL MyBest Scores.
5. Proof of funding. NTNU, UiB and UiT require it with the admission application, and UiT rejects applications without it regardless of grades. At NTNU the funding document must be dated no earlier than 1 September of the application year.
6. Programme extras: statement of purpose, research plan or portfolio.

Documents are uploaded as scans. If they are missing at the deadline, the application is invalid — OsloMet and UiT say so explicitly. Translations must be official: UiT rejects self-made or AI translations. Applicants register their own application from their own email address; UiT, for example, does not accept applications from agents.

## Application calendar for autumn 2027 {#section-5}

| When | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| September–October 2026 | choose programmes, sit IELTS or TOEFL, translate documents |
| 15 October 2026 | UiO, UiT and OsloMet open their portals to non-EU/EEA applicants |
| 1 November 2026 | OsloMet deadline; NTNU, UiB and Nord open on their usual schedule |
| 15 November 2026 | UiT deadline |
| 1 December 2026 | UiO, NTNU, UiB and Nord deadline (usual schedule) |
| late February 2027 | UiT and NTNU results (NTNU per its recent cycles) |
| by 5 April 2027 | UiO results |
| mid-April 2027 | UiB results |
| April–June 2027 | tuition payment, living-cost deposit, study permit application |
| August 2027 | studies begin |

UiO and UiT accept a maximum of two programme choices from non-EU/EEA applicants, and choices cannot be changed after the deadline. UiT and UiO have published their 2027 dates; for NTNU, UiB and Nord the table shows the schedule they have used in recent cycles.

## After you receive an offer {#section-6}

Pay tuition or apply for an exemption. Non-EU/EEA students receive an invoice by email. At UiO it must be paid within two weeks, after which the university issues a payment confirmation for your permit application. NTNU offers no instalments and accepts exemption applications within three weeks of the admission letter.

Deposit your living costs. UDI requires $17,790 (NOK 170,368) for the 2026/27 academic year. Without a Norwegian bank account, you transfer the money to the deposit account your university names: in Oslo and Bergen it is run by the student welfare organisations SiO and Sammen, at NTNU by the university itself. The money is paid back to you in instalments after arrival. For applicants in Russia, the transfer is usually the tightest step; our [overview of lawful payment routes from Russia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia) explains the options.

Arrange housing. A room from a student welfare organisation or a rental contract is needed for the permit application.

Apply for the study permit. The process for Russian and CIS citizens is covered in our [Norway study permit](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-norway-study-permit) guide.

## Common mistakes {#section-7}

- Choosing the wrong applicant category. NTNU warns that applications in the wrong category may be rejected; non-EU/EEA applicants without a Norwegian residence permit have their own category and deadline.
- Working to European deadlines. 1 March and 15 April apply to EU/EEA citizens and local applicants. Everyone else closes three to five months earlier.
- Booking the language test too late. Results must be uploaded by the deadline, and autumn test dates fill up quickly.
- Assuming a bachelor's route is as open to Russian citizens as a master's. A university may admit you, but UDI assesses the programme level separately.
- Not setting aside tuition money in advance. The invoice arrives right after admission, and without payment or an exemption the place is lost.

## FAQ {#faq}

### Can I apply to Norway straight after finishing school?

Not with a Russian, Kazakh, Belarusian or Uzbek school certificate alone: the GSU list requires an additional year of university study. Russian citizens also face UDI's position that study permits below master's level are granted only in special circumstances.

### Do I need to speak Norwegian to study in Norway?

Not for English-taught master's programmes, where an English certificate is enough. Norwegian-taught bachelor's and master's programmes require documented Norwegian at roughly B2 level, for example through the Norskprøven test.

### Are there entrance exams?

There are no general entrance exams. Bachelor's applicants are ranked on school and university grades, master's applicants on grade average and subject background. Creative programmes ask for a portfolio or audition.

### How many programmes can I apply to?

In international admission, UiO and UiT allow up to two choices, which cannot be changed after the deadline. In Samordna opptak you rank your choices, and an offer for a higher priority removes the lower ones.

### When should I apply for a master's starting in autumn 2027?

Between mid-October and 1 December 2026, depending on the university: OsloMet closes on 1 November, UiT on 15 November, and UiO, NTNU and UiB on 1 December. Results arrive between late February and mid-April 2027.

### Do I need my foreign degree recognised in Norway before applying?

No. Samordna opptak states that formal recognition through HK-dir is not required to apply; the university assesses your documents itself. Recognition matters separately if you plan to work in a regulated profession.

### Can I apply while I am still in my final year?

It depends on the university. UiT expects non-EU/EEA applicants to have completed their qualification by the deadline, and NTNU lets only EU/EEA applicants add spring-semester graduation documents later, so many applicants apply after graduating and begin their Norwegian studies a year later.

## Sources {#section-9}

- [HK-dir: GSU list by country](https://hkdir.no/en/foreign-education/lists-and-databases/higher-education-entrance-qualification-gsu) and [language requirements](https://hkdir.no/en/foreign-education/lists-and-databases/higher-education-entrance-qualification-gsu/language-requirements-Higher-Education-Entrance-Qualification) — checked 29 September 2026
- [Samordna opptak: 2026 deadlines](https://www.samordnaopptak.no/universitet-og-hogskole/tidsfrister/), [English information](https://www.samordnaopptak.no/info/english/) and [process for applicants with foreign education](https://www.samordnaopptak.no/universitet-og-hogskole/utdanning-fra-utlandet/soknadsprosess/) — checked 30 September 2026
- [UiO: master's admission](https://www.uio.no/english/studies/admission/master/index.html), [economics master's requirements](https://www.uio.no/english/studies/programmes/economics-master/admission/index.html), [English requirements](https://www.uio.no/english/studies/admission/master/english-proficiency-master.html) and [tuition payment](https://www.uio.no/english/studies/admission/tuition/index.html) — checked 29 September 2026
- [NTNU: international master's admission](https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/imp/how_to_apply), [language requirements](https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/langcourses/languagerequirements) and [tuition and exemptions](https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/tuition-fee) — checked 29–30 September 2026
- [UiB: how to apply for a master's degree](https://www4.uib.no/en/studies/admission-and-application/how-to-apply-for-a-masters-degree) — checked 29 September 2026
- [UiT: international admission FAQ](https://en.uit.no/admission/faq) and [document and funding requirements](https://en.uit.no/admission) — checked 30 September 2026
- [OsloMet: international master's deadlines](https://www.oslomet.no/en/study/admission/admission-master), [Nord: admission](https://www.nord.no/en/study-programmes/admission) — checked 29–30 September 2026
- [UDI: study permit for Russian citizens](https://www.udi.no/en/want-to-apply/studies/studietillatelse/?c=rus) — checked 29 September 2026
- Kroner are converted to dollars at the ECB reference rate for 29 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1355 and NOK 10.8735; $1 ≈ NOK 9.58), rounded to $1 below $100 and to $10 above.

Route planning, programme selection, requirement checks and preparing your documents for submission are provided under an agreement with StudyU; you submit the application in the university portal yourself, from your own email address. Admission is the university's decision, and the study permit is UDI's.

[During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply)

## Next steps

- [Master's Degrees in Norway: English-Taught Programmes, Requirements and Costs](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-norway)
- [Norway Study Permit: Requirements and Process for Russian and CIS Applicants](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-norway-study-permit)
- [How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia)
- [Studying in Norway for international applicants](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-norway)
- [Free Education in Norway: Who Still Studies Without Tuition in 2026](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-free-education-in-norway)
- [Cost of Studying in Norway in 2026/27: Tuition, Living Costs and a Full Budget](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-cost-of-studying-in-norway)

Updated: September 2026