FAQs about admission

Submitting an application

When do applications open?

Applications for admission in the main autumn intake open on the following dates:

Non-EU/EEA: October 1
EU/EEA: January 1

The university does not assess any applications for admission before expiry of the deadline. The university does not provide independent assessments of qualifications outside of the normal admissions process.

Does it cost money to apply?

No. Nord University does not charge application fees.

Does it cost money to study at Nord?

As a publicly-funded Norwegian university, Nord does not charge tuition fees.

If you are a non-EU/EEA applicant you must be able to document "financial capacity" in order to obtain a study permit and travel to Norway. This means that you must show that you have enough money to cover the cost of living in Norway for at least one year. This is a requirement of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).
 
The amount in 2017 is NOK 116 369. The amount is subject to change. Updated information about study permits is always available on UDI's website.
All degree students at Nord University must pay the semester registration fee each semester. This fee covers administrative costs and contributes to student welfare services. You do not have to pay the semester until after you have accepted your offer, received your welcome letter and activated your student account. All this and more is explained on our website New @ Nord.

The semester fee is currently NOK 725 per semester.   

I can't find an application deadline on the programme page. Is there a deadline?

Yes.
The deadlines for the main autumn intake are:

Non-EU/EEA: December 1
EU/EEA: April 1
Norwegian residents/citizens: April 15

You can find the deadlines and other useful information about applying and admission by choosing your level of study on the "How to Apply" page. We do not, as a rule, provide an application deadline on the programme pages for international programmes because this depends on whether the applicant is a Norwegian, EU/EEA or non-EU/EEA resident.

Please note: This page relates specifically to programmes taught in English and aimed at the international market. Different deadlines may apply for applicants to the central admissions authority. Programmes offered through central admissions (Samordna opptak) require Norwegian language qualifications. See Norwegian-taught programmes or the Norwegian admissions page for more information.

Is it possible to apply for admission in the spring?

No, not to degree programmes. All international degree programmes at Nord University admit students in the autumn, with commencement in August.

Exchange students can apply for packages and individual courses in the spring semester. Find out more about student exchange about here.  

Am I eligible for admission if I graduate from secondary school after the deadline?

No. 

If the studies you are currently undertaking form the basis of your application for admission (eg. secondary school for bachelor degree applicants or bachelor studies for master degree applicants) you must be able to document that you have completed and passed these within the deadline for submission of documentation.

Documenting your qualifications

Can I upload attachments to my application electronically?

Yes. You should upload your documentation to the online application portal, where you submitted your application for admission. Documentation includes diplomas, transcripts, English language test results etc.
Applicants from some countries are required to submit documentation in hard copy. Documentation submitted by post, should be sent to:

Admissions Office
Nord University
Post box 1490
8049 Bodø
NORWAY

Check the special requirements under "How to Apply".

What documents do I need to upload after I apply?

This depends on where you obtained your educational qualifications. An overview of the documents you need to submit is provided on the "How to apply" pages for undergraduates and graduates.
You will usually be required to upload copies of the following documents:
- your secondary school diplomas and transcripts (the document that shows your grades and credit points for each course).
- any relevant tertiary diplomas and transcripts
- copy of your passport
- documents showing change of name (if relevant)
Note: You must also provide approved translations of documents that are not written in English or a Scandinavian language. Find a certified translator in Norway.

Do I need to upload a coversheet with my documentation?

Yes, to indicate which documentation you are sending. You can download the enclosure form from the "How to apply" pages. The enclosure form helps us to understand your documentation. 

Will you confirm that you received my documentation?

No. We do not send individual confirmation that we have received your documentation.

However, it is possible to check that your documentation has been uploaded successfully by logging into the online application portal.

What is the deadline for submission of documentation?

The following deadlines apply for the main autumn intake:
Non-EU/EEA applicants: December 1
EU/EEA: May 1

Note: If you have not obtained all the required documentation previously, it may take time. For some applicant groups, documents must be sent directly from previous educational institutions. Passports can also take time to process.
Start organising your documentation as soon as you know you want to apply to study in Norway.

Can I send documents after the deadline in exceptional circumstances?

No. The deadlines for submission of documentation are absolute. Your application for admission will be rejected if we do not receive the correct and complete documentation within the given deadline.

The deadlines ensure that we can assess your qualifications and provide an offer of admission (if relevant) in time for you to plan your trip to Norway, including any permit applications or housing requirements.

Tip: If you have not obtained all the required documentation previously, it may take time. For some applicant groups, documents must be sent directly from previous educational institutions. Passports can also take time to process.

Do not wait until after you have applied to organise documentation. Start as soon as you know you want to apply to study in Norway.

Admission requirements

Do you require a minimum grade point average (GPA) for admission?

Yes, but the minimum grade requirement varies from year to year according to the number of applicants and the total number of study places and is usually different for each programme. This means that we cannot provide information about the lowest qualifying GPA for a particular programme until after the admissions process is finalised.

The general admission requirements (see How to Apply) stipulate the minimum requirements for admission. However, we may receive a large number of applications that exceed our minimum standard. This means that you are not guaranteed entry even though you meet the minimum requirements.

Is there an age limit for admission?

No. As long as you meet the admission requirements (see How to Apply), you are welcome to apply for admission, regardless of age.

My programme has special admission requirements. How do I know if I qualify?

The special admissions requirements refer to Norwegian educational qualifications. If you have educational qualifications from another country, the admissions office and responsible faculty will assess whether your qualifications are equivalent to Norwegian educational requirements, in accordance with national guidelines. This happens after you apply.
        
To ensure that the faculty is able to assess your qualifications accurately, it is important that you provide full and legible documentation of your educational qualifications, including approved translations of documents that are not available in English or a Scandinavian language, in accordance with our documentation requirements.

If you need to know more before applying, contact the study advisor for the programme for a more detailed explanation of the requirements for your country.

Do I need to know Norwegian?

You do not need to know Norwegian if the programme you are applying for is taught in English (teaching language is also specified on the study programme page). If you wish to apply for a programme or course taught in Norwegian then you will have to fulfil the Norwegian language requirements.

English language requirements

I grew up in an English-speaking country. Do I need to prove proficiency in English?

As a rule, no. As long as you meet the educational requirements specified in the country list provided by the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT), you will not be required to provide proof of English proficiency.

You can check the qualifications requirements for your country by following these steps:
2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, choose your country and select search
3. You will now see the requirements for English and basic education under the search.

I have an IELTS test. Do you need my overall band score or the score for each module?

If you are submitting an IELTS test to document English language proficiency we require the overall band score.
- For admission to undergraduate programmes the current minimum score requirement is 5.0.
- For admission to graduate programmes the current minimum score requirement is 6.5

For how long is my test of English proficiency valid?

If you are submitting an IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge test of English to document proficiency in English, you should find information about how long your test is valid on the test result itself.

Credit transfer

Can I apply for credit transfer for courses I have taken prior to admission?

After you are admitted to Nord University, you may apply for credit relating to elective courses. In some circumstances, you may also apply for credit relating to specific courses if the content and scope of previous education is equivalent to courses offered within the study programme you are applying for. This process requires comprehensive documentation of course content and literature. 

There are strict requirements relating to, eg. 
- how much credit the institution can award you and how many credit points you must take at Nord University in order to qualify for a degree from Nord University,
- how credit may be applied (you will usually not be granted exemption from parts of courses)
- overlap in academic content.


Please note: You may not apply for transfer of credit for courses that formed the basis of your admission to Nord University. For example: If the admission requirements include courses in mathematics and you were granted admission because you took courses in mathematics in a previous bachelor degree, you may not subsequently apply for credit relating to your qualifications within mathematics.

Scholarships and financing

Does the university offer scholarships or other financing?

No. The university does not offer scholarships or other forms of financing for full degree students.

However, if you choose to undertake studies in Norway you may be eligible for other forms of loans or financing. These include:
- Erasmus+ grants or other financing for exchange students from partner institutions. See Student Exchange for more information.
- Study loan from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund for full degree applicants who meet one of the eligibility requirements stipulated by the fund. If you are in one of the groups identified by the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund, you may apply after you are admitted to Nord University.

Result of admission

When will I get an answer from Nord?

Applicants from outside the EU will receive their result of admission by the end of April.
Applicants in the EU will receive their result of admission by the end of May.

I have received an offer of admission from Nord. What do I do now?

Congratulations! Your future is looking great! To accept your offer and start planning visit our website "Admission to Arrival".

I was placed on a waiting list. What does this mean?

If you have received notification that you are on the waiting list, it means that you may be offered admission if one of the other applicants rejects their offer. 

Once the deadline for acceptance of admission offers has passed (around mid-May), the admissions office will review the intake and see if there are any places available for those on the waiting list. If a place is available for you, you will receive a formal offer of admission. If not, you will receive final notification that your application was unsuccessful. More information for unsuccessful applicants is provided below under "My application was rejected".

My application was rejected. What can I do?

There are a number of reasons why Nord University rejects applications.

If you were not qualified, it means that you do not have the academic foundation required for admission to the course. In this case, you can consider applying for a different course at the next intake, or taking further studies before the next intake to increase your chances of being admitted.

If you were qualified, but did not attain the necessary rank for admission, it means that you had the formal academic foundation but your grades were not good enough to compete with other applicants in the admissions round. This usually applies to programmes with large applicant numbers and a limited number of study places. In this case, you can consider taking additional studies before the next intake to improve your grades, or applying for a different course at the next intake.

If you lacked documentation or submitted your documentation late, it means that you sent incorrect or insufficient documentation, or did not adhere to the given deadlines. The university enforces strict rules and deadlines for submission of documentation relating to identity and qualifications. If this is the case, you must wait until the next intake to apply again. We recommend obtaining all necessary documentation for admission well before the admissions deadline.

If you believe an error has been made in the assessment of your application, you may appeal the decision within the given deadline. See below for the rules that apply to appeals.

Who can I speak to about my application?

All communication regarding applications should be directed to the Admissions Office at Nord University (see contact information below). Programme and course coordinators can answer questions about academic content, however academic staff do not accept enquiries regarding the admissions process. All enquires regarding the progress of applications or the outcome of an admissions round will be directed to the Admissions Office at Nord University.

How do I appeal a decision of the admissions authority?

If you believe the Admissions Board made an error in the assessment of your application, you may appeal the decision pursuant to the Norwegian Public Administration Act (Forvaltningsloven) section 28.  In accordance with the same Act section 29, the deadline for appeal is no later than three (3) weeks from receipt of your letter of rejection. 

Pursuant to the Public Administration Act section 32, appeals must be signed by you or by your authorized representative and must provide information about the decision you wish to appeal, the grounds for your appeal and the remedy sought.

Appeals must be sent to Nord University, Post box 1490, 8049 Bodø.


 
Still have questions?

Contact the Admissions Office
+ 47 7551 7699         Monday- Friday 09:00 -11:00 / 12:00 - 14:00         opptak@nord.no

Contact the International Office
+ 47 7551 7870         Monday-Friday 10:00 - 14:00        international@nord.no