Accreditation and exemptions

Do you have previous education that you would like to integrate into your course of study at HVL? If so, you can apply for accreditation. Before you can apply for approval, you must be admitted to one of our courses.

Have you applied through the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service?

If you have received a place at HVL through the NUCAS admissions process this year, the information stated in the offer letter will apply. Until the application for accreditation has been approved, you will be considered a first-year student with compulsory attendance for the first day of term. If you do not attend and register, you will lose your place.

Course accreditation

A course from another institution will not be approved if it covers only parts of the course delivered at HVL. The course must be on the same level (cf. regulations relating to studies and examinations at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences). If the course is listed as part of the admissions criteria for the programme of study, it cannot be accredited as part of the student’s grade (cf. section 3-5 of the act relating to universities and university colleges (1)).

In order to receive your certificate, a minimum of 60 credits must be taken at HVL.

Application deadline

The application for accreditation of a course can be assessed only after you have received a place at HVL or have begun your studies, preferably well in advance of the semester in which the course is to be included. If the course begins before your application for accreditation has been processed, you must ensure that you participate, complete the work requirements and, if necessary, take the examination in the relevant subject. See the deadline for processing an application below.

Deadline for processing the application

The assessment of an application will usually take one month. This may take longer if it becomes necessary to carry out a subject-specific assessment of the application. You will receive an answer to your application by email. You can send in your application by filling out the form.

Documentation requirements

In order for your application to be assessed, you must attach the following documentation:

  • Course plan for the course you wish to have accredited. Note that this must be from the year in which the exam was taken, not the last approved course plan for the course.
  • In most cases, HVL should be able to obtain your results from other academic institutions in Norway. If this is not possible, we will contact you.
  • You are responsible for supplying sufficient documentation for your application to be assessed. HVL may request that you provide the original documents.
  • For applications to programmes of study for primary and lower secondary teacher training and preschool teacher training, the supervised professional training element must have its own separate confirmation that includes information about the scope of the placement if this does not take the form of an exam.

Accreditation could affect student support provided by the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund

If you are applying for accreditation of a course, you must be aware that this could affect the student support you receive from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund. The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund calculates your student support based on how many credits you are taking, and the accreditation of a course could result in this support being reduced. See Laanekassen.no for more information.

Pre-approval of courses

If you want to take courses at other university colleges or universities and use them as a part of your studies at HVL, you must apply for the course to be pre-approved.

Basis for the assessment of subject-specific requirements

The Faculty of Engineering and Science

For applications for the accreditation of a course in the engineering programmes of study, including subjects from the technical college, the following paragraphs from the regulation relating to the frameworks for engineer training apply:

  • Section 5 ‘Exemptions can be granted for a maximum of 60 credits for relevant two-year vocational college programmes of study in technical subjects. It is assumed that the training provided at the vocational college will satisfy the requirements for admission to a programme of study in engineering.’

The Faculty of Business Administration and Social Sciences

Nautical Science: Exemptions of up to 60 credits can be granted for applications for the accreditation of a course, if related nautical science, in subjects taken at the maritime technical college. Exemptions will be based on individual decisions.

The Faculty of Education, Arts and Sports

For applications for accreditation of courses in primary and lower secondary teacher training and preschool teacher training, the requirements outlined in the framework regulations will apply.

Regulations for the framework plan for four-year primary and lower secondary education

  • section 3 ‘A teaching subject in the fourth year of study can be replaced by a school-relevant subject of 30 credits. In the event of a transition to a master's degree programme after the third year of study, the first year of the master's degree will replace subjects in the fourth year of study in the primary and lower secondary teacher training programme.’
  • section 5 ‘Examinations or tests that have not been taken as part of a primary and lower secondary teacher training programme may provide a basis for exemption; cf. section 3–5 of the act relating to universities and university colleges. Programmes of study that can provide a basis for exemption must take the form of courses that correspond to either a school subject or a discipline that is relevant to the work a teacher carries out in primary or lower secondary school, cf. section 1, and should include both subject didactics and a practical training element.’

Regulations relating to the framework plan for five-year primary and lower secondary education

  • section 6 ‘Examinations or tests that have not been taken as part of a primary and lower secondary teacher training programme may provide a basis for exemption; cf. section 3–5 of the act relating to universities and university colleges. Programmes of study that can provide a basis for exemption must consist of relevant subjects that correspond to the subjects offered in primary and lower secondary teacher training and must include subject didactics and a practical study element.’

Regulation relating to the framework plan for preschool teacher training

  • section 5 ‘Examinations or tests that have not been taken as part of a preschool teacher training programme may provide a basis for exemption; cf. section 3–5 of the act relating to universities and university colleges. Programmes of study that can provide a basis for exemption must include both pedagogical and practical training, and must be in a subject/study that is relevant to the work of a preschool teacher; cf. section 1.’

Regulatory framework

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