Language Requirements in Norwegian and English

The information on this page applies to those applying for a Norwegian-language program. If you are applying for a master’s program taught in English, you can find more information about English language requirements here.

 

Norwegian and English in Upper Secondary School meet the requirements

If you have studied Norwegian and English in a Norwegian upper secondary school, you meet the language requirement. You must have completed the following subjects:

• Norwegian, written and oral, at Vg3 level (393 hours)
• English, written and oral (140 hours)

 

Approved tests in Norwegian

• Norwegian Language Test (Norskprøven) from the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, with a minimum level of B2 in all four skills.

• Exam from Level 3 in Norwegian for International Students from a Norwegian university or university college.

• Completed and passed higher education program of at least 60 ECTS credits in Norwegian language and social studies for international students from a Norwegian university or university college.

• Test in Norwegian – Advanced Level (Bergen Test), written and oral, with a result of “Passed” in both parts. If you took the written test before autumn 2009, you must have at least 450 points; for the oral test before autumn 2009, at least 500 points.

• If your foreign education is 12 years or shorter, you must take Norwegian subjects at a Norwegian upper secondary school to obtain general university admission certification. In this case, you cannot meet the Norwegian language requirement through a test; you must have Norwegian at Vg3 level. See Samordna opptak’s website for detailed information about what applies to you.

 

Approved tests in English

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) – at least 60 points on the TOEFL iBT / TOEFL iBT Home Edition or at least 500 points on the paper-based test.

• IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Academic test / Online Academic Test – Overall Band Score of 5.0 or higher.

• Cambridge ESOL Examinations:

  • B2 First (formerly Cambridge English: First (FCE))
  • C1 Advanced (formerly Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE))
  • C2 Proficiency (formerly Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE))

• Pearson PTE Academic: Overall score of at least 51 on PTE Academic / PTE Academic Online.

• The European Language Certificate (telc):

  • English B2
  • English B2-C1 University
  • All English certificates at C1 level

• University of Michigan, Michigan Language Assessment:

  • Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE)
  • Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE)

 

Meeting the English requirement through education

It is possible to meet the English requirement through upper secondary or higher education from abroad. You can meet the requirement in the following ways:

• On this website, you can check whether English is covered by your upper secondary education. If it says “yes” under English language requirement, you must document your English proficiency.

• A university degree in English language and literature where you have completed courses in English at least 60 ECTS or equivalent.

• One year of upper secondary or university studies in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or the USA. The language of instruction must have been English.

• Completed an English-language master’s degree.

 

The information on this website is obtained from Samordna opptak, which administers the national admission regulations. Here you can find the Regulations on Admission to Higher Education (only in Norwegian).

Do you have education from abroad and wonder what requirements apply to you?

On Samordna opptak’s website, you can find more detailed information about the language and education requirements for applicants from other countries. There is an overview showing what applies to your specific country (only in Norwegian).