FAQ

 

1. What do I do if I want to study at NTNU but I am not Norwegian?

Much of what you need to know is listed in the frequently asked questions on this page, or on our Studies webpages. There are separate pages for visiting or exchange students, students who wish to pursue a bachelor's or master's degree here, or for potential PhD candidates. If you don't find the information you're looking for, the Office of International Relations is the contact point for all international students. PhD candidates and international researchers can contact International Staff Services.

2. Are there organized campus tours of NTNU for international students?

There are currently no organized campus tours for non-Norwegian students.

3. What are NTNU's tuition fees?

There are no tuition fees at NTNU. The university is publically funded by Norwegian taxpayers, so no one pays tuition fees, regardless of his or her nationality. However, all international students who are not citizens of EU/EEA/EFTA countries must be able to document that they have enough funding to live in Norway while attending university. The Norwegian immigration authorities will not issue a student residence permit without proof that you have the funds needed to live here. For the 2011-2012 academic year, the minimum amount that you must document for authorities was set at NOK 90800, or about US$16800.

4. What are the costs of living like in Trondheim and Norway??

There is a one word answer to this: expensive! But to be more specific, you should probably budget about NOK 9100 per month to cover your basic costs, such as housing, food and other university expenses -- in fact, this is why the Norwegian government requires that students be able to demonstrate that they have funds of NOK 90800 (in 2011-2012) at their disposal before a student residence permit is issued. Your single biggest expense will be housing, which is typically between NOK 2500 and NOK4000 or more, depending upon if you live in a little room or something a little larger.

Many students rent a "hybel", which is a bed-sit (UK English) or a studio apartment (American English). This is often a room in someone's home, typically in the basement (but with windows) and with its own entry.

Food is also very expensive, since most of it must come from outside of Norway. But since there are no tuition expenses in Norway, you have to look at the overall costs of your education in that context.

5. Can I get an undergraduate degree at NTNU if I don't speak Norwegian?

In a word, no. Nearly all undergraduate level classes are instructed in Norwegian. But if you really want to earn your undergraduate degree here, you can take Norwegian classes at NTNU that will eventually enable you to study in Norwegian.

6. Do I have to speak Norwegian to get a master's or PhD degree at NTNU?

No. NTNU offers a range of international master's programmes and PhD programmes in English. But you will have to demonstrate that you are proficient in English if you come from a country where English is not a native language.

7. What are the application deadlines?

The application deadline varies depending on the programme:

• Exchange students : May 1 for the autumn semester, October 1 for the spring semester.
• IFUS applicants: December 1 of the year before you intend to start your studies.
• International master's programmes: December 1 of the year before you intend to start your studies. Final application deadline: February 1.
• Applicants with a Norwegian or Nordic Degree have a deadline of April 15.
• Ordinary undergraduate degree programmes taught in Norwegian: Application to the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service (NUCAS) by March 1 of the same year that you intend to start your studies.
• PhD programmes: The deadlines vary depending upon the individual vacancies, but are typically early in the year for a programme beginning in the autumn.

8. What do I do if I want to study at NTNU as an exchange student?

If you want to become an exchange student at NTNU, you have to fill in the application form on our website. The application deadline is May 1 for the autumn semester, and October 1 for the spring semester. After you have filled in the form and sent it electronically, you must print it, sign it and send it to us in the post with your transcripts. You can also browse a complete list of course descriptions on our website to help you decide what to study while here.

9. What do I do if I want to study at NTNU as an undergraduate student?

First, you have to learn Norwegian if it's not your native language -- it's one of the primary admissions requirements. Note that native speakers of Finnish, Swedish and Danish do not have to meet the Norwegian language requirement. We offer a one-year full-time course in Norwegian called IFUS for students who would like to study at NTNU but don't know the language. The course starts in August every year, but the application deadline is December 1 of the year before you intend to start your studies. After you have passed the Norwegian course, you may continue to study at NTNU within your chosen field.

If you can document your knowledge of Norwegian, you should apply through the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service (NUCAS). The application deadline for applicants with a foreign educational background is March 1 of the same year you intend to start your studies.

10. What do I do if I want to study at NTNU as a master's student?

NTNU currently offers more 30 international master's programmes. These programmes are open to applicants who have a bachelor's degree or equivalent in an academic area that is relevant to the programme they wish to pursue at NTNU. If you are either employed or a student at one of NTNU's collaborating institutions in Africa, Asia, the Palestinian Areas or Central- and Eastern Europe, you may be eligible for a loan and scholarship through the Quota Scheme.

The Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Development also may be a source of funding through the NOMA programme. All master's programmes start in August, and there is no admission for the spring semester. For both Quota Scheme applicants and applicants with individual funding, the preliminary application deadline is December 1, with the final application deadline of February 1 for applicants who have passed preliminary screening.

11. What do I do if I want to study at NTNU as a PhD student?

If you intend to come to NTNU as a PhD candidate, you are advised to contact the relevant Faculty directly. Please see our website on or a list of all faculties and departments at NTNU. You should also check our listing of vacant positions. There are no fixed deadlines for PhD applicants, and applications may be submitted at any time, although clearly if you're applying for a vacancy, you'll want to adhere to the deadlines in the description.

12. Do you offer Norwegian courses?

We do. We have an intensive summer course that lasts for 3-4 weeks, courses that run for the whole semester (you have to pass three semesters to meet NTNU's language requirements) and a year-long intensive Norwegian course that upon successful completion meets NTNU's Norwegian requirements. The intensive summer course is mainly intended for exchange students or master's or PhD students who are coming to NTNU in the autumn semester and need to learn some Norwegian first, whereas the semester course is intended for students/ employees at NTNU who are staying in Norway for some time.Everyone with a residence permit in Norway may apply for this course, however, and some places are reserved for applicants that are not connected to NTNU.

You can find more information about these courses on our website.

13. I can't find what I am looking for!

If all else has failed, you can check the sitemap.

14.Where do I find course descriptions (ECTS information) ?

We maintain a list and descriptions of all courses offered at the university, organized by topic.

15. Where can I find practical information about living in Trondheim?

We have compiled a range of useful information on our Living in Trondheim webpages.

16. What do I do about housing for my stay at NTNU? 

All students who have applied for an exchange period at NTNU will receive information about housing from the Office of International Relations. Unfortunately, NTNU cannot guarantee housing for all incoming exchange students, although there are programmes in Trondheim to help as described below. Exchange students from countries outside of the EU/EEA are guaranteed housing due to visa regulations. Students from within the EU/EEA will be informed when their application to become an exchange student has been processed.

If you are not offered housing in the Student villages, there is a central housing office for all of the universities and colleges in Trondheim, called Studiebyen. They guarantee finding you a place to stay, so don't despair: www.studiebyen.no/en

17. When does the semester start and when are the exam periods?

Because the dates change from year to year, the easiest way to answer is to have you look at the current calendar.

We're here to help you -- contact us at: international@adm.ntnu.no

International House
Gløshaugen campus
O. S.. Bragstads plass 3
NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway

Telephone: +47 73595700
Fax: +47 73595210
Opening hours: 10 to 15 daily.

Contact NTNU's International Researcher Support if you need help as a prospective PhD candidate or a new or prospective employee.

We also have lots of information on the NIRS webpages, where you can also read more about what to do if:

• You're thinking of coming to NTNU as a PhD student or employee and wonder what you need to do
• You're newly arrived and need answers to basic how-to questions
• You've been on the job for a bit but still have some unanswered questions about your job or living situation