Language requirements

Language requirements

If you apply for admission to study programmes or courses taught in Norwegian, you have to cover both the Norwegian and English language requirement. If you apply for international master's programmes you only have to cover the English language requirement. 

If you have completed upper secondary school in Norway or another Nordic country (Sweden, Denmark, Finland or Iceland), you generally meet the language requirements for admission. Please note that upper secondary education from Finland or Iceland must include a certain level of Swedish, Danish or Norwegian. For more information please visit the Samordna opptak web page.

Below you will find information about the different ways you can cover the Norwegian and English language requirements for admission to study programmes at NTNU. 

How can I cover the Norwegian and English language requirements?

How can I cover the Norwegian and English language requirements?

  • Norwegian (as a second language) from upper secondary school (VG3)
  • Test of Norwegian – Advanced Level (Test i norsk - høyere nivå), with a minimum score of "pass" (bestått) in both the written and the oral test 
  • Norwegian for Foreigners, Level 3 from one of the Norwegian universities
  • One-year study in Norwegian language and society for foreign students from a university college
  • Norwegian language test by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills with a B2-result in all 4 parts of the test

Test of Norwegian – Advanced Level is no longer being offered, but you cover the Norwegian language requirement if you have passed the written and oral test previously. 

From admission for the 2023/2024 study year you will be able to cover the Norwegian language requirement by combining Test of Norwegian – Advanced Level and the Norwegian language test by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. The following combinations are valid: 

  • Passed the written part of Test of Norwegian – Advanced Level + a B2 result or higher on the oral part of the Norwegian language test.
  • Passed the oral part of Test of Norwegian – Advanced Level + a B2 result or higher on the reading part, the listening part, and the writing part of the Norwegian language test.
  • English basic course from upper secondary school in Norway (140 hours in Kunnskapsløftet or 5 hours weekly in Reform 94), written and oral
  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with a minimum score of 60 points on the Internet-based test
  • IELTS (International English Language Testing System) with a minimum score of 5.0
  • Pearson PTE Academic with a minimum overall score of 51
  • The European language certificate (telc): English B2
  • The European language certificate (telc): English B2-C1 University
  • The European language certificate (telc): all English certificates at C1-level
  • Cambridge ESOL Examinations: First Certificate in English
  • Cambridge ESOL Examinations: Certificate in Advanced English
  • Cambridge ESOL Examinations: Certificate of Proficiency in English
  • A complete or incomplete university degree in English language and literature, with at least 60 ECTS in the subject English
  • A completed master's degree taught in English

  • A minimum of one year of upper secondary school or one year university studies taught in English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Great Britain or the USA

International master's programmes require higher results on the following English language tests:

  • TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with a minimum score of 90 points on the Internet-based test
  • IELTS (International English Language Testing System) with a minimum score of 6.5

Please also note that you cannot cover the English language requirement for international master's programmes with a master's degree taught in English.

Further information about the English language requirement for international master's programmes is available on the web page about the English language requirement.

Test results must be uploaded on Søknadsweb. TOEFL test scores must also be sent to NTNU directly from the test center (NTNU's reference code is 9652).

Test scores from TOEFL and IELTS are only valid for two years.