Beginner courses

The beginner courses (level 1 and the short course) are only available for applicants with NTNU affiliation. 

The short course

You need to be an employee at NTNU at least half a year to be considered for admission for this course. For NTNU students the requirement is a period of stay of at least 3 months. Partners of permanent academic employees can also be considered for admission. 

Level 1

You need to be a student/employee NTNU for at least one year to be considered for admission for this level. Partners of permanent academic employees can also be considered for admission. 

Higher levels in Trondheim

Level 2, 3, and 4 in Trondheim are open for all applicant categories.

Higher levels in Ålesund/Gjøvik

Students and employees at NTNU in Ålesund/Gjøvik are prioritised for the level 2 and 3 courses in Ålesund/Gjøvik. Applicants without NTNU affiliation can only be considered for admission if there are available places. 

• Applicants with NTNU affiliation
  • NTNU employees/partners of permanent employees at NTNU
    • Permanent administrative employees
    • Academic employees
    • PhD candidates/Postdoc
    • Partners of permanent academic employees
  • NTNU students
    • International master's students
    • Exchange students
       
• Applicants without NTNU affiliation (external applicants)
  • Immigrants with a residence permit
  • Partners of temporary employees/students at NTNU
  • Applicants with an active student status after a completed degree at NTNU

You have to upload the required documents as PDF-files on Søknadsweb. 

NTNU employees

• Work contract at NTNU
• Letter from your department confirming that they are willing to cover the course fee
• Possible documentation of Norwegian language skills

Partners of permanent employees at NTNU

• Partner's work contract at NTNU
• Letter from your partner's department confirming they are willing to cover the course fee
• High school and university education, both in the original language and a certified translation to English/a Scandinavian language
• Residence permit
• Marriage certificate or documentation showing that you live with your partner
• Documentation showing that you cover the English language requirement
• Documentation of Norwegian language skills if you have this

NTNU students (international master's students/exchange students)

• You do not need to upload documentation, unless you have documentation of your Norwegian language skills

External applicants

• Diploma and transcripts of records from high school and university education, both in the original language and a certified translation to English/a Scandinavian language
• Residence permit
• Documentation showing that you cover the English language requirement
• Documentation of Norwegian language skills if you have this

Please note that there are additional requirements for educational documents from specific countries.

Information about the course content is available on the web page of the Department of Language and Literature.

Level 2 requirement

• Passed level 1
• Norskprøven (organised by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills) with a B1 result on the written part of the test, and A2 results on the listening, reading, and oral parts. 

Level 3 requirement

• Passed level 2
• Norskprøven (organised by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills) with a B2 result on the written part of the test, and B1 results on the listening, reading, and oral parts. 

Level 4 requirement

• Passed level 3 or an equivalent.

If you have other documentation of your Norwegian language skills for admission to the level 2 or 3 course, we will check if this can cover the requirement. 

If you have applied for level 2 and/or 3, and you do not have (sufficient) documentation of your Norwegian language skills, you will be called in for a placement test. This test is not an official exam, but is used to see which level you qualify for. Your placement test result is valid for two semesters. 

The test requires physical attendance and will be held on Wednesday 15 November 2023 from 4 to 7 PM. If you need to take the test you will receive information via email about a week beforehand. 

Please note that Norwegian for Foreigners students who are currently taking the course and are registered for the regular exam will not be called in for a placement test for the following level. If you are a Norwegian for Foreigners student who already is ineligible for the exam, you will only be called in for the placement test for the following level if you withdraw from the exam on Studentweb within the application deadline (1 June/1 November). 

Information about the test is available on the web page of the Department of Language and Literature.

NTNU employees/partners of permanent employees at NTNU

If you are an academic employee/a permanent administrative employee or partner of a permanent employee, you are guaranteed a place on the course if your department/your partner's department is willing to cover the course fee for you. 

NTNU students (international master's students/exchange students)

• If you have not yet taken a Norwegian language course at NTNU, you will be prioritised for admission.
• If you have taken a Norwegian language course at NTNU before, you will be ranked according to your grade from a previous course. 
• If you apply for a course you have taken before, those who have not yet taken a course will be prioritised. 

External applicants

• You are ranked according to the number of credits you have documented from higher education. Only that which is equivalent to higher education in Norway will be included. 
• Applicants who have not previously taken the level will be given priority.

Exceptions

• Short course: Students with a period of stay up to 5 months are prioritised. 
• Level 1: After students who have not yet taken a Norwegian language course at NTNU, we will prioritise students who passed the short course, and last will be students who have taken a beginners course without a passing grade. 
• Level 4: All applicants will be ranked according to their grade for the level 3 course or an equivalent. 

Information about ranking is also available in the admission regulations.

Course fee

Only for NTNU employees/partners of permanent employees at NTNU

The course fee is to be paid by your department. This fee is 4000 NOK for each level (level 1, 2, 3) and 2000 NOK for the short course. Please note that you yourself have to pay the semester fee in addition to this. 

You cannot receive admission if your department is not willing to cover the course fee for you. If you are a partner of a permanent employee and your partner's department will not cover the course fee for you, you can compete for admission as an external applicant. 

Semester fee

All applicants, except exchange students, must pay the semester fee.