NIS - How to apply

The application process is fully digital and only applications
submitted through the online application portal are considered. To be eligible for admission, applicants must meet Norway's Higher Education Entrance Qualification (GSU) requirements.

Note that admission to the NIS course in itself is not sufficient for a study permit (student visa). Non-EU/EEA-citizens must read the information at the bottom of this page before applying.

Admission requirements

1. Academic requirements
In order to be qualified for admission, applicants must meet the requirements of Norway's Higher Education Entrance Qualification (GSU), which means a completed Norwegian senior secondary school diploma or equivalent education from abroad.
See the GSU-list to find the equivalent educational requirements for your country.

2. Language requirements
Applicants must also meet the English language requirement for higher education in Norway. See also the Higher Education Entrance Qualification (GSU) to find out if you meet the English language requirement through your senior secondary school diploma.

Prior knowledge of Norwegian language is not required for admission to NIS.

Application procedure

1. Download and complete the Application Form for NIS 2027/28 (PDF-document).

2. Gather the required supporting documents to upload with your application

  • The Application Form for NIS (PDF).
  • Original diplomas and academic transcripts from senior secondary school and/or university. If your documents are issued in other languages than English or Norwegian, you must also upload official translations into English or Norwegian.
  • Documentation of English language proficiency.
  • Copy of passport or national ID-card (the page with your photo and personal information).
  • Copy of residence card or permit (only applicable for applicants with residence permit in Norway).

3. Register in the online application portal (Søknadsweb) and submit your application
First-time applicants must create a user in the application portal (Søknadsweb), submit an application and upload the required supporting documents.

All supporting documents must be uploaded in the application portal (Søknadsweb) by the given deadlines. Documents submitted after the deadline will only be reviewed if capacity allows and late applicants may be placed on the waiting list.

Applications and supporting documents sent by email will not be considered. The only exception is official academic transcripts sent directly from your previous school or university (for example password-protected electronic transcripts or transcripts sent via Parchment). Such electronic transcripts must be sent to admissions@hivolda.no.

Go to the application portal (Søknadsweb)

Application timeline and deadlines

October 15 - NIS admission opens in the application portal (Søknadsweb).
First-time applicants must register and create an account in the application portal.

January 15 - Application deadline for non-EU/EEA-citizens (and Switzerland).
This group of applicants will receive the result of their application in March/April.

April 15 - Application deadline for EU/EEA citizens and applicants residing in Norway.
This group of applicants will receive the result of their application in May/June.

Notification of results

Applicants will be notified about the result of their application by e-mail. The status of the application will then also be visible in the application portal (Søknadsweb).

Successful applicants will be given a short deadline (7-10 days) to respond to the offer of admission. You accept or decline the offer inside the application portal (Søknadsweb).

NIS for incoming exchange students

If you are already studying Norwegian language at one of our partner universities abroad, you can apply to the second half of the NIS course (NIS 102) as an exchange student in the spring semester. See the application process for exchange students.

Study permit for the NIS course (non-EU/EEA-citizens)

Study permit and need for further study plan

The Norwegian Immigration Authorities (UDI) has stated that acceptance to a Norwegian language course on its own is not enough grounds to be awarded a study permit. Citizens from outside the EU/EEA-countries therefore need to have a plan for further studies at Volda University College (VUC) in order to be granted a study permit.

This means that applicants who needs a study permit must note in their application form what study programme they want to take after the NIS course and also document that they meet all admission requirements to this study programme (apart from Norwegian language proficiency).

For students who need a study permit, VUC will issue an Admission Letter stating that the student is accepted to the NIS course and also cleared for a further study plan. The applicant can then upload this Admission Letter to the UDI in support of the application for a study permit (student residence permit).

VUC cannot guarantee a further study plan at another university in Norway. Therefore, it is not possible to get acceptance to NIS with a further study plan at another higher education institution in Norway.

Applicants already studying in Norway

Applicants to the NIS course who are already studying in Norway, may apply for a renewal of their study permit. However, admission to the NIS course alone is not considered sufficient grounds for a renewal of the study permit, so the student would need to document a further study plan after the NIS course.

For a renewal of the study permit, the Norwegian Immigration Authorities (UDI) require that the further study is a continuation of the previous studies but on a higher level. That is, an international student who has completed a Bachelor's degree, will most likely only be awarded a renewed study permit for plans to study at the Master's level.

The following excerpt is from UDI's website, under section 2.2: If the applicant has previously held a residence permit for study in Norway, it is a condition for applications for a new first-time study permit that the applicant has had adequate study progress in his or her previous studies in Norway, and that the education pertaining to the new residence permit is a continuation of his or her previous studies in the country.

Tuition fees

Citizens of non-EU/EEA-countries, will have to pay tuition fees for studies in Norway unless they meet one of the criteria to be exempt. Read more about tuition fees and exemptions at VUC.

Practical information

There are many practical details that international students must consider before moving to Norway for studies. We have therefore developed a website with practical information about visa, insurance, housing, finances, travel and much more.

Read more about practical information for new international students.

Contact

For questions about NIS: admissions@hivolda.no.