Basic Matriculation Requirements

Norwegian Language Requirements for applicants for admission to degree programmes where the language of instruction is Norwegian

Norwegian is the official language of instruction at institutions of higher education in Norway. The language of instruction at all our Bachelor’s Programmes and Master’s Programmes, except for the international MSc programme in Logistics, is Norwegian. A good command of the Norwegian language is therefore necessary. The minimum requirement in Norwegian language to be admitted to regular degree programmes at Norwegian universities/ university colleges is one of the following exams/ tests:

• Passed Level III examination in Norwegian language for international students at Norwegian universities.
• Passed examination from the one year Introductory Programmes in Norwegian Language and Culture for international students (IFUS programmes) held at the Norwegian universities, and at some university colleges.
• Passed examination in “Norwegian as a second language” from Norwegian Higher Secondary School ( “Læreplan i norsk som andrespråk”)
• Passed written test in Norwegian, advanced level, “Bergenstesten” with a minimum score of 450 or better on the old grading scale used until October 2009 or “passed” (“bestått”) on the new grading scale introduced in October 2009. (http://www.fu.no/default.asp?avd=231&nyh=5389)

Please be aware that Molde University College does not offer any Norwegian language courses/ Introductory Programmes in Norwegian Language and Culture (IFUS programme), that will qualify applicants for admission to our regular bachelor’s and master’s programmes when it comes to fulfilling the minimum Norwegian language requirements. Except for the IFUS programmes held at the Norwegian universities and some few university colleges, international applicants cannot obtain a student residence permit in Norway by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) in Oslo to attend only qualifying Norwegian language courses in Norway.

English Language Requirements for applicants for admission to degree programmes

Applicants for admission, with a non-Norwegian/non-Nordic educational background, to regular undergraduate and graduate degree programmes held in Norwegian at Molde University College, must pass either a TOEFL test with a minimum paper-based test score of 500 (or a minimum score of 170 on computer-based test or 60 on internet-based test) or an IELTS test with a minimum score of 5.0. Advanced Placement International English Language Examination (APIEL) with a minimum score of 3.0, and the following University of Cambridge examinations will also be accepted: First Certificate of English, Certificate in Advanced English and Certificate of Proficiency in English. Applicants who have passed examination in the course “engelsk grunnkurs” at one of the Norwegian Higher Secondary Schools with grade 2 or better, will also fulfil the English requirements. There are no formal English requirements for international exchange students invited under the ERASMUS, NORDPLUS programmes, but Freemover exchange students from some countries, and who are recruited from other institutions than our partner institutions, might be requested by Molde University College to document their level of English proficiency before they can be invited.

For admission to the international MSc programme in Logistics held in English or the PhD programme in Logistics, applicants must pass either a TOEFL test with a minimum paper-based test score of 550 (or a minimum score of 213 on computer-based test or 79 on internet-based test) or an IELTS test with a minimum score of 6.0.

Exemptions from English Language Requirements for applicants for admission to degree programmes

Applicants with education from countries having ratified the Lisbon Convention (like e.g. countries within EU/ the European Economic Area), must document a minimum of 7 years of English as a subject from their primary and secondary school when submitting their application form. Applicants who have spent at least one year in the UK, US, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, completing one year of university/ college studies, are also exempted from the minimum English Language Requirements mentioned above.

Exempted are also applicants from some African countries with a BBA/BA/BSc/BTech degree where the language of instruction has been English, and applicants with a university degree in English language (BA in English). Exempted are also applicants who have passed English as a subject at either GCE O- or A-level, SSC (Senior School Certificate) or West African Examination Council Senior School Certificate in the following West African countries; Gambia, Ghana, Cameroon (English-speaking part), Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Applicants who have passed Cambridge School Certificate/ Cambridge Higher School Certificate or equivalent national secondary educations at O- or A-level from the following countries in East and Southern parts of Africa; Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe are also exempted from the English language requirements.

Please be aware that applicants from Asian countries (for example Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, P.R. of China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam) with a secondary school education or a BBA/BA/BSc/BEng/BTech degree where the language of instruction has been English are not exempted from the English language requirements, except for applicants holding a BA in English. English test results (TOEFL or IELTS test) should preferably be submitted together with the application form and within the application deadline. For admission to the international MSc programme in Logistics, the last date for submitting English test scores for international applicants is 1 April in the year of admission. English test results received after this deadline will usually not be considered for admission.