University admission in Europe

Bachelor's programmes taught in Norwegian – you apply centrally through Samordna opptak (the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service). The portal opens every year on 1 February. The key dates:

• 15 April – the main application deadline; it also applies to applicants with a school leaving certificate from abroad,
• 1 March – an earlier deadline only for certain groups, e.g. early admission, individual assessment and the Police University College,
• 1 July – the last date to send certificates obtained the same spring,
• around 20 July – results, and you have until 24 July to reply.

Whether your school leaving certificate gives you general admission to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse) you can check on the GSU list published by the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, HK-dir.

Programmes taught in English, mostly at master's level, admit students directly. Applicants from the EU/EEA usually have a later deadline than others – e.g. at UiT for autumn 2027: from 1 February to 1 March 2027. If you are from outside the EU/EEA, apply much earlier – at UiT by 15 November 2026 – because after admission you still need a study permit (see: Residence and formalities).