Admission to Norwegian for Academics (NORAIN) Summer Session
When to apply
The application portal for summer semester opens in January 2027.
1. Requirements for Admission
Who can apply?
- You must meet the basic admission requirements for higher education in Norway (except the Norwegian requirements).
- You must document specific English language requirements.
- Some countries also have specific documentation requirements.
- Applicants residing outside of Norway/EU/EEA can apply for a regular visitor's visa to Norway (if required). If you have visa questions, these must be addressed to the UDI, not the UiO.
2. Determine your level
To be admitted to NORA level 2, 3 or 4, the applicant must meet the formal prerequisites before the start of the course. No previous knowledge of Norwegian language is necessary for the level 1 course. The documentation deadline for Norwegian proficiency documentation is usually 1 week before the course starts. Detailed information about the deadline will be sent in the admission offer after applying.
If a student fails to meet the requirements within the deadline, they will be demoted to the appropriate level before the start of classes. A refund of the course fees will not be made in the case of a demotion.
Norwegian proficiency documentation
Applicants meet the Norwegian proficiency requirement by passing one of the following:
- The previous NORA level, or
- "Norskprøve" with sufficient results (see requirements below), or
- A course equivalent to the previous NORA course at an accredited university (must be credit-bearing)
If you have taken a Norwegian language course that gives letter grades, you must have a minimum grade of D on all parts of the exam(s) to meet the requirement.
If an applicant is unsure of whether their documentation will meet the requirements, please contact nora-admin@iss.uio.no.
Norskprøven
To meet the requirements with results from Norskprøven, the applicant must have received the following results on ALL four parts of the exam (speaking, listening, reading and writing):
- When applying to NORA0110(IN): No previous knowledge required
- When applying to NORA0120(IN): A2
- When applying to NORA0130(IN/D): B1
- When applying to NORA0140(IN): B2
If the applicant is missing the required level in one or more skills, the applicant will not qualify and will be demoted before the start of the semester.
3. The course fee and how to pay
- Course fees for NORA0110IN, NORA0120IN, NORA0130IN and NORA0140IN are listed under "Admission to the course" / "Opptak til emnet" on the course pages.
- Read about how to pay the course fee.
- Full payment is required, a payment plan is not possible. Please make sure that your budget can accommodate the course fees before you apply. Prices are subject to change on a year-to-year basis.
- Make sure you understand the cancellation policy before applying.
Please note: Students in NORA courses and NORAIN courses are not eligible for student loans by Lånekassen.
4. Apply Online (now closed)
The application portal opens in January. On the Application Portal "Søknadsweb" you will be able to log in and upload your documents.
- Application period is usually from January 2 to March 15.
- Gather all the required documents, and upload them in the Application Portal within the application deadline. Instructions on how to upload your documents.
- All qualified applicants who submit a complete application by the deadline, are guaranteed admission.
For former or current NORA or UiO students who have already uploaded documents online in the Application Portal "Søknadsweb": You still need to choose your course in the Application Portal "Søknadsweb", but if you can still see your documents there you are not required to upload any documents again.
5. Choose accommodation
- When you apply you must choose if you want ISS student housing during the summer or if you want to rent your own housing.
- The summer student housing has limited space and we recommend applicants who wish to stay at ISS housing to apply early.
6. Get your application results
We will begin sending out admission letters by email from March.
The payment information will be sent in your admission letter.