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Who can apply?

Refugees of all nationalities who have registered for collective protection or received individual asylum in Norway may apply for admission. The target group is everyone who has been granted a residence in accordance with Chapter 4, § 34 (collective protection) and Section 28 (individual asylum) of the the Immigration Act. Applicants must be currently present in Norway when applying.

Available study programmes

Kristiania is currently offering six study programmes in English. You can read the details about each programme by clicking on the links below. Please use the Application form for refugees to apply. Do not apply via the study pages.

There are no tuition fees for the courses and study programmes offered for refugees.

Study guidance 

If you have questions or would like to talk to one of our student ambassadors, feel free to book a guidance interview. You will be contacted by one of our skilled student ambassadors, who have knowledge of our studies, the admission process, deadlines and practical info.

Guidelines for admission

The general basis for admission to Kristiania University College in Higher Education Entrance Qualification. For applicants with foreign education, the requirements are specified in the GSU-list. The list contains information about what type of basic education you must have to qualify for admission to universities and university colleges in Norway. For some countries, you are required to have higher education in addition to secondary education from the country of origin.

You can find more information about your general entry requirements on the country list or the GSU-list.

The main rule is that applicants with a Ukrainian education must have completed secondary education plus one year of higher education in order to qualify for studies on the bachelor’s level in Norway. In most cases, it also applies to education from other post-Soviet countries. You are required to have higher education in addition to secondary education in the country of origin. To be accepted into a master’s programme, students must have completed at least a bachelor's degree. There are also certain English language requirements.

Admission

NOKUT

NOKUT (the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education) is an independent expert body under the Ministry of Education and Research. NOKUT's role is to assure the quality of higher education in Norway, as well as assess and provide information about the quality of courses in other countries.

There is no legal requirement to have your education recognised by NOKUT in order to study in Norway. Still, NOKUT’s general recognition of higher education or higher tertiary vocational education may be of help when applying for studies and jobs. NOKUT offers automatic recognition of certain degrees from selected countries, such as Ukraine and Russia. Automatic recognition is a standardised statement that shows how certain degrees from selected countries are normally assessed by NOKUT. The statement (PDF in Norwegian only) may be downloaded and used immediately, without having to submit an application for recognition. In many cases, this document will be sufficient for an application, which means you do not have to apply for recognition.

Important

Admission deadlines

The application deadline for the academic year 2023/24 is 1. September.

Economic support

Refugees from Ukraine may be eligible for loans and grants from Lånekassen once they have secured a school or study place.

People from Ukraine who are resident in Norway on the grounds of “collective protection” offered to Ukrainians have the same right to receive loans and grants as others who have been granted asylum in Norway. This is conditional on such individuals having secured a place on an education programme that entitles them to loans and grants from Lånekassen, in addition to otherwise meeting all the requirements for loans and grants.

University and university college education for refugees

Refugees enrolled in university and university college education programmes in Norway are not eligible for refugee grants, but they can receive loans and grants in the same way as Norwegian citizens provided that they are taking a programme that is eligible for loans and grants, and that they otherwise meet all other requirements.

  • Need more information?

    For more information about economic study support

  • Questions about economic support?

    If you have questions about economic support

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