The following information is relevant for applicants from Nepal interested in English taught programmes.
Make sure you have thoroughly read all the information prior to submitting your application.
You should only apply if all admission requirements are met. UiA will not process incomplete applications.
Please note! Because of the circumstances in your home country, it may be difficult for applicants from your country to get a residence permit for studying at a lower level than Master level.
Read more on the website of the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration.
Programmes taught in English
The following programmes are taught entirely in English, and are offered to applicants outside EU/EEA:
One-year programme
Bachelor's degree programmes
Master's degree programmes
Application period
- Applicants from countries outside the EU/EEA: 1 November- 1 December.
- Applicants to music performance programmes: 1 November – 15 December.
Admission requirements for bachelor's programmes
Applicants from Nepal are rarely granted residence permits from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) for studying bachelor’s programmes in Norway. UDI is responsible for processing applications from foreign nationals who wish to visit or live in Norway. Please be aware of these potential complications prior to applying for admissions at UiA.
Educational requirements for applicants from Nepal
1 year university education and one of the following
From 2018:
- School Leaving Certificate Examination (SLCE) (grades XI and XII)
- Proficiency Certificate Level Nursing Program
- Diploma / Intermediate in Science
Before 2018:
- Higher Secondary Examination Board Certificate
- Proficiency Certificate
- Diploma / Intermediate in Science
There are additional requirements for admission to Music performance.
Document requirements
Officially issued School Leaving Certificate, Higher Secondary Certificate or Proficiency Certificate + Academic transcript with all subjects and grades must be uploaded to the online application portal when you apply.
Translation and original documentation
All documents must be translated into English, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish, if the original documents are not in any of these languages. The translation must be carried out by a government authorised or official translator. You must upload scanned versions of the original documents accompanied by the translations.
Admission requirements for master's programmes
Applicants from Nepal are rarely granted residence permits from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) for studying bachelor’s programmes in Norway. UDI is responsible for processing applications from foreign nationals who wish to visit or live in Norway. Please be aware of these potential complications prior to applying for admissions at UiA.
Educational requirements for applicants from Nepal
4 YEARS UNIVERSITY EDUCATION (THE EQUIVALENT OF 180 ECTS) AND ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
From 2018:
- School Leaving Certificate Examination (SLCE) (grades XI and XII)
- Proficiency Certificate Level Nursing Program
- Diploma / Intermediate in Science
Before 2018:
- Higher Secondary Examination Board Certificate
- Proficiency Certificate
- Diploma / Intermediate in Science
Academic basis
Applicants will not be considered unless they meet the academic requirements specified for each programme. Please see the specific academic requirements for your programme here.
Minimum grade requirement
A grade point average (GPA) equal to a C or better within the Norwegian grading system is required. The grade requirement is calculated from the university/college degree which forms the basis of admission.
Document requirements
Officially issued transcripts and diplomas must be uploaded to the online application portal when you apply. Applicants without a final Bachelor's diploma will not be considered. Provisional certificates, character certificates or other certificates are not accepted.
Course descriptions
In some cases you might be asked to provide course descriptions in order to evaluate if the specific requirements are met. If you have been asked to provide course descriptions and fail to do so, your application will not be processed.
Translation and original documentation
All documents must be translated into English, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish, if the original documents are not in any of these languages. The translation must be carried out by a government authorised or official translator. You must upload scanned versions of the original documents accompanied by the translations.
Language requirements for bachelor's programmes
Applicants from Nepal can meet the English language requirement by completing one of the following tests/subjects:
- English (140 hours) from Norwegian upper secondary school: written and oral exam.
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with a minimum score of 500 points from TOEFL PBT (paper-based test) or 60 points from TOEFL iBT (internet-based test). Tests taken after 21 January 2026: TOEFL iBT / TOEFL iBT Home Edition with a minimum score of 3,5 points. We require that the test results are verifiable online or that they are sent directly from the test centre. The TOEFL institution code for the University of Agder is 5433.
- IELTS (International English Language Testing Service) Academic test with an Overall Band Score of at least 5.0 or better. We require that the test results are verifiable online or that they are sent directly from the test centre.
- Cambridge ESOL Examinations: B2 First
- Cambridge ESOL Examinations: C1 Advanced
- Cambridge ESOL Examinations: C2 Proficiency
- Pearson PTE Academic/Academic online with a minimum score of 51
- The European language certificate (telc): English B2
- The European language certificate (telc): English B2-C1 University
- The European language certificate (telc): all English certificates at C1-level
- University of Michigan, Michigan Language Assessment: Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE) or Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE)
You may be exempt from taking an English language test/subject if you:
- have completed or incompleted a undergraduate degree in English language and literature with courses in English language and literature that are equivalent to minimum 60 ECTS
- have a minimum of one year's university studies in academic subjects with English as the language of instruction in the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand or Australia.
- have completed a bachelor's or master's degree with English as the language of instruction in one of the Nordic countries.
Note that applicants from Nepal with a bachelor's degree and/or a master's degree from their home country where the language of instruction has been English, are not exempt from the English language requirements.
Language requirements for master's programmes
Applicants from Nepal can meet the English language requirement by completing one of the following tests/subjects:
- IELTS Academic - The British Council's International English Language Testing Service - minimum overall score of 6.0. Test scores more than two years old are invalid.
- TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language - minimum score of 80 (internet-based), 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based). Tests taken after 21 January 2026: TOEFL iBT / TOEFL iBT Home Edition with a minimum score of 4 points. Test scores more than two years old are invalid. We require that the test results are verifiable online or that they are sent directly from the test centre. The TOEFL institution code for the University of Agder is 5433.
- Pearson PTE Academic/Academic online, minimum score of 62. Test scores more than two years old are invalid.
- Cambridge ESOL Examinations:
- B2 First with the result "A"
- C1 Advanced
- C2 Proficiency
- have completed International Baccalaureate (IB) programme with English at Higher Level with the minimum score of 4.
- 140 hours of English from Norwegian Upper Secondary School (Videregående skole), written and oral exam, with the grade 4 or better.
You may be exempt from taking an English language test if you:
- have a minimum of one year's university studies in academic subjects with English as the language of instruction in the UK, USA, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand or Australia.
- have completed a bachelor's or master's degree with English as the language of instruction in one of the Nordic countries.
Note that applicants from Nepal with a bachelor's degree and/or a master's degree from their home country where the language of instruction has been English, are not exempt from the English language requirements.
Required financial means
Applicants with citizenship from outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland must upload documents proving their ability to pay both tuition fees and funds for living expenses for one year of studies.
You must upload a bank statement in your own name to the online application. The bank statement must be issued within the last three months and it must be dated, signed and stamped by a bank official.
If you have a sponsor, this applies to your sponsor’s bank statement as well. In addition, you must upload a confirmation letter from your sponsor.
It is important that the bank statement includes the full amount for both tuition fees and funds for living expenses.
Work contracts are not accepted.
Tuition fees
Students with citizenship from outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland must pay tuition fees to study at UiA, unless they qualify for an exemption.
Read more about tuition fees and current rates for our study programmes
Funds for living expenses
In addition to tuition fees, applicants must provide proof that they can finance their living expenses in Norway.
The amount you must provide is currently 170 368 NOK for one academic year (subject to change).
This is in accordance with the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration's requirements and is necessary for applying for a study permit.
Admitted students must be prepared to transfer the required amount to a deposit account set up by the university. Failing to do so will result in withdrawal of the offer of admission to UiA. The funds for living expenses will be transferred back to you when you have set up a Norwegian bank account.
Please note that for the Master's programme in Global Development, Crisis and Change, funds for living expenses are only required for the “campus based” option and not the “online” option.
Scholarships
The University of Agder does not offer any grants or scholarships.
Application process
The University of Agder does not collaborate with recruitment agencies. Applications must be submitted by the applicant personally. The responsibility for the application, documents and personal data, must not be delegated to third parties such as recruitment agencies.
The application process at UiA is publicly available, free of charge, and designed to allow you to apply independently.
1. Check the admission requirements
Check the application period and if the programme you want to apply for is open to applicants outside of the EU/EEA. Read the admission requirements carefully (including the country specific requirements) and make sure you satisfy all requirements for your chosen study programme.
2. Prepare the required documents and print out the Enclosure form
We recommend that you prepare all your documents prior to submitting your application.
The University of Agder will not contact applicants in the case of an incomplete application, and the application as such will not be processed.
Do not submit non-essential documents such as recommendation letters, work experience or non-credit courses.
The Enclosure form is a self-declaration confirming that your application is complete, that the documents are authentic, and that the University of Agder is permitted to verify your documents.
Required documents:
- Enclosure form, filled in and signed: Enclosure form (pdf)
- Documentation of funds for living expenses and tuition fees. See the amount that applies to you and what to upload in the section “Required financial means”
- Diploma and transcripts from high school/secondary school
- Diploma and transcripts from university education
- English language requirement (if applicable - check the section Language requirements above)
- Copy of passport
- Documentation of name change (if applicable)
Special document requirements for certain countries:
In addition to the uploaded educational documents, China must provide CHSI, Pakistan HEC, certain countries in Africa must provide scratch cards, and original documents must be sent directly from universities/colleges in Canada, Philippines, and USA. See details for your country in the section Admission requirements above.
3. Register your application at the Application Web
4. Submit documents within the deadline
Once logged on to the online application portal Application Web, navigate to the page “My documents”. Upload all your documents prior to submitting the application.
When uploading, choose the type of document according to content (such as “diploma”, “transcript” etc). Do not send any documents by e-mail.
If you are instructed in the section Admission requirements above that certain documents must be sent by post, please note that the final post mark date is 1 December (15 December for music performance). There are no exemptions to the deadlines.
5. Receiving the results of your application
The results of your application will be published in the Application web by the end of April. You will be notified by e-mail when the results are available. The outcome of your application will either be “Admission offered” or “Not admitted”. There are no waiting lists.
Those who receive an offer of admission have 5 days to respond to the offer. If you do not register your response in Application web within the given deadline, the offer will be withdrawn.
The letter of admission (PDF) published in Application web is the only confirmation of admission that will be issued. Admitted students will receive additional information after accepting the offer.
Selection process
Admission to UiA is highly competitive. Consequently, not all qualified applicants will be admitted, only the ones with the best academic results. Admission is offered based on eligible applicants' academic results.
Bachelor's programmes
If you are qualified for admission to a bachelor's programme, you will compete against the other qualified applicants with a score based on the results from your secondary education and additional points according to the regulations and guidelines set by the Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service (NUCAS).
The Admissions office will calculate and convert the grade point average (GPA) from your secondary education into the grading scale used in the Norwegian secondary education system. Additional points are added to the score based on subjects from secondary education, age and credits from accredited higher education exceeding the admission requirement.
Master's programmes
If you are qualified for admission to a master's programme, you will compete against the other applicants based on your academic results. The Admissions office will calculate your grade point average (GPA) from your university/college education which forms the basis of admission. UiA uses the ECTS grading scale when calculating GPAs. Diplomas and transcripts using other grading scales will be converted to the ECTS grading scale before the GPA is assessed on an individual basis.
Applicants who have been granted admission
The autumn semester starts in mid-August.
Applying for a study permit
If you are accepted to a programme, you must submit your study permit application in due time before arriving in Norway, and no later than 30 June. More about the study permit process.
When you have transferred the amount required by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, you will receive a "statement of deposit" that must be included in the application for a study permit.
When arriving at the University, you need to complete the following steps in order to get the money transferred to your account:
- acquire a Norwegian ID number
- open a bank account in a Norwegian bank
- register for your courses and exams for the Autumn semester
Inspection of original documents
It is important that you bring your original educational documents to Norway if you are accepted as a student. You are required to present your original diplomas and transcripts for inspection upon arrival at the university. You will receive details about the inspection from the Admissions office in August. Students are required to submit the original documents upon request. Document forgery is subject to the Penal Code § 361 and will be reported to the police.
Tuition fees
Students with citizenship from countries outside of the EU/EEA and Switzerland must pay tuition fees.
Contact the Section for Admissions
Phone hours: Monday - Wednesday - Friday 9:00 - 11:00
Phone: 38 14 15 64