How do I meet the requirements?
The following English language requirements apply to all applicants. Exceptions are made for applicants with a degree from higher education taken in the UK, Ireland, Canada, the USA, New Zealand, Australia or the Nordic countries, who are not required to document English language proficiency.
Please note that having worked in an English-speaking environment or lived in an English-speaking country does not meet the requirement.
Admission to bachelor's programmes
Some countries have upper secondary education that meets Norway's English admission requirement. The GSU list shows if the country where you completed your upper secondary education meets the requirements.
If the requirement is not met through your upper secondary education, you will need to take an accepted English test. You can find a full list of the accepted tests and required results on The Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service website.
Admission to master's programmes
In the following list, you will find how to meet the English language requirements for our English-taught master's programmes.
Accepted English tests
For all accepted English tests, we have a requirement for a minimum overall score. We do not have any minimum requirements for individual parts of the tests.
Please note that we must be able to validate the test after the application deadline. Some tests are only valid for a certain number of years. You are responsible for making sure your uploaded test is still valid. We verify all English tests no later than one month after the application deadline; so long as your test is still valid at least one month after the application deadline, it is valid for the admission.
Nordic upper secondary school
Passing grade in English equivalent to foundation/level 1 course at Norwegian upper secondary school (140 hours), or the equivalent from upper secondary school in one of the other Nordic countries.
TOEFL
For exams taken before January 21, 2026:
Minimum score required: 80 on an internet-based test (iBT) or 550 for a paper-based test (PBT).
For exams taken on or after January 21, 2026:
We require a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 4,5.
Use the Institution Code (DI Code): 5714 when ordering your transcript at TOEFL.
IELTS - Academic / Online Academic
Minimum overall score required: 6,0
One skill retakes are accepted.
Cambridge ESOL Examinations
One of the following options:
- B2 First (formerly Cambridge English: First)
- Minimum score required: B or better
- C1 Advanced (formerly Cambridge English: Advanced)
- Minimum score required: C or better
- C2 Proficiency (formerly Cambridge English: Proficiency)
- Minimum score required: C or better
PTE Academic
Minimum score required: 59
TELC
One of the following options:
- TELC English with the minimum scores of:
- B2 level, or
- B2-C1 University level.
- TELC Certificates at C1 level.
University of Michigan, Michigan Language Assessment
- Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE), or Certificate of Competency in English.
Minimum score required: 80
Completed higher education
Bachelor
Applicants who have completed a bachelor’s degree from either Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, USA, New Zealand or Australia meet the English language proficiency requirement. Note that the degree must have been physically taught in one of these countries.
Master
Applicants who have completed a master's degree where English was the medium of instruction meet the English language proficiency requirement.
Countries that meet the requirements with subjects from upper secondary school
You can find the information on our various websites: