Documentation requirements for education obtained outside Norway – admission to a PhD programme at NTNU 

For appointment to a PhD candidate position and/or admission to a PhD programme at NTNU, you need to provide documentation of your academic credentials. If your education is from a university outside Norway, there are specific documentation requirements. Information about this is available here. 

To be admitted to a PhD programme, applicants must normally have a master’s degree. After special consideration, the Faculty may approve other comparable qualifications as a basis for admission. For a PhD in artistic research, equivalent competence in the creative or performing arts may also be considered. 

If there are significant differences between the education systems in Norway and the country in which you were educated, it is possible that only parts of the education you obtained outside Norway will be recognized as at the same level as Norwegian higher education. If you are in the final stage of your master’s programme, you can also apply for admission as a PhD candidate, but you will not be able to start until you have fulfilled all the qualification requirements from your master’s degree. 

Criteria for all applicants regardless of country 

• Your education must be accredited in the country where you studied. Accreditation is an official recognition that the university or university college implements the course of study in accordance with international standards. Information about the education systems of different countries and the most common degrees in the country of study is available in HK dir country database. You can also check the following database: https://www.whed.net/home.php 
• It is important to enclose documents for the entire course of study for both the bachelor’s and master’s programmes, as well as for other higher education. Your education must be fully documented from the education institution. 

You can also send questions to the Unit for International Relations at NTNU.

Requirements for general documentation – applicable to all countries 

• Final certificate, degree/diploma/authorization, and transcript of grades for the bachelor’s degree, officially approved in your country of study.
• Final certificate, degree/diploma/authorization, and transcript of grades for the master’s degree, officially approved in your country of study.
• Diploma supplement, for academic credentials that include this. The diploma supplement is an international document accompanying a higher education diploma and provides a detailed description of the qualifications attained by a candidate.  
• Diploma and transcript of grades for other higher education if you have this.
• Information about the grading scale (if this is not clearly shown on the transcript of grades, documentation from the education institution must be submitted).
• CV, references, and testimonials. 

Translation of academic credentials

Applicants must enclose an official translation of all academic credentials, unless they are in Norwegian, Danish, Swedish or English. We accept only translations by government-authorized translators abroad or in Norway, public-sector interpreting services (tolketjenesten) in Norway, or embassies. It is important that the documents indicate who has translated them. NTNU does not accept translations by applicants themselves or other individuals in their personal capacity. A copy of the original must always accompany the translation.

Verification of academic credentials

Academic credentials from certain countries must be verified. See more information below about the countries that this applies to. Verification means that the documents must be confirmed as approved by the educational institution. Applicants are responsible for arranging this themselves. 

Requirements for specific documentation - applies to certain regions/countries

All applicants must upload verified documents electronically at the time of application. However, additional documentation will be required for applicants with education from the following countries: 

Asia

Philippines: Applicants regarded as suitable for the position will be asked to send their academic credentials as a paper copy directly from the university college/university.

China: Academic credentials must be verified by CHESICC (China Credentials Verification) 

Pakistan: Academic credentials must be verified by the HEC (Higher Education Commission)

Africa 

Cameroon, Ethiopia, Sudan, Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria and Eritrea: Applicants regarded as suitable for the position will be asked to send their academic credentials as a paper copy directly from the university college/university. 

America 

Canada and the United States: Applicants will be asked to send their academic credentials as a paper copy directly from the university college/university, if they are regarded as suitable for the position.

If you are in the final stage of your master’s programme and do not yet have an approved diploma, you can attach a provisional transcript of your grades as a basis for assessment. However, note that you need to have completed a master’s degree in order to be admitted for a PhD and to be able to start in the position.

Apply for approval of higher education

If you have graduated abroad, you can apply for recognition of your education through the Norwegian directorate for higher education and skills (HKDIR)

Recognition of foreign higher education 

You can submit this with your application for a PhD position in addition to the required general documentation applicable to all countries.