Application guide for inbound exchange students

If your home institution has an agreement with the UiS, you are welcome to apply as an exchange student. Without a bilateral agreement in place, we cannot accept your application.

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Application deadlines

Autumn semester

The nomination portal opens 1 March


1 April

- For students doing practice placement: Nursing, Midwifery, Paramedic and Social Work

- For students applying to the Faculty of Performing Arts.


1 May

For studies commencing in the autumn semester (August - December).

Spring semester

The nomination portal opens 1 September


1 October

- For students doing practice placement: Nursing, Midwifery, Paramedic and Social Work

- For students applying to the Faculty of Performing Arts. 


1 November

For studies commencing in the spring semester (January - June).

Contact us

International Office

Sara Shiromizu
E-mail: inboundexchange@uis.no
Phone: +47 51 83 29 98

Julie Høivik Aase
E-mail: inboundexchange@uis.no
Phone: +47 51 83 20 17

Faculty of Performing Arts

Lena C. Haug
E-mail: music-dance@uis.no
Phone: +47 51 83 40 00


Faculty of Health Sciences

E-mail: helsefag@uis.no


Department of Social Sciences

Heidi Lie Eriksen
E-mail: heidi.l.eriksen@uis.no
Phone: +47 51 83 28 40

Application process

Please read the following steps very carefully. The instructions will guide you through the application process and give important information regarding documents, course selection, and housing. Please note that these guidelines are for applications to all faculties.

1. Be nominated by your home institution

Before you can apply for exchange to University of Stavanger, you must be nominated by your home institution within the given deadlines. Please note that our nomination deadlines are the same as the application deadlines.

The online nomination portal opens 1 March for the autumn semester and 1 September for the spring semester.

When you have been nominated, you will receive an email from the University of Stavanger confirming your nomination. You must wait for this email before moving on to Step 2.

If you are unsure whether your university has an exchange agreement with UiS, please check with your home coordinator or send us an email.

2. Log in to the application portal: Søknadsweb

Once you have received the e-mail confirming your nomination, you can start your application in the portal. We recommend watching our application video before filling in the application form.

If you have not received the nomination e-mail, and you are certain you have been nominated in our online system, please write to us at inboundexchange@uis.no.

  1. Go to "Søknadsweb"
  2. Click "Login International Application"
  3. Request a new password.

Do not create a new account in 'Søknadsweb'. When you were nominated, an account was automatically created for you.

Bilde av søknadsweb
How to log in to Søknadsweb

You may log in and out of the application portal multiple times and make changes up until the deadline. You may at any time request a new password from our system.

3. Fill in your personal information

Please check the information already entered by your home institution very carefully:

  • Name
  • Nationality
  • Date of Birth

If any information entered is incorrect, please notify us at inboundexchange@uis.no so that we can correct the data.

You must fill in your complete home address following the specific format outlined below.

  • Street name and street/house/building number
  • Postal code and postal area/city
  • Country

For example: University Street 1, 1234 Stavanger, Norway.

If the home address is not listed correctly, there will be an error with your application. Do not use a P.O. Box or your home university's address.

4. Select courses

You can choose courses from the drop-down menu in Søknadsweb. The courses available to you will depend on the faculty you have been nominated to.

The recommended courseload for one semester is 30 ECTS, which usually equals 3 courses. You can find all available courses listed in our course catalog.

Please pay close attention to the following when considering your course selection:

  • Teaching semester
  • Education level
  • Spot limitations
  • Fixed programs
  • Prerequisite knowledge. Prerequisites will be indicated as *required or **recommended. See details in the individual course descriptions.

We usually allow students to attend one course at another faculty than the one you have been nominated to. However, you must first clear this with your home university. Please note that there are also some restrictions, such as for practice placement courses, packages courses, or courses at the Faculty of Performing Arts.

If a course from the course catalog does not show up in the drop-down menu, please provide the course code in the "Extra information" box in the application form.

We process applications continuously, but do not assess applications before the necessary documents have been uploaded and you have selected 30 ECTS. If you plan on only taking 20 ECTS, please write this in the "extra information" field so that we can start assessing your application. If not, we will wait until after the deadline.

Restrictions

  • You must take a minimum of 20 ECTS and a maximum of 40 ECTS per semester.

If you require a student visa for your exchange in Norway, you must select 30 ECTS per semester to be considered a full-time student by the immigration authorities.

  • Bachelor level students cannot attend Master level courses.

Exceptions are made for Bachelor students who are in their 4th year of a Bachelor's degree

  • You cannot attend courses not listed in the course catalog.

If you have B2 or better in a Scandinavian language, you may request to take courses in Norwegian. Please email us for further information.

  • The Faculty of Performing Arts will evaluate applicants based on submitted audition videos.
  • Traineeship courses should be coordinated with your home university.

5. Upload documents

All students

All students must upload their transcript of records and a photocopy of a valid ID (copy of passport or national ID card) in Søknadsweb. We will not process your application until you have uploaded both documents.

Transcript of Records

Bachelor students must upload their current transcript of records. Master students must upload a transcript of records from their bachelor's degree in addition to the completed courses from their ongoing Master's degree. The transcript must clearly state the English title of your courses, your grade, and the number of credits. The transcript must also contain a description of the grading system and show the total number of credits you have achieved so far.

Upload all your university transcript of records in English or in a Scandinavian language. Do not upload documents in other languages as this will delay the process.

We only accept official copies. Offical copies include a signature and/or a stamp from your home institution. Screenshots from digital systems, partial transcripts (e.g., one semester), or unsigned/unstamped copies will not be accepted.

  • Must be official document (signed or stamped)
  • Must be in English or Scandinavian language
  • Must show completed courses, including grades and credits
  • Must show total number of achieved credits
  • Also include your Bachelor transcript if you are a Master student

The required documentation must be uploaded to 'Søknadsweb' in a PDF format. Please write your name on the uploaded document.

Example: ToR John Smith

Copy of you passport or ID card

Upload a photocopy of your ID (passport or national ID card) that clearly shows:

  • Full name
  • Date of Birth
  • Your picture

The required documentation must be uploaded to 'Søknadsweb' in a PDF or JPEG format. Please write your name on the uploaded document.

Example: ID John Smith

Additional documentation

In this section you will find requirements for extra documents to be uploaded, depending on visa requirements and which courses/project work you wish to participate in at the University of Stavanger.

Please make sure to check the list below carefully, as some may apply to you.

It is your responsibility to check with whether you need a study permit/visa to study in Norway through the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI).

If you do need a study permit/visa to study in Norway, you must submit proof of sufficient funds along with your other application documents in Søknadsweb. The amount is determined by UDI and will depend on whether your are staying one or two semesters. You can find the amounts on our costs of living pages.

We ask you to submit proof of funding to us during the application process because it allows us to include a confirmation of sufficient funds in your Admission Letter. You may then use this document when you apply for your study permit/visa, without having to transfer funds to a Norwegian bank account. Please make sure to check whether your Admission Letter contains this confirmation from UiS before you apply for your study permit/visa.

You may upload documentation of any received scholarship, student loans, or a bank statement.

You must upload official documentation of your funds in English or in a Scandinavian language, with the amount and currency clearly stated. If the currency is not in NOK, EUR, or USD, the document must also include an official exchange rate. If you submit an official bank statement, the account should be in your name.

If you are receiving the Erasmus+ grant, you may upload proof of Erasmus+ funding from your home university and proof of funding for the remaining amount.

If you receive a grant as part of a project funded by UiS, you do not need to submit proof of sufficient funds.

More about study permits and visas for different student groups.

All students applying for admission to programs in the Faculty of Performing Arts must upload an audition video. The video must be submitted by the application deadline, and preferably as soon as possible after the application is submitted through Søknadsweb.

Please note that the Faculty of Performing Arts has an earlier application deadline, which can be fund at the top of this page.

For studies where students in connection with compulsory placements come in contact with children, youth or other vulnerable groups, law requires a certificate of good conduct from the police following a criminal record check. Please read the requirements carefully.

Inbound exchange students applying for admission to the courses listed below at the University of Stavanger need to obtain a criminal record check from your home country / country of permanent residence.

  • Comparative Educational Studies 
  • Drama and Intercultural Communication 
  • English Didactics in Teacher Education

If your document is not in English or other Scandinavian language, it must be submitted to us via email from your home university, along with a written confirmation that there are "no entries" for the certificate.

We do accept that you submit this document after the application deadline, as long as we receive it before you arrive at UiS to start your studies. Please write in the "extra information" field that you are in the process of obtaining this document.

Social work students need to upload the following documents to Søknadsweb:

  • Motivation letter, which includes which practicum you wish to participate in, your experience, and whether you have a driver's license.
  • CV 

Depending on which placement you receive, you may need to provide a negative tuberculosis test and MRSA test before arrival. You will be contacted if this is needed.

Please note that social work applications have an earlier application deadline, which can be fund at the top of this page.

All clinical placement students must upload the following documents before they can start their placement:

  • A negative MRSA test

You can take the test at Forusakutten.

Address: Larsamyrå 18, 4313 Sandnes. The location is easy accessible with buss from Stavanger and the trip takes around 15-20 minutes.

Please send an e-mail to bht@forusakutten.no and book an appointment. When registering, you must state your name and date of birth, and let them know that you are an international student doing a clinical placement in Stavanger.

Please note that the test is only available on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday during the week. You should arrive early enough that you will have time to take the test before starting your placement.

The test costs NOK 300.

Students from Nordic countries are excempted from the MRSA test.

  • A negative tuberculosis test

 Only applies to student who live in or have visited a country with a high TB incidence for more than three months during the last three years, or may otherwise have been exposed to infection.

UiS is obliged to ensure that the student’s lung X-rays do not show active lung TB prior to starting work with patients. For more details concerning screening and updated list of countries with incidence of tuberculosis, please see the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

We do accept that you submit these two documents after the application deadline, as long as we receive them before you start your placement. Please write in the "extra information" field if you are in the process of taking the tests.

  • Placement plan

You must upload a document outlining the planned dates of your clinical placement, and which type of placement your home university requires. You can either upload a separate document with this information in Søknadsweb, or write in the "extra information" field.

There are three courses for project work: TNU100 (20 ECTS, bachelor level), TNU500 (20 ECTS, master level) and TNU510 (30ECTS, master level). These courses are only available for students nominated through an exchange study agreement with the Faculty of Science and Technology at University of Stavanger (UiS). Admission depends on supervisor capacity and is not guaranteed.

If you require a study permit/visa to study in Norway, we recommend that you choose TNU510, as 30 ECTS is required to qualify as a full-time student with UDI.

Requirements

  • The student must apply for admission through the international office within the application deadline.
  • The student is responsible for finding a supervisor at UiS. Please check the different departments at the Faculty of Science and Technology to see relevant research fields and ongoing projects. The International Office is not involved in this process.
  • The student must submit the form Confirmation of Exchange Project Work (PDF) in Søknadsweb by the application deadline. The form should be filled in by the respective supervisors at both the home institution and at UiS.

Applications missing mandatory documentation in Søknadsweb by the application deadline will not be considered.

Please note that project work not following the normal academic semester may lead to difficulties if you wish to apply for student housing. 

Please note that all necessary documentation must be submitted within the given deadlines. If you have questions regarding any of the documents, please contact us via email.

6. Submit or make changes to your application

The first time you complete the application form, you will get a confirmation e-mail ("Application is changed") after clicking "next" on the document page. This confirmation email will include a code used for student housing applications. As soon as you submit your application the first time, you can apply for student housing.

You may log in and out of the application portal multiple times and make changes up until the deadline.

Upload documents after submission

The next time you enter to edit the application, the document page will not show up. If you wish to upload documents, click on the menu button "My documents". Here you may upload documents that will appear in your application.

When you have uploaded all the necessary documents and selected courses worth 30 ECTS, the International Office will start assessing your application.

7. Apply for student accommodation

You do not have to wait for your letter of admission before applying for student accommodation through SiS Housing. You can apply for accommodation as soon as you have submitted your application for exchange.

The first time you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email ("Application is changed"). This confirmation email will include an accommodation application code. This code is necessary to identify you as an incoming exchange student.  You will find the code in the section "Accommodation" in the confirmation email.

We recommend that you apply via SiS Housing as soon as you submit the application for exchange and receive the confirmation e-mail containing the code. Please check junk/spam folder if you do not receive it after completing the application form and e-mail us if you cannot locate it. (NB! Do not use Internet Explorer/Edge. Use Firefox, Chrome or Safari).

Here is a video on how to apply.**

Do not apply for housing without the code. Your application may be deleted if you do not enter the code when applying. Additionally, you will then be competing with all the Norwegian full-degree students, and it is highly unlikely that you will be allocated student accommodation.

  • Deadline: 1 May (autumn semester) and 1 November (spring semester)
  • Requirement: you must use the code included in your confirmation email

Please note that the International Office is not involved with student accommodations. All questions regarding SiS housing should be addressed to sis@minsis.no

Housing availability and restrictions

  • Student housing is not guaranteeed due to the precarious housing situation in the Stavanger area
  • There are no family apartments available for international students with children. It is not allowed to live with children in single room apartments.
  • International students cannot change their room with another person in the dorms, nor change dorms without the approval of SiS Housing.

If you are not allocated student accommodation, you will have to look into the private housing market. Please see our accommodation pages and tips from SiS.

Contracts

Housing contracts start on 1 August (autumn semester) and 2 January (spring semester). You cannot move in before these dates. Contracts usually cover one or two full semesters, and full semesters only (five months). Please see the checklist for accepted incoming students for instructions on how to pick up your key.

It is not possible to terminate the contract with SiS Housing during the first 5 months of the contract.

Students who need a study permit/visa

Use the automatic confirmation you receive via email after applying for housing in your study permit application. NB! Hotmail has a problem with receiving an automatic confirmation.

8. Accept or decline offer of exchange

It is your responsibility to fill in the application correctly. Please double check that everything is in order as described above before the application deadline:

  • Have you submitted all relevant documents? (in English or a Scandinavian language)
  • Does the provided home address meet the required format? (Remember both postal code and city name)
  • Is your name and date of birth correct?
  • Have you selected courses worth 30 ECTS?

Applications will not be processed until all required documents are submitted. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.  

When the International Office have processed your application, we will send you an Admission Letter which also includes an offer of exchange from UiS. You will receive the letter via the email listed in Søknadsweb.

You must check your spam folder regularly after you submit your application, as there is a deadline for accepting the offer. You accept the offer in Søknadsweb.

Please note that because we process applications continuously, you may receive an offer the next day or after the application deadline. We go through applications based on completeness, not by institution, and so you should not compare your progress with your classmates.

9. Erasmus+ students

The International Office signs Erasmus+ documents, such as Learning Agreements and Confirmation of Erasmus+ Exchange period. You may use Online Learning Agreements (OLA), email your documents to us to be signed, or stop by our office in Kitty Kielland's building for a physical signature. If you require a stamp, we recommend that you come by in person.

See how to fill in your Erasmus+ documents.

Guidelines

  • Please do not upload your Learning Agreement in Søknadsweb

The International Office will not sign documents before you have received an Admission Letter.

  • Your exchange period must be within the relevant semester

The International Office cannot sign attendance or departure certificates dated before or after the semester start and end dates.

  • Do not pre-fill sections intended for UiS

Please note that the International Office will not sign retroactively. If you need your document signed on a specific date, you will need to make an appointment and come to our office in person to be certain of obtaining the signature.

  • Submit your documents for signature early

Please make sure you have enough time when submitting your documents to be signed, as the International Office receives a high volume of urgent emails at the start and end of the semester. It may take several working days before you hear back from us during the busiest periods.

checklist_illustration
After receiving your Letter of Admission

Check out our checklist on what to do next

Accommodation

Please note that it is not possible to apply for accommodation before you have been nominated and applied.

Students from non-EU/EEA: We recommend that students from non-EU/EEA countries apply as soon as possible after being nominated by their home institution due to the visa application procedures.

Admission regulations
The admission guidelines are as follows:

- Submit the required documentations as stated below - Apply for courses (or placement) that amounts to minimum 20 ECTS* and a maximum of 40 ECTS per semester - Fulfill the recommended/required prerequisite knowledge (if any) necessary to take the courses (or placement) *Practice placement students may take less than 20 ECTS The courses that have limited places at the Faculty of Science and Technology will be given to the students who first submits an application, applies for these courses and meet the pre-requisites knowledge requirements (if any).

The exception to the above admission regulations are the following study programmes as they have their own admission regulations:

English proficiency requirements for exchange students

In order to ultimate your academic success at our institution, it is required that all exchange students have a minimum B2-level of English. This level is self-assessed, and you do not need to provide any documentation or submit an English test score. For further reference and description of European language levels please check the self-assessment grid. NOTE! Students applying to English linguistics and English language and literature courses needs to provide documentation of their English level as described for each course.

Elise Ottesen-Jensens building
Stavanger city
Overview of Ullandhaug campus
Entrance to Bjergsted campus building
Eating area in Arne Rettedals building