How to Apply as a Self-paying Applicant

1. Find out if you meet the general entrance requirements for studying at the ISS
2. Request the ISS general application form (request it here)
3. Fill out and submit the ISS application form with all necessary certified documents (see below)
4. Pay the application fee (pay application fee online here).
5. If you have documents to be forwarded by a later date, specify this in the application
6. If the ISS requests you to submit additional documentation, do so as quickly as possible
7. Await a letter from the ISS telling you if you are accepted or not

How to Apply as a Scholarship Applicant

Scholarships may or may not be available to you depending on your country of origin, the course you apply for, and your qualifications. See our scholarship table for the various scholarship categories.

1. Find out if you meet the general entrance requirements for studying at the ISS
2. Request the ISS scholarship application form from the ISS Office (iss@admin.uio.no) or from the nearest Norwegian Embassy/Consulate.
3. Submit the ISS general application form with all necessary certified documents
4. Enclose the ISS scholarship application form signed and stamped by a reference person
5. Pay the application fee (pay application fee online here). Scholarship applicants from Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and developing countries living in their home country are exempt from the application fee.
6. If applying for Cultural Agreement Scholarship, check where to send the application
7. If you have documents to be forwarded by a later date, specify this in the application
8. If the ISS requests you to submit additional documentation, do so as quickly as possible
9. Await a letter from the ISS telling you if you are accepted or not

How to Fill Out the ISS Application Form

Here we specify what you must fill in the various boxes of the ISS general application form. Notice the number of the field you are uncertain about, and see this list for explanation.

1.0. Personal Information

1.0. Gender: Specify your gender. This is important because it may be difficult for the ISS to deduce the gender of applicants based on names alone.

1.0. Title: Mark the title that is appropriate for you. This title will be included in the official correspondance from the ISS Office.

1.1. Family Name: Write your surname/last name/family name the way that it is spelled in your passport. Use the same latin letters that are used in the latin translation in your passport.

1.2. First & Middle Name: Write your first name/given name the way that it is spelled in your passport. Use the same latin letters that are used in the latin translation in your passport.

1.3. Age: Write down your age at the time of applying. We use this information to make statistics of the ISS students' age.

1.4. Date of Birth: Write your date of birth, as stated in your passport. Write it dd/mm/yyyy. For example December 09, 1979 should be written '09/12/1979'. The date of birth is important as it is a key identifying marker in the student registration system.

1.5. Norwegian ID-number: If applicable, write your 5-digit Norwegian ID-number ('norsk personnummer'). Do not be alarmed if you have no such number, it is only provided to individuals with fixed residence permit in Norway.

1.6. Country of Citizenship: Write the country issuing your passport. If you have multiple citizenships, write the country where you have resided the most.

1.7. Address for Reply: Specify the address you wish the ISS to use when relaying information about the application process. It is important that this is your correct address in the period leading up to the ISS session. Much important information, some with limited reply deadlines, will be sent to this address (admission letters etc.). Indicate whether this address for reply will be a permanent address, or just a temporary address, so that we do not send further information to an address you move away from.

1.8. E-mail address: Provide the e-mail address that you use the most frequently. Be sure to write clearly as every letter must be correct for us to be able to e-mail you. Much important information between the ISS and the applicants is relayed by e-mail communication.

1.9. E-mail preference: Indicate whether you prefer the ISS to send you information via e-mail or via ordinary mail. The benefit of e-mail is that it is quicker and that incorrect addresses will cause delivery failure messages, whereas the normal mail may take weeks and sometimes not be delivered.

1.10. Telephone number work, mobile, or private: Write your primary telephone numbers, where you are most likely to be reached through either at work or at home. Remember to list all country codes and regional codes so that we can call you from Norway.

1.11. Permanent Address: Provide a permanent address in the case that your current address for reply (see 1.7.) is temporary. This is particularly important for applicants living temporarily in student apartments who will be moving in late spring/early summer.

1.12. Contact Person: Write the name and contact information (e-mail, mobile, and/or address) of a contact person in Norway if applicable. Many times it may be difficult to reach applicants abroad, and therefore the ISS may use the contact person as an intermediary for relaying important information.

1.13. Prior ISS Connection: Specify whether or not you have applied to, or attended, the ISS in previous years. If you applied to the ISS in the previous year, or attended the ISS in any of the last 2 years, the ISS will have your records and you may not need to send all the necessary documentation again. Contact us if you are uncertain of what you need to submit.

2.0 Application Status

Specify whether you apply as an on-campus or off-campus student. Note that on-campus fees are higher and cover room and board in addition to the course fee. For more information see our financial information

3.0. Course Choice

List the courses that you wish to apply for. Note that you can only list one graduate course/master's level course. The graduate courses are presented here. You may apply for several undergraduate/bachelor's level courses (presented here. However, make sure that courses can be combined and that they do not have lectures at the same time. See the daily schedule of classes.

3.1. Course Code: The course code is the combination of letters and numbers that identify the courses offered by the ISS. An example of a course code is 'ISSN 0110' which is the code for Intensive Elementary Norwegian Level I. You find the course code listed in the ISS catalog and next to the course descriptions.

3.2. Course Title: The course titles are listed in the ISS catalog and next to the course descriptions.

3.3. Professional Development Seminar: Specify if you wish to attend the Professional Development Seminar (see course description). Note that the Professional Development Seminar comes with an additional fee of 500 NOK (USD 80) that will be added to the ordinary course fee. Scholarship recipients whose scholarship also includes NOK 3,000 of pocket money allowance will have this fee deducted from their pocket money.

4.0. Educational Background

List your previous or ongoing education from secondary school (high school) and above. Remember to enclose certified copies or official records of the post-secondary transcripts and diplomas.

4.1. Secondary School: Name the school/institution you graduated from and the name of the degree/diploma you received from the secondary school. In many instances, a completed secondary education/high school is enough to meet the academic requirements part of the general admission requirement to the ISS. If you are not using the secondary education diploma to meet admission requirements, it is not necessary to enclose certified or official copies of your records in the application.

4.2. Post Secondary Education: List studies you have completed in higher education (at college or university level). Consentrate on mentioning the main studies such as a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent. There is room to list more than one post secondary education, but focus on the type of academic background that makes you qualified for the course you are applying to.

4.3. Studies in Progress: List studies in progress and refer to when these studies will be completed. This field is important particularly if you do not meet all admission requirements for the course you apply to at the moment, but will once your studies in progress are completed. Applicants may be accepted on the basis of completing current studies, however, you must be able to document the completion of studies before the start of the summer school.

4.4. Previous Studies Abroad: List previous studies abroad if applicable. Note that in some cases, one year of university education (or more) with English as the language of instruction, taken in an English-speaking country, will fulfill the English Language Profiency requirement at the ISS.

5.0. Language Profiency

Please inform us of your English language skills. Applicants admitted to the International Summer School must have good English language skills in order to take advantage of the academic and social environment at the ISS. English is the main language of communication at the ISS. Also students to Norwegian Language Courses at the ISS must document that they fulfill the English language requirements. Norwegian language skills are only necessary for applicants to Norwegian Language Courses level II, III and IV.

5.1. English Language Skills: Indicate your level of English skills and mention where and how you learned English. For example, your English skills are moderate if you can read and write basic English, but do not feel comfortable making conversations in English. Fluent indicates that you have used English as a main second language for such a long time that you are almost at the level of a native speaker.

5.2. Norwegian Language Skills: If you are applying to Norwegian Language Courses level II, III or IV, indicate your current Norwegian language skills. Native speaker indicates that Norwegian is your mother tongue. Fluent indicates that you have used Norwegian as a main second language for such a long time that you are almost at the level of a native speaker; whereas moderate indicates that you have learned Norwegian and understand/read Norwegian quite well but do not understand slang, fast talking, idioms, and dialects.

5.3. Norwegian Text Books and Tests: If you are applying for Norwegian Language Courses level II, III or IV, mark the last text books used and list any language exams you have passed or plan to pass. Language tests can be the Test i norsk høyere nivå (Bergenstest) or språkprøven.

6.0. Professional Experience

Please refer to your most significant professional experiences, particularly those that make you a well-suited applicant for the course you have applied to. For graduate courses, professional experience within the field in question is essential. State your position (job title), the duration of this experience, and the name of the employer (company, organization, etc.).

7.0. Finance

State how you are going to finance your intended studies at the ISS.