NTNU Division of Student and Academic Affairs

Norwegian University of Office of International Relations

Science and Technology

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INFORMATION ABOUT ADMISSION

QUOTA SCHEME

PHD PROGRAMMES

INTERNATIONAL MASTER’S PROGRAMMES

SANDWICH PROGRAMMES

OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

O.S. Bragstad’s plass 3

No-7491 Trondheim

NORWAY

NTNU on www: http://www.ntnu.no/international/

INTRODUCTION

NTNU is the second largest university in Norway with approximately 20 000 students. The university consists of 7 faculties, providing a wide range of academic study programmes within Architecture, Engineering, Natural Sciences, Medicine, Arts/ Humanities and Social Sciences. NTNU's main profile is within Engineering, Architecture and Natural Sciences, enabling the university to be Norway's leading university for higher education and research within these academic fields. At the same time, the quality and professional competence of the faculties offering Medicine, Humanities/Arts and Social Sciences are comparable to other Norwegian universities.

This information is intended for candidates who are interested in applying for admission to NTNU's study programmes with financial support under the Quota Scheme. The Quota Scheme is Norway's and NTNU's largest loan and scholarship scheme for financing students from eligible developing countries, and countries in Central and Eastern Europe/ Central Asia, when it comes to student numbers.

The Quota Scheme was implemented by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Education in the autumn 1994 as a Norwegian Governmental Assistance Scheme to promote capacity building in the student’s home country and at the student’s home institution, and to promote the participation of students from these countries in the process of internationalisation of higher education. From 1 January 2005, the Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Higher Education (SIU) has taken over the national responsibility for the Quota Scheme from the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Education (KD). Currently 47 higher educational institutions in Norway are participating in the Quota Scheme. As part of a national quota of totally 1100 seats, 800 seats are reserved for students from developing countries, and 300 seats for students from Central and Eastern Europe/ Central Asia. The higher educational institutions in Norway participating in the scheme apply every third year to SIU to obtain their share of the national quota.

In 2005, the Ministry of Education (KD) changed the national regulations for the Quota Scheme, so that individual applicants from non-collaboration institutions no longer can be considered for Quota Scheme support. Only candidates who are either students, temporary or permanently employed at collaboration institutions in eligible developing countries or countries in Central and Eastern Europe/ Central Asia where the respective university/ college in Norway has signed collaboration agreements, can now apply. Eligible applicants must also have stayed at least one year in their home country directly prior to the planned education at the Norwegian university/ college. Candidates applying directly from another country than their home country will therefore not be considered for financial support under the Quota Scheme.

You will find some useful information about the Quota Scheme on SIU’s web page: www.siu.no. Please also refer to the list of eligible countries under the Quota Scheme, and the list of NTNU’s collaboration institutions in developing countries/ Central- and Eastern Europe eligible to promote candidates for Quota Scheme support attached with this letter.

FINANCING YOUR STUDIES UNDER THE QUOTA SCHEME

The Quota Scheme covers living expenses while studying in Norway, travel allowances according to fixed national rates at minimum student price, support to cover fieldwork periods in the students' home country as part of the study programme in Norway, and additional support for children when they are staying together with the student in Norway. At the moment the yearly support is NOK 82900 for students at undergraduate and graduate programmes (NOK 8290 per month for 10 months per year). PhD students obtain NOK 99 480 per year (NOK 8290 per month for 12 months per year). A major part of the support (60 %) is given as a loan, that will only be waived if the student is permanently settling down in his or her home country after completing the education in Norway. A minor part (40 %) is given as a scholarship.

Yearly, NTNU is receiving about 3 000 requests for information about admission under the Quota Scheme from international candidates. Applicants should be aware that the numbers of new seats under the Quota Scheme at NTNU each year are limited to only 75-80 seats. The rest of NTNU’s Quota Scheme Seats are used for students who are already admitted at our university, and who need renewal of the Quota Scheme support to continue their studies for their 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th year of studies. The few Quota Scheme seats available, compared with the very high number of applicants competing for new seats, makes NTNU’s Quota Scheme very competitive. Only very qualified candidates from collaboration institutions will therefore be offered admission.

The number of new Quota Scheme seats on each study programme varies, and is decided yearly by the Programme for Development Cooperation (PRODEC) in collaboration with the Office of International Relations at NTNU. At NTNU there are 3 main categories of study programmes offered under the Quota Scheme:

* PhD programmes (10-15 new seats every year).

* International master’s programmes (approximately 65 new seats every year)

* Sandwich programmes of minimum 1 year duration as part of a master’s or PhD degree in the home country or as part of a master’s or PhD degree at NTNU (5-6 new seats every year)

NTNU does not consider applicants for undergraduate studies under the Quota Scheme.

PHD/ SANDWICH PROGRAMMES

For the academic year 2008/2009, The Programme for Developing Cooperation (PRODEC) at NTNU, will recommend that all the 10-15 new Quota Scheme seats will be reserved for students from developing countries, should be given to candidates who are directly linked to ongoing collaboration projects at NTNU’s collaborating institutions in developing countries, e.g. our NUFU programmes. At the moment there are no PhD/ Sandwich Quota Scheme seats available for other candidates from developing countries. Candidates from NTNU’s collaboration institutions in Central- and Eastern Europe/ Central Asia are welcome to contact the Office of International Relations for more information about application procedures, since there are still some few seats available for PhD/ Sandwich Programmes.

INTERNATIONAL MASTER’S PROGRAMMES

NTNU offers over 30 international master's programmes taught in English, (this including Erasmus Mundus Programmes). The programmes and academic admission requirements are listed below. All the MSc/MPhil programmes extend over 2 academic years (4 semesters). Admission takes place only once per year, where all the students join the programmes in the autumn semester starting in mid August 2008. It is not possible for students to start the international master’s programmes in the spring semester (January 2008). At the moment there are about 130 international master’s students from developing countries sponsored under the Quota Scheme at NTNU, and less than 5 students from Central- and Eastern Europe/ Central Asia.

The number of Quota Scheme seats on each international master’s programme varies. The Programme for Development Cooperation (PRODEC) will in the beginning of the spring semester 2008, decide the final distribution of about 65 new Quota Scheme seats on NTNU’s international master’s programmes in collaboration with the Office of International Relations. Due to the limited number of Quota Scheme seats, not all the international master’s programmes listed in the preliminary application database will be given Quota Scheme seats. Applicants should therefore be aware that admission under the Quota Scheme for the international master’s programmes is conditional on PRODEC granting seats to the respective study programme applied for. Applicants who have applied to master’s programmes not given Quota seats, will be informed about this decision before the final application deadline of 1 March 2008. The international master’s programmes are also open to applicants with other funding than the Quota Scheme applying on a separate online application system, than the Quota Scheme.

The previous NORAD Fellowship Programme is faced out for admission to NTNU’s international master’s programmes from the academic year 2007-2008, and is replaced by NOMA (Norad’s Programme for Master Studies) where stronger emphasis is on establishing master’s programmes at collaborating institutions in developing countries (for more information about the NOMA programme, please see SIU’s web page: www.siu.no).

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE QUOTA SCHEME:

For admission in year 2008, NTNU will only consider candidates attached to one of NTNU’s collaboration institutions in developing countries/ Central and Eastern Europe/ Central Asia for admission to our international master’s programmes with financial support under the Quota Scheme. Applicants will be asked to indicate that they belong to at least one of the following categories in the electronic preliminary application database to be able to proceed with their application for Quota Scheme support:

a) Permanently employed at one of NTNU’s collaboration institutions.

b) Temporary employed at one of NTNU’s collaboration institutions.

c) Presently studying at one of NTNU’s collaboration institutions.

d) Graduates with a first degree from one of NTNU’s collaboration institutions.

A list of NTNU’s collaboration institutions in some of the eligible Quota Scheme countries is given in the electronic preliminary application database, and with this information letter. Applicants under the Quota Scheme will be asked to indicate the relevant collaboration institution when filling in their preliminary application form.

Applicants belonging to the categories a), b) or c) will be given the highest priority in admission under the Quota Scheme. Applicants under category d) will only be considered for admission, if we do not receive enough applicants under the categories a), b) or c) to some of our international master’s programmes.

One general requirement for admission to our international master’s programmes, is that applicants must have completed a minimum of 3 years of recognised university studies beyond the basic matriculation requirement for admission at Norwegian universities/ colleges relevant for their home country (please check the basic matriculation requirement for your home country at our home page before filling in the preliminary application form online). Usually this will require that the applicants must have completed a specialised first degree/ bachelor’s degree of at least 4 years duration within a relevant academic area. For some international master’s programmes relevant work experience may also be considered relevant for admission. Please notice that applicants who have obtained only a 2-3 years Diploma/ Higher National Diploma degree, at Polytechnics/ college level, do not qualify for admission to our international master’s programmes. Before applying, please study the academic requirements for the international master’s programme you are interested in applying for carefully (see academic requirements for each of the master’s programmes and English requirement listed below).

Admission to NTNU’s international master's programmes under the Quota Scheme is highly competitive. Applicants must have obtained an average grade of First Class Division or at least Second Class Upper Division from their first degree to be considered for admission. Applicants with a Second Class Lower Division or Third Class Division from their first degree will therefore not receive the final application package under the Quota Scheme. Qualified female candidates will be given high priority in admission in line with Norwegian governmental assistance policies.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

MSc programmes within Engineering/ Architecture/ Natural Sciences and Medicine:

* MSc in Hydropower Development: BSc/BEng degree in Civil Engineering, and 2 to 5 years of work experience within planning, design and/or construction of hydraulic works.

* MSc in Marine Technology: BSc/BEng degree or equivalent in Coastal or Harbour Engineering, Ocean Engineering, Offshore Engineering, Marine Technology or Naval Architecture. Applicants will have to choose one out of the 3 specialisations: Marine Structures, Marine System Engineering or Nautical Sciences when filling in the final application form. More information about the specialisations will be provided with the final application form. Applicants should not indicate specialisation when filling in the preliminary application form.

* MSc in Petroleum Engineering / MSc in Petroleum Geosciences: BSc/BEng degree or equivalent in Petroleum Engineering or Applied Geosciences. Applicants with a BSc/BEng degree in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering may also be considered for admission if they have relevant work experience from the petroleum sector.

* MSc in Light Metals Production: BSc/BEng degree or equivalent in Materials Science, Metallurgy, Chemical Engineering or Chemistry. Relevant work experience is also considered important for admission.

* MSc in Coastal and Marine Civil Engineering: BSc/BEng degree in Civil Engineering, Coastal Engineering or Harbour Engineering. Applicants with an equivalent BSc/BEng degree in Engineering may also be considered if they have 2-3 years relevant work experience within port and coastal works.

* MSc in Geotechnics and Geohazards: BSc/BEng in Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering or Engineering Geology.

* MSc in Industrial Ecology: BSc/ BEng degree within Engineering, Natural Sciences or Social Sciences.

* MSc in Information Systems: BSc/ BEng degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or Information System.

* MSc in Electric Power Engineering: BSc/ BEng degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Power Engineering, Electronics, Automation, Cybernetics or Applied Physics. Please notice that this MSc programme is held at NTNU, and is a different programme than the MEng programme in Electrical Power Engineering held only for NORAD fellows at Kathmandu University in Nepal.

* MSc in Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety (RAMS): BSc/ BEng preferably within Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering, Civil Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, Electronic Engineering or Electric Power Engineering. Candidates with a BSc/BEng in other engineering disciplines may also be considered for admission. Courses within Mathematics, Probability Theory and Statistics must be covered within the BSc/ BEng degree.

* MSc in Project Management: BSc/ BEng degree, preferably within an engineering discipline. Candidates with a BSc degree in Natural Sciences may also be considered for admission. Minimum requirements when it comes to grades exist.

* MSc in Mathematics: BSc degree in Mathematics, consisting of a minimum of 1.5 years of university studies in Mathematics.

* MSc in Condensed Matter Physics: BSc degree in Physics, consisting of a minimum of 1.5 years of Physics, and one year of Mathematics and Statistics.