FAQ - Exchange students

When can my home university nominate me?

Your home institution coordinator must nominate you through our online nomination portal during the following periods:

• Start autumn semester (August): 15 March - 15 April
• Start spring semester (January): 1 September - 1 October

Can I apply before I have been nominated?

No! Students must be nominated by their home institution before they can start the application process.

How do I know if my home university has nominated me?

As soon as you have been nominated, you will receive two separate emails from UiB:

1. Password and link to access Søknadsweb (UiB's online application portal).
2. Information about application procedures and deadline.

Follow the instructions on how to log in and apply.

If you have not received any emails from UiB, please check with your home university to find out which email address was used in connection with your nomination. You can also send us an email to incoming@uib.no

The email no-reply@uib.no should be whitelisted in order to be able to get the password.

Can I select "New international applicant" at the login page for International Applicants?

Do not select the option "register as a new international applicant". Admission for exchange students is not available under this option.

I received a nomination confirmation from UiB. However, I did not receive my password. What should I do?

If you did not receive the email with the password, you can order a new password at the login page of Søknadweb. 

• Choose International Applicant  and then Send me a new password. If your email is correctly registered in our system, a new password will be sent within a few minutes.

What does the question "Do you have higher education from another university or college" mean?

We request you to answer "Yes". This is a control question that will not have any implications for your application.

I am a bachelor student, can I apply for courses at masters level?

Admission to courses at masters level cannot be granted unless the student have previous knowledge and the required academic background. We advise you to check the course required knowledge before applying.

Can I apply for restricted courses from other departments/faculties?

It is possible to apply for restricted courses at other departments/faculties, but make sure that you meet the previous knowledge required. You will find the details in the course descriptions online.

Please note that many restricted courses, specially at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences have limited capacity and therefore, qualified students nominated on an exchange agreement in a relevant subject area will be prioritized.

When will I know which courses I have been granted admission to?

An overview of all granted/rejected courses (only restricted courses) will be available in Søknadsweb by 28 November.

On 16 December you will get access to our online registration services for students (Studentweb). In Studentweb you sign up for your courses (open and restricted). You can also make changes to your study plan (if needed).

I applied for many restricted courses. Will I have to attend all of them if I am granted admission?

An overview of the restricted courses you have been given admission to will be listed in your education plan at Studentweb. You do not have to attend all courses with granted admission. You can add and remove courses within the registration deadline 1 February/1 September.

If you have other questions about courses, find more information at courses for exchange students.

How do I upload documents?

Select My documents from the top menu and upload your documents (must be uploaded as PDF or jpg files) into Søknadsweb.

If you can't find the top menu, click on the three white stripes in the top left corner and you will find My documents in the drop down menu.

What should the letter from my parents documenting funds contain?

The letter from your parents as documentation of funds must contain the following:

• Confirm the relationship with the student (mother, father or legal guardian).
• Confirm that the person will support the student's stay in Norway financially during the whole exchange period.
• Confirm the amount and exchange period.
• A bank statement in their name (may be uploaded in addition to the letter).
• Signature.

Upload it to your application as a pdf (or jpg).

How do I know that you have received my application?

After completing your profile and choosing faculty and coures, click Submit your application to continue. You can now upload your documents. 

You must click Done to complete your application, or Save if you have made changes.

Your application is officially submitted when you have completed the following tasks: 

• Registered your complete home address.
• Uploaded all the required documentation.
• If applicable: selected restricted courses.

Changes to your application must be done within the deadline 25 April (start autumn semester) or 15 October (start spring semester).

What does it mean if my application status is "Under consideration".

The status of your application will be set to Under consideration at Søknadsweb until the assessment process is completed and you are requested to accept the offer of admission given by UIB.

When will I receive my Letter of Acceptance?

The Letter of Acceptance will be issued online and published in Søknadsweb by 10 June/28 November. An email notification will be sent as soon as your letter of acceptance is available.

We do not send paper copies of the Letter of Acceptance. Copies must be downloaded from Søknadsweb.

Will all students from the same university receive the "Letter of Acceptance" at the same time?

Students from the same home university will not necessarily receive their Letter of Acceptance at the same time. The Letters of Acceptance" will be published in Søknadsweb as soon as the applications have been processed and not later than 10 June/28 November. 

The processing of a student's application can be delayed for several reasons, the most common one being that we are missing one or more of the required documents. In these cases we will email the student directly with information about what is missing and what the student should do next.

Please check your email (including spam filter) regularly!

When can you sign/approve my Learning Agreement (LA)/OLA?

The LA/OLA will be signed/approved after admission have been granted.

Who will sign/approve my LA/OLA?

Detailed information is available here.