The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) is Norway’s largest university, with its main campus in Trondheim and campuses in Gjøvik and Ålesund. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it was 264th in the world and the second-highest-ranked university in Norway. It’s known for engineering, technology, marine and ocean science, energy and medicine.
NTNU teaches its bachelor’s programmes in Norwegian, so international students usually come for one of its English-taught master’s programmes. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on NTNU’s own guidance and official Norwegian government information.
1. Know that bachelor’s programmes are taught in Norwegian
NTNU’s undergraduate programmes are taught in Norwegian and require Norwegian proficiency for admission, and NTNU says it offers no bachelor’s degrees taught in English. If you don’t speak Norwegian, plan to come to NTNU for a master’s instead. NTNU FAQ for prospective undergraduates.
2. Choose an English-taught master’s programme
NTNU offers a range of two-year master’s programmes in English, including international master’s programmes in engineering, technology and the natural sciences, as well as programmes in business, the social sciences and the humanities. Some programmes don’t accept applicants from outside the EU/EEA at all, so check eligibility on your programme’s page. NTNU master’s programmes in English.
3. Apply by 1 December
For NTNU’s English-taught master’s programmes, the deadline for applicants from outside the EU/EEA has been 1 December for programmes starting the following August. Upload all your documents before the deadline, and check your programme’s page for the 2027 dates.
4. Meet the academic requirements
You need a bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, that’s relevant to your chosen programme, with enough credits in the subjects it specifies, such as mathematics, physics or engineering courses, and a minimum average grade. Read the requirements on the programme page carefully, as they vary widely.
5. Prove your English
Programmes taught in English require you to document your English, usually with a recognised test such as TOEFL or IELTS unless you’ve studied in certain countries, and some universities set higher scores than the national minimum. Test dates fill up quickly, so book early. Practise with our free IELTS and TOEFL practice tests.
6. Fund your studies yourself
NTNU doesn’t offer any scholarships that cover tuition fees, so you’ll need to pay your tuition and living costs yourself or find a scholarship in your home country. Some full-degree scholarships awarded by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) exempt students from fees.
7. Understand the fees
EU/EEA and Swiss citizens don’t pay tuition fees. Others do: for 2026-27, NTNU’s fee is NOK 176,300 a year for humanities, social sciences, economics and business, and NOK 205,600 for natural sciences and technology, with lower fees for a few programmes, such as NOK 61,705 for International Business and Marketing. Fees are adjusted each year. NTNU tuition fees.
8. Look for housing early
Trondheim is cheaper than Oslo, but student housing is still in demand at the start of the academic year. Apply for student housing as soon as you’re admitted, because you’ll need a place to live for your study permit.
9. Pay your fees and apply for a study permit
EU/EEA citizens don’t need a study permit, but they must register if they stay in Norway for more than three months. If you’re from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland, you apply to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) for a study permit after NTNU has admitted you. Non-EU students must pay their first year’s tuition shortly after receiving an offer, and you must also show that you can cover your living costs: NOK 170,368 for the 2026-27 academic year, usually transferred to a Norwegian bank account or a university deposit account. You’ll also need a place to live in Norway. Living-cost requirement for 2026-27.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
A study permit normally lets you work part time, up to 20 hours a week during the semester and full time in the holidays, though Norwegian is often needed for part-time jobs. After you graduate, you can apply for a residence permit for up to one year to look for skilled work, and once you find a relevant job you can apply for a work permit. Rules change, so check the latest guidance with UDI or NTNU’s international office.
Applying for a PhD at NTNU?
PhD positions at NTNU are paid jobs, advertised by each department, and you usually need a relevant master’s degree. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Apply to more than one university to give yourself options. Read our guides to the University of Oslo, the University of Bergen, UiT The Arctic University of Norway and NMBU. Our guide to studying in Norway explains how the Norwegian system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from NTNU’s official admissions and fee pages, Norwegian government sources and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on NTNU’s website for international master’s programmes before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with NTNU.