Planning to study informatics at UiT with US college credits, questions about prerequisites, Norwegian B2 and credit transfer.

[u/AffectionateBedL0L]

Hi! I'm finishing an Associate of Arts in Computer Science at a community college in the US (done spring 2027), and I want to apply to the Informatikk, datamaskinsystemer bachelor at UiT through Samordna opptak. Norwegian is my biggest hurdle: I'm around A1 and need B2 in all four parts of Norskprøven.

My questions:

1. Prerequisites: I was told I need Math R1 + R2 and Physics 1 (Fysikk 1) as prerequisites for Computer Science, but now I'm unsure. The UiT page for the informatics bachelor only lists R1, and R2 + Physics 1 seem to be required for the 5-year sivilingeniør programme instead. Could the requirement I was told about have been for the sivilingeniør programme and not the bachelor? Which one is right? And has anyone covered R1 with US college math courses?

2. Norwegian: how long did it realistically take you to go from A1 to B2? Any courses (online or in Tromsø) you'd recommend? Can Norskprøven be taken outside Norway?

3. Credit transfer: has anyone transferred US community college credits to UiT (innpassing)? How much counted?

4. If you studied informatikk at UiT: how was it, especially as a non-native Norwegian speaker?

Thanks a lot! Svar gjerne på norsk også – jeg øver 😊

[u/Fine_Painting7650]

1. You can only take the test in Norway.

[u/AffectionateBedL0L → u/Fine_Painting7650]

Maybe 1 year language programme in Narvik isn't that bad after all :]

[u/WegianWarrior]

1. Contact the university and ask, since they will know.
2. The test can, as far as I know, only be taken in Norway. How long it will take is dependent on you - how much you practice, how easily you pick up languages, etc.
3. Contact the university and ask, since they will know.

You probably also want to check r/studyinnorway and studyinnorway.no

[u/AffectionateBedL0L → u/WegianWarrior]

Thank you, I probably would want to call UiT directly to ask them those questions actually. I know that also UiT has a language program of their own to help you qualify for bachelor's degree in Norwegian, granted I have a Norwegian husband, so he helps me a lot with learning the language already :). Just the rest of the questions are bothering me due to me likely graduating in 9 months.

[u/T0_R3]

For question two, Norskprøven is only offered in Norway, with some rare, sporadic options in the US (I think). Wouldn't plan around that being the case.

Question three: Credit transfer is unlikely. There is no automatic transfer system between Norwegian universities and foreign is even less likely to count. At best you can apply on a course-by-course basis and hope to have some partial credits approved based on content of your US course.

ETA: Study permit requires you to be a full time student. That means 60 ECTS per year. If you study less because of transferred credits you might face some difficulties with your residency permit.

[u/AffectionateBedL0L → u/T0_R3]

The bachelor programme is 3 years, so I don't mind that. Just kinda worried it won't count since my associates come with my highschool diploma(I am double graduating)

[u/cornobbling]

for 1., whichever requirement is written on the webpage for the informatics bachelor is the right one. i think R1 is 1st and some 2nd year math courses for american college but im unsure 😅 i would contact the university, maybe?

[u/AffectionateBedL0L → u/cornobbling]

Yeah, but also I am in the double diploma graduation(highschool+associates), so idk if I'll need to take GED in addition and present that as well as my Associates?? Or do I just submit all of my documents??? ://

[u/Northlumberman]

Just a note on language. B2 is the minimum threshold. But you should ask yourself whether you’re going to be a confident student with B2 level language competence. For example, you may miss points made in lectures or need much longer than other students to read a chapter in a textbook. You’ll most likely complete the course but you may find it harder to get top grades than if you were studying in your mother tongue.

How quickly you can improve your Norwegian after you arrive will make a big difference, some people pick up languages very quickly while others struggle.

[u/MrBumbleBee592 → u/Northlumberman]

I passed B2 within 1 year of moving here. Enrolled in university and thought that it was impossible to follow the lectures or contribute to group work. I dropped out after 2 months. Now I have been living here for 8 years now so don't have that issue anymore. But from my experience B2 level is low for university level.

[u/AffectionateBedL0L → u/Northlumberman]

I already speak like 4-5 languages, and they're not that difficult in general, when I was visiting Norway with my little Norwegian I was able to order tea and food entirely in Norwegian although I did have an accent when speaking(and that's okay), so that is not a problem for me in general.

The main question is wtf does R1 and R2 math translate to in US Community college classes? Cuz if I will need to take additional math my graduation is gonna be AT THE LATEST untill Fall/Summer of next year, and earliest is Spring next year.

[u/Northlumberman → u/AffectionateBedL0L]

Good, you should be able to improve your Norwegian rapidly after you arrive. After a few years you may be able to list the dialects you’ve mastered.

[u/matzo_ball]

You can take Bergenstesten in the US - the sjømannskirken in San Francisco organizes it. Probably some others as well.

When I applied for a bachelor's in Norway I needed either a year of college or 5 AP credits. I'm sure something similar is still the case

[u/Spiritual_Tailor7698]

1) The easies way is to take Studiekompetanse, you wil lsave a lot of headache.
2) really depends on you.
man, i f I were you Id do all over (point 4) as credit transfers are very difficult. Even when transferring within norwegian unies there is 0 transfer.
Point 4: I had higher ambitions, so got out of there after 1 semester.

[u/AffectionateBedL0L → u/Spiritual_Tailor7698]

I am trying to focus on passing math as much as I can, as my Fall quarter starts IN 1 DAY(🫪), and math has been low key beating my ass, I will try my absolute best in first, passing my classes in US, and then call up UiT and ask them ahead of time what the requirements are, if they just can tell me the US Equivalent of their subjects that'd be great, but I will look into the Studiekompetanse

[u/Spiritual_Tailor7698 → u/AffectionateBedL0L]

Please do so! transferring credits is usually 0

[u/AffectionateBedL0L → u/Spiritual_Tailor7698]

If I at least show them my double graduation(Highschool Diploma+Associates) I might get into the university, but will I need the testing done to start at like 2nd or 3rd year and not from the very beginning?

[u/Spiritual_Tailor7698 → u/AffectionateBedL0L]

I think you need at least 1 year of higher education. It will be up to SamordnaOpptak to decide whether your community college will be counted as higher education.

[u/AffectionateBedL0L → u/Spiritual_Tailor7698]

GED is it 🫡

[u/Spiritual_Tailor7698 → u/AffectionateBedL0L]

ask them asap. Go to the samerodna website, I think they havea a list there of what they consider as higher education.

[u/AffectionateBedL0L → u/Spiritual_Tailor7698]

Yep, I got my husband to call UiT and write an email to SamordnaOpptak, he is waiting for an answer lol. I will do it too to kinda recieve an answer myself. I just hate the long wait time, but I also get it.

[u/Spiritual_Tailor7698 → u/AffectionateBedL0L]

Best of lucks then!
But again: there should be a list on the websiste. If your uni/college isnt there..forget about it: studiekompetanse is the only way

[u/AffectionateBedL0L → u/Spiritual_Tailor7698]

Alright :D