The Norwegian Quota Scheme

Deadline: 1 December 2009
Open to: Students from developing countries, Central and Eastern Europe, and former Soviet states for studies at institutions of higher education in Norway
Funding: Part loan/part grant

The Norwegian Quota Scheme


The Norwegian Quota Scheme is a funding scheme offered by the Norwegian Government to students from developing countries, Central and Eastern Europe, and former Soviet states for studies at institutions of higher education in Norway. This funding scheme aims at offering specially designed, research-based Master's Degrees taught in English. The Quota Scheme also offers funding for Ph.D.-programmes and a one-year course in advanced Norwegian Language. Quota Scheme applicants should come from universities/institutions with formal cooperation agreements with the University of Oslo.

Who May Apply?

Applicants for admission under the Quota Scheme must fulfill certain criteria in order to be considered for admission. Admission is limited and therefore extremely competitive.

Nationality

Only applicants from countries included in the list of countries eligible for Quota Scheme funding will be considered. Please note that applicants who live in another country than their country of citizenship, either temporary or permanently, cannot apply. It is a condition that the applicant applies for admission to the quota scheme from his or her home country, and can substantiate that he or she has been in the home country for at least one year prior to admission into the programme. Applicants from an eligible country, who are residing in another country on the list, may in some cases be considered. Quota Scheme students are expected to return home on completion of their studies in Norway.

Institutional Cooperation

Applicants should come from institutions with which the University of Oslo has a cooperation agreement. Potential applicants should check with their home institution to determine whether they have a cooperation agreement with the University of Oslo.

Women

Women are encouraged to apply. The University of Oslo gives priority to female applicants under the Quota Scheme.

Courses Offered

The Quota Scheme at the University of Oslo offers specially designed, English-taught Master's Degrees and a one-year programme in advanced Norwegian language studies. The Quota Scheme also offers funding to doctoral programme students.

* Master's Degrees
* Doctoral programmes
* 1-year programme in Advanced Norwegian

Funding

The Quota Scheme is a scholarship programme, but the funding is given as part loan/part grant. Students receive money from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund. After completing the programme and providing documentary evidence of return to his/her home country, the student's outstanding loan is converted to scholarship. If residence is taken in Norway within ten years after termination of studies, the scholarship is converted back to a loan and must be repaid.

For further information regarding rules and regulations set by the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund, please see Financial Aid and Remission of Debt for Citizens from Developing countries and countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia (quota scheme) 2009-20010


Criteria for application

Required Educational Background

The Quota Scheme is aimed at postgraduate students. Applicants must fulfil the basic entrance requirements for matriculation at a Norwegian institution of higher education. In addition to the basic entrance requirements, applicants for the Quota Scheme must provide documentary evidence of the following:

* For Master's Degree programmes, the minimum requirement is three (3) years of study at university level, i.e. minimum Bachelor's Degree level (or equivalent).
* For doctoral programmes, applicants must have a minimum of five (5) years of university-level studies in their chosen subject. For further information, click here.
* For the one-year advanced Norwegian language programme, the minimum requirement is two (2) years of study at university level; however, applicants with a completed first degree will be given priority.

Grade requirement

Admission to these programmes is very competitive, and only applicants with excellent grades will be considered (minimum B+/ Upper second/GPA 3.0).

Proficiency in English

Documentation of English language skills is required for admission to any of the programmes offered under the Quota Scheme.

* TOEFL minimum score 550 (paper-based) / 213 (computer-based) / 80 (iBT)
* IELTS minimum band 6.0 academic test.

For more information regarding the English language requirement, see page about English Proficiency Requirements. All applicants must have their English test results sent directly to the University of Oslo from TOEFL or IELTS.

Subject knowledge

Applicants must have completed prior university studies in the subject of the programme to which they are applying. Please note that some of the Master's Degree programmes have additional admission criteria. For further information go to the website of the specific Master programme.

How to Apply

Due to the large number of Quota applicants to a limited number of Quota scholarships available, potential applicants must submit the online 'Request for Application Form' before they can receive the formal application form. The 'Requests for Application Forms' will be processed by the International Education Office and only applicants that fulfil all the formal Quota requirements will receive the application form. The deadline for submitting the online 'Request for Application Form' is 1 November, in order for the students to have sufficient time to submit the Quota Scheme application and the required documents before the 1 December application deadline.

The Request for Application Form for the 2010 enrolment will be available on this web site end of August 2009.

Students address their Quota application directly to the International Education Office at the University of Oslo.
Doctoral programme applicants must in addition send in their research proposal and application for admission to doctoral studies to the relevant faculty.

The Quota application deadline for enrolment in August 2010 is 1 December 2009. This is also the deadline for all supporting documents. Late applications will not be considered.

If you want more information about the Quota Scheme, you can download the Prospectus 2010-2011 in pdf-format.

e-mail: international@admin.uio.no This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

More information can be found HERE.