Documentation requirements

General documentation requirements

A) Identity and change of name

• Certified copy of identity document.
  
  A valid identity document is the official picture page in an international passport, international ID-card from EEA/EFTA-countries, or a confirmation from the Norwegian National Population Register. If you have a Travel Document or an Immigrant's Passport issued in Norway, both the picture page and page 2 of the document are required.
  
  
• Certified copy of proof of name change in the original issuing language.
  
  
• Certified copy of official translation of proof of name change.
  
  A valid proof of name change can be a marriage-/divorce certificate or a confirmation from the Norwegian National Population Register where both names are apparent. If you have not changed your name, you do not need to submit this documentation.
  
  

 B) Documentation from higher education

• Certified copy of final degree diploma from higher education, in the original language.
  
  
• Certified copy of official translation of final degree diploma from higher education.
  
  By “final degree diploma” we refer to the final proof that a degree has been completed and awarded (some frame this document and hang it on the wall). You do not need to submit this documentation if you are applying for recognition of an education that was not completed.
  
  
• Certified copy of transcript of grades/academic record from higher education, in the original language.
  
  
• Certified copy of official translation of transcript of grades/academic record.
  
  By “transcript of grades/academic record” we mean a list/overview of subjects/grades/number of hours/credits for all the years of your higher education. If you have a Diploma Supplement, you can submit this instead of the transcript of grades/academic record.
  
  

C) Documentation from upper secondary school

• Certified copy of the final certificate from upper secondary school/high school, in the original language. If the country where you received your education does not have a system for upper secondary school/high school, please submit the final diploma/certificate from the education that gave you access to higher education. This document does not need to be translated.
  

Note! NOKUT does NOT require original documents unless this is specified in the requirements for a specific country, or you have been asked to submit this. This regards original educational documents, identity documents and original translations.

Important information

Translations

•  NOKUT requires final diplomas, transcripts of grades and proof of any changes of name that are issued in a language other than Norwegian, Danish, Swedish or English, to be translated to one of these languages.
  
  
• You can have your documents translated in Norway or abroad.
  
  
• NOKUT recommends that you use a government authorized translator. You can find a list of authorized translators in Norway at www.translatorportalen.com.
  
  
• The translations of the documents listed above must be done by an official translator. It must be apparent in the document which individual has done the translation.
  
  
• If the submitted translations are not good enough, NOKUT reserves the right to ask for new translations.
  
  
• If you were given documentation in two languages by your educational institution (where one of the languages is Norwegian, Danish, Swedish or English), this documentation can be submitted instead of translations.
  
  

Officially certified copies

What is a certified copy?

A certified copy is a copy made directly from an original document. The certification does validate the content of the document; it just means that the copy is identical to the original.


What are NOKUT’s requirements for certified copies?

• Certified copies must be attested by a public servant (employee of the state or county), an employee of a copying agency, a lawyer or a Notary Public. It must be apparent from the stamp where the copy was made.
  
  
• A certified copy must be stamped “Rett kopi” or “True copy” and marked with date and full signature of the person who made the copy.
  
  
• All sheets in a set of copies must be attested as certified copies.
  
  

What is not acceptable?

• Certified copies made from copies or electronic documents/printouts.
  
  
• Certified copies made from copies of apostils/copies from a Notary Public (read more about apostils in the section below).
  
  
• Certified copies made by the applicant themselves, or persons in close/ family relation to the applicant.
  
  

Apostils

In many countries it is common practice to have an apostil put on educational documents.

An apostil is given in two ways:

1. Apostil put directly on the original document to legalize the document. (uUsually for use abroad)
   
   
2. Apostils put on copies of the original documents (equivalent to a certified copy). Copies of the original documents are fastened to original translation (common practice in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, among others).
   

NOKUT does not require documents to have apostils.

Transcript of grades sent directly to NOKUT from the educational institution

For some countries, it is a requirement that the transcript of grades is sent directly to NOKUT from the educational institution. You can find out whether this is relevant for your country by checking in the drop-down menu higher up on the page. If this requirement applies to the country where you studied, it is your responsibility to contact the educational institution to request this. You are welcome to use this International Transcript Request and Release Authorisation Form (pdf), but it is not mandatory. 

 

Remember!

• Submit the application form together with certified copies of required documentation.
  
  
• Be sure that you send all the required documentation and that all sheets of all copies are certified as true copies.
  
  
• It is your responsibility to make sure that the certified copies are made directly from the original documents.
  
  
• It is your responsibility to submit the documentation NOKUT requires.
  
  
• NOKUT does not return original translations or copies with apostils.
  
  
• All documentation NOKUT regards as irrelevant to the evaluation will be shredded.