Recognition of teacher qualifications – school and kindergarten

Find information about:

• Which professions do we recognise?
• Which recognition should you apply for?
• Working in a school or kindergarten without recognition
• Practical Pedagogical Education (PPU)
• First language teacher

Which professions do we recognise?

Schools

We recognise teachers who seek permanent positions in primary schools or lower and upper secondary schools. We only recognize regulated professions, and the regulated profession in the Norwegian school system is teacher (primary schools and lower and upper secondary schools). You do not need recognition in order to work in other professions within the Norwegian school system, and you do not need recognition to work in for example schools of music and performing arts (kulturskolen) or higher education. 

We also recognise Steiner Waldorf school teachers seeking employment in Norwegian schools.

If you receive a recognition as a teacher, you may also work as a first language teacher (“morsmålslærer”) if your employer has assessed your Norwegian language proficiency as sufficient.

Kindergartens

Kindergarten teachers seeking permanent work in a Norwegian kindergarten must obtain status as a head of kindergarten/educational supervisor. We do not give recognitions for the title "kindergarten teacher".

Most kindergarten teachers hold responsibilities as a head of kindergarten/educational supervisor, and must therefore obtain this status.

We do not recognise

• special education teachers without a regular teacher qualification
• assistants (in kindergartens, schools and after-school programmes)
• speech therapists
• leisure educators
• lecturers in higher education

You do not need to apply for other forms of recognition in order to be recognized as a teacher or head of kindergarten/educational supervisor. If, however, you would like a recognition statement that compares your education to the Norwegian degree structure and says something about the level and scope of your degree, you can apply for general recognition of your studies. If you have higher education from abroad, you can apply for general recognition of foreign higher education. If you have foreign tertiary vocational education or similar, you may apply for general recognition of foreign tertiary vocational education. You can read more about NOKUT’s other recognition procedures here. These recognition procedures are voluntary, but employers may ask for them in when considering salary placement and work titles.

Norwegian qualification as a teacher or kindergarten teacher abroad

We provide confirmations to teachers and kindergarten teachers educated in Norway seeking recognition in another country.

Which recognition should you apply for?

You must apply for recognition within your profession from abroad.

You must be a teacher in order to be recognised as one. If you want to obtain recognition as head of kindergarten/educational supervisor, you must have qualified as a kindergarten teacher abroad.

Are you qualified both as a teacher and as a kindergarten teacher?
If so, you may apply for both recognitions. Please fill in both application forms.

Working in a school or kindergarten without recognition

Working in schools without applying for recognition

Teacher is a regulated profession in Norway, and you need a recognition of your foreign professional qualification in order to work in a permanent position as teacher in primary or secondary schools in Norway. You may, however, work in a temporary position or as a substitute teacher without recognition as a teacher.

You may also work in permanent positions in other professions within the Norwegian school system, such as assistant, special needs teacher or social worker without a recognition of your foreign professional qualification. Your employer is responsible for assessing whether you are qualified for professions that are not regulated by Norwegian law.

Working in kindergartens without applying for recognition

The regulated professions in Norwegian kindergartens are head of kindergarten and educational supervisor. In order to work in a permanent position in any of these professions, you usually need a recognition of your foreign professional qualification. 

In some cases, you may work as a kindergarten teacher without recognition. This applies if

• The kindergarten already has the required number of educational supervisors and your position comes in addition to these.

or

• The kindergarten has received dispensation from the qualification requirement from the local authorities.

If you have a professional qualification as a kindergarten teacher or similar from abroad, you may want to apply for recognition in order to find out whether you fulfil the requirements.

Practical Pedagogical Education (PPU)

If you have completed your teacher training in Norway, e.g. Practical Pedagogical Education (praktisk-pedagogisk utdanning), you do not need to obtain recognition from us.

This applies even if your bachelor or master degree is from abroad. The Norwegian higher education institution assessed your foreign qualifications when you were accepted as a student.

Teachers recognised by us have the necessary pedagogical competencies, and therefore do not need to take the PPU in Norway.

First language teacher

Change of practice: Evaluation of Norwegian proficiency for first language teachers

As of 24 March 2021, NOKUT will no longer assess the Norwegian proficiency of applicants who apply for recognition as first language teacher in primary and secondary schools. Before employement, employers are required to assess the knowledge, skills and insight into Norwegian language, societal conditions and school conditions necessary to the position in question. Employers are already required to do this before employing a teacher with professional qualifications from abroad, regardless of whether this is in regard to a position as teacher or first language teacher.

What does this mean for you as an employer?

Employers will still be able to use NOKUT’s decision when assessing whether or not a candidate is qualified for employment as a first language teacher in schools. The only criteria NOKUT no longer considers is the Norwegian proficiency requirement. As an employer, you have to assess the candidate’s Norwegian skills.

What does this mean for you as a future applicant?

The change will not affect you. Until now, both NOKUT and your employer have assessed your Norwegian skills before employment: NOKUT as part of the recognition process as first language teacher, and your employer as part of the employment process. The change means that NOKUT will no longer ask for documentation of your Norwegian competency. If you want to work as a first language teacher, you can apply for recognition as teacher.

What does this mean if you already have a recognition as a first language teacher?

The change will not affect you. As before, you can apply for positions of employment as a first language teachers. Your employer will assess whether or not you are qualified for the position in question according to the regulation pursuant to the education act § 14-6 and 14-5.

What does this mean for you who have recently applied for recognition as a first language teacher?

The change will not affect you. If you have documented teacher education from abroad, you are eligible for recognition as a first language teacher. Your employer will assess whether or not you are qualified for a specific position according to the regulation pursuant to the education act § 14-6.

Find information about:

• Application
• Translations
• General documentation requirements
• Professional experience
• Language requirements
• Specific documentation requirements for some countries

Application

Complete your application online through the NOKUT applicant portal.

Important when logging in

• When logging in to NOKUT's applicant portal, use one of the following browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge. Please do not use Internet Explorer.
• We recommend that you apply from a PC, not from a mobile
  
  

Log in to the applicant portal

Log in or register using ID-porten

If you have a Norwegian personal ID number (fødselsnummer), you can choose between various electronic ID alternatives in order to log in, such as MinID or BankID. Please see more information here

If you do not have a Norwegian personal ID number, you must select the login option Proceed to alternative log-in methods. Please select Register new user and fill inn your email address and a chosen password.

We do not recommend using a D-number when logging in. 

Upload electronically scanned documents

Once you have logged in or registered as a new user, you will be able to start filling out the application. There are various documentation requirements for the educational professions, and you will find information about which documents you need to upload in the application portal.

In some cases, it is necessary to have certain official academic transcripts sent directly to NOKUT by the educational institution. If this applies to you, we will notify you in the application portal. You can also find more information about this at the bottom of this page (under Specific documentation requirements for some countries).

Please scan the required documents to PDF files. Select a descriptive document title for each document, such as "Diploma in original language". This will help NOKUT to understand the content of the documents written in other languages.

If a document contains multiple pages, please scan all the pages and save it as one document/attachment. For more information, see Guidelines for uploading documents.

Translations

Documents issued in a different language than English or one of the Nordic languages must be translated into Norwegian or English. NOKUT requires that you send in your documents in both the original language and translations of the documents into Norwegian or English. 

NOKUT accepts the following:

• Translations done by a government authorised translator. You can find authorised translators in Norway through Translatørportalen , website of the Association of Government Authorized Translators in Norway.  
• Translations done by other professional translators in Norway or abroad,Tolketjenesten, embassies, etc. You can find translators operating in Norway by searching the The Brønnøysund Register Service.
• Documents issued in English by the university at which you studied or received your degree.
• Are your documents issued in Icelandic and Finnish? If the answer is yes, we recommend that you translate them into Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English. This will ensure faster processing of your application.

NOKUT does not require that translated documents have an apostille.

The name of the translator must be apparent on the translation. If the submitted translations are not good enough, NOKUT reserves the right to ask for new translations.

NOKUT does not accept translations done by yourself or other private persons.

General documentation requirements

Here you will find information regarding the general documentation requirements for recognition of your profession.

In addition to the general documentation requirements, we have specific documentation requirements for some countries. In some cases, we require that documents have an apostille stamp or that official academic transcripts must be sent in a sealed envelope directly to NOKUT by the institution. You can read more about this under Specific documentation requirements for some countries at the bottom of this page.

Teacher and first language teacher

If you wish to apply for recognition as a teacher and first language in Norway, you must submit the following documents:

• A valid identity document that contains your full name, date of birth and photography. 
• If applicable, proof of name change, such as marriage certificate 
• Your education diploma, transcript and diploma supplement in the original language 
• Relevant work references in the original language 
• Translations of all documents not issued in Norwegian or a Nordic language 

Your documents must clearly state that you can work as a teacher. If not, please attach a confirmation from the education authorities in the country where you completed your education.

Please note that we sometimes need to request additional documentation.

Before employment as a teacher, your employer will

• Assess your subject competencies, as well as which level you are qualified to teach, cf. the regulation pursuant to the education act §§ 14-2 to 14-4
• Assess your knowledge, skills and insight into Norwegian language, societal conditions and school conditions necessary to the position in question, cf. the regulation pursuant to the education act §§ 14-6 last paragraph, and 14-5
• Decide your salary and job title
• Obtain a Norwegian police certificate of good conduct, cf. the education ac § 10-9
• Assess your Norwegian residence permit

Before employment as a first language teacher, your employer will also

• Assess which language(s) and pupils you are qualified to teach, cf. the regulation pursuant to the education act § 14-5, and
• Assess your Norwegian proficiency, cf. the regulation pursuant to the education act § 14-5

Head of kindergarten/educational supervisor in kindergarten

If you wish to apply for recognition as a head of kindergarten/educational supervisor in Norway, you must submit the following documents:

• A valid identity document that contains your full name, date of birth and photography. 
• If applicable, proof of name change, such as marriage certificate 
• Your education diploma, transcript and diploma supplement in the original language 
• Relevant work references from kindergarten in the original language  
• Translations of all documents not issued in Norwegian or a Nordic language

Your documents must clearly state that you can work as a teacher. If not, please attach a confirmation from the education authorities in the country where you completed your education.

Please note that we sometimes need to request additional documentation.

Work experience requirement from kindergartens in Norway
You must document knowledge of Norwegian societal conditions and kindergarten conditions in order to be recognised as head of kindergarten/educational supervisor in kindergarten in Norway. You can fulfill this requirement by documenting at least one year of full-time working experience in kindergartens in Norway. The requirement applies regardless of the type of kindergarten in which you plan to work, currently or in the future. You are exempted from this requirement if you are a kindergarten teacher from a Nordic country, or if one of the Nordic languages is your first language. You can read more about this requirement in forskrift om godkjenning av yrkeskvalifikasjoner for styrer og pedagogisk leder i barnehage fra annen stat, § 4 fjerde ledd (in Norwegian only).

Professional experience

You should provide references for all your relevant work experience, including experience from abroad. This may benefit the outcome of your application.
Your work references should confirm the position’s content, scope and duration (for instance percentage of employment, job title and period).

If we find significant differences between your qualification and the corresponding Norwegian qualification, your work experience may compensate for this. If in this case you have not uploaded any documentation on your work experience, we will ask for this. This again will prolong the process.

Our administrative procedure is written and document based. We do not contact employers for oral confirmations. It is therefore in your interest that you upload all relevant information and documentation when you submit your application.

Language requirements

Language requirement for teachers and head of kindergarten / educational supervisor in kindergarten

You do not have to meet the Norwegian language requirement in order to apply for recognition as a teacher or first language teacher in schools, nor as head of kindergarten / educational supervisor in kindergarten in Norway. Your employer will consider your skills in Norwegian before you are employed.

Specific documentation requirements for some countries

Transcripts sent directly to The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills

We require that official academic transcripts must be sent in a sealed envelope directly to the directorate by the institution in certain countries. Please see if this applies to you in the list below.

• Cameroun
• Canada 
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Hong Kong
• Macau
• Nigeria
• Philippines 
• South Sudan  
• Sudan
• Taiwan
• USA* 

You can ask your institution if they can send your transcripts directly to the directorate by mail to one of the following addresses:

For regular mail:
The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills
P.O. Box 1093
NO-5809 Bergen
Norway

For DHL, UPS and other international courier, parcel and express mail services:
The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir)
Karl Johans gate 7
NO-0154 Oslo
Norway

You can also use the International Transcript Request Form (pdf) to have your transcript of records sent directly to us from the educational institution.

* USA only: If the education institution has a secure, standardized system for issuing electronic transcripts, this can replace the transcripts sent directly by post. There are certain requirements for electronic transcripts, and we reserve the right to assess whether it is sufficient. Electronic transcripts can be sent to: enic-naric@hkdir.no

Apostilles and verification

We require that documents on higher education from certain countries are apostilled or have attestation. The apostille serves as verification of the authencity of the documents. Please see if this applies to you in the list below.

• China – Degree Certificate must be verified by China Academic Degree & Graduate Education Information Centre (CDGDC). Graduation Certificate and transcripts must be verified through China Higher-Education Student Information (CHSI). 
• Iran – You need copies of the translation to English of your diploma / degree certificate and transcript of academic records done by Official Translators of the Justice Administration in Iran.
• Pakistan – Documents from higher education must have HEC attestation. 
• Ukraine – Documents normally need to be apostilled by the Information and Image Center of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

For more information about the documentation requirements for the countries above, please select your country here:

Find information about:

• Processing time
• The decision
• What will employers consider?
• Contact us

Processing time

The average time for processing an application is about four months, provided you have submitted all required documentation. You will be notified if the processing time exceeds four months.

We will notify you about the status of your application

1. When you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email including your case number.
2. Within one month: If you have submitted all the required documentation, you will receive a confirmation email stating whether or not your application is complete.
3. If NOKUT needs any additional documents or information, we will contact you by email. If NOKUT has not received the required documentation within the deadline, your application will be cancelled.

How do you know if the application has been processed?

When NOKUT has finalized the evaluation of your application, we will notify you by mail. You will find the decision letter in your digital mailbox and in the applicant portal (under “Document overview”).

The decision

The decision letter will be issued in Norwegian only. The letter is electronically signed.

You will receive one of the following outcomes:

Recognition
You can apply for a permanent position within your profession.

Compensation measures
You hold a qualification from a country within the EU/EEA which does not fulfil our requirements, and you must therefore complete an aptitude test or a probation period in order to be recognised.

You will receive more information in the decision letter.

Rejection
You do not meet the requirements for recognition, but we will let you know what you should do in order to qualify.

Cancellation
You have not submitted the required documentation within the deadline, and we can therefore not process your application. Your application may also be cancelled if you have applied to the incorrect authority.

What will employers consider?

Salary and job title
The employer will decide your salary and job title.

Residence permit
It is the responsibility of your employer to consider your residence permit. See The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration for further information.

Norwegian police certificate
You must provide a Norwegian police certificate every time you take up employment in a Norwegian school or kindergarten.

Contact us

Do you have questions?

You can find most answers to your questions on our website, www.nokut.no. If you do not find the information you need on our website, you can contact us by email or telephone.

Telephone: + 47 21 02 18 60 (Tuesdays and Thursdays 12–14)
Email*: utland@nokut.no

* Please keep in mind that all email is unencrypted. We therefore recommend that you do not disclose sensitive personal data when you contact us. Please read the information below about how we process your personal data.

Do you have questions regarding your application?

All communication about your application should be made via the notification function (My messages) in the applicant portal.

By using the notification function you can communicate directly with your case officer about your case. This ensures your privacy rights as an applicant. In this way, you have identified yourself when you log into the applicant portal, and we are certain that personal information is not compromised by using unencrypted e-mail.

We do this to comply with EU Regulation No. 2016/579 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which entered into force in the EU on 25 May 2018 and is incorporated as Norwegian law.

Personal data

NOKUT is processing your personal data when we are evaluating your application and receiving inquiries. You have to create a profile in our applicant portal to register an application. It is necessary for NOKUT to process your personal data from your profile to process your application. We encourage you not to provide sensitive information in your profile. We would like to inform you that if you choose to register more or other personal data than what we ask for, these data will be a part of your profile and your application.

We provide this information to ensure a level of knowledge about our Privacy Notice and to inform you about your rights.

Further information about how NOKUT process personal data can be found in our Privacy Statement.