There are different types of recognition. Depending on the type of recognition in question, there are different recognition procedures.

General recognition

NOKUT (Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education) may grant general recogintion. General recognition means that NOKUT may assess your previous qualifications. For instance they may recognise a four-year degree from one country as the equivalent of a 3-year Norwegian degree (or as the equivalent of a 2-year or 4- year degree depending on the qualification). They will only be able to recognise the level and scope of the previous qualification, not recognise the specific content of the agreement as equivalent to a Norwegian degree.

See NOKUT's website for more details

Specific recognition

Universities and university colleges, including Telemark University College (TUC), may grant specific recognition of previous qualifications. This means that TUC will assess whether your previous qualifications are equivalent (wholly or partially) to a Norwegian degree offered at TUC.

TUC will use the procedures for specific recognition as described and recommended by NOKUT (Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education).

TUC may assess both Norwegian and international qualifications for specific recognition.

Recognition of informal and non-formal prior learning

TUC may in certain instances recognise informal and non-formal prior learning to meet the entrance requirements or as a part of a degree. A precondition is that the previous learning is of equal level and value to the entrance requirements or higher learning. Examples of prior learning that may be accepted as part of a degree is work experience and non-academic courses. Please note that different programmes (and different higher education institutions) may value the previous prior informal and non-formal learning differently.

Recognition procedures in student exchange

In student exchange, recognition of international qualifications will also be relevant.

For incoming exchange students from partner universities, TUC will assess previous qualifications to determine whether a student is qualified for the courses he/she applied for at TUC. When dealing with students from partner institutions, TUC will usually recognise one year of studies as equivalent to one year of studies at TUC.

Please note that some courses/programmes may require that students have taken certain courses in their previous studies, in order to gain admission.

For outgoing exchange students, TUC will work with the student and the partner institution before the start of the exchange programme to agree on what courses the student should do .TUC will give the student a conditional recognition . If the student completes and passes the courses agreed upon, TUC will formally recognise the courses according to the conditional recognition and the learning agreement.