Language Requirements

As teaching at Durham is in English all students must be able to prove they have a sufficient level of English to be able to cope with the course from the beginning. If you are an exchange student from NTNU (and are not from an English speaking country) you will be required to provide evidence of your English language proficiency - to a level equivalent to CEFR B2 or above. To do this, you will need to have a Statement of Language Proficiency Form completed by the Exchange Coordinator or an academic member of staff from NTNU. This form is available on the How to Apply page should be submitted with the application form.

Should you have questions or uncertainty after checking the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) 'Do I need visa?' website Durham's Student Immigration Service will be able to assist. 

Two common visa routes for exchange students are:

• the Visitor Route for students undertaking a programme, which is less than six months in duration
• the Student visa route for students staying for longer than six months

Please, however, be aware that:

• these rules may change and will vary depending on your individual circumstances. Check with our Student Immigration Service
• Applicants for visas which are longer than six months are required to pay an Immigration Health Surcharge in addition to the cost of the visa application
• students are unlikely to be eligible for the Short-term study visa, as this requires you to be specifically and only undertaking and English language programme, i.e. not an English language programme combined with another degree programme.

Some postgraduate programmes may require approval from the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

Please be aware that if you are not an EU national, you will need to provide evidence of English Language proficiency in order to obtain a visa. Please use the guidance given here or in the main Learning and Teaching Handbook.

Should you have any questions please contact the Student Immigration Service via email immigration@durham.ac.uk.

Induction/Term Dates

Postgraduate Business students only, exams will take place in early January 2026 (Michaelmas Term) and between 13th May - 4th June (Epiphany Term). The dates will be provisional and are subject to change.

Orientation Session

The Global Opportunities Team will hold an in person compulsory Orientation Session for all incoming exchange students. All new incoming exchange students are expected to attend. The session covers important information such as registration, module enrolment and other practical arrangements.

University Induction Planner

Each student can create a personal induction planner to help you plan when, where and what you need to be doing in your first week. The university will release an Induction Planner nearer to the time of your arrival.

Fees

Information about the level of fees will be available from NTNU directly. Should you be unable to access this information, please contact incoming.exchange@durham.ac.uk. Students will be responsible for paying their own tuition fees directly to Durham University.

Living Costs

While County Durham is one of the most affordable places to live in England, you should consider living costs (in addition to your tuition and accommodation costs). We recommend a further £5,000 - £6,000 per year to cover the costs of books, clothing, socialising etc.

Approximate weekly/monthly living expenses are highlighted in the table below.