If you meet the admission requirements and the applicable examination requirements, you are entitled to sit the examination as a private/external candidate.
Former students at Østfold University College (HiØ) who have completed a bachelor's or master's degree and wish to improve grades on their degree certificate/diploma may apply to have their student status reinstated as an alternative to registering as a private candidate.
Exams for private candidates
Individuals who meet the admission requirements and the requirements for sitting an exam in a course, but who are not enrolled in either the course itself or the study programme to which the course belongs, are entitled to sit the exam as a private candidate (external candidate). (Universities and University Colleges Act, 2024, Section 11-4).
As a private candidate, you are only entitled to attend public lectures, access the learning platform for the relevant course, and sit the examination (HiØ Regulations, Section 6-3 (4)).
In addition to the semester fee, private candidates must pay an examination fee by a given deadline. You will only be registered for the examination once both the semester fee and the examination fee have been paid.
Application deadlines
- 1 September for the autumn semester
- 15 January for the spring semester
Application form for private candidates
Examination fees for private candidates
- Examinations in courses with up to 15 ECTS credits: NOK 2,000 per examination
- Examinations in courses with 20 to 25 ECTS credits: NOK 3,000 per examination
- Examinations in courses with 30 ECTS credits or more: NOK 4,000 per examination
In addition, private candidates must pay the semester fee to the Student Welfare Organisation to which the application relates.
Improving grades in courses already included in your diploma
Improving a grade on a diploma is only possible for students who have completed a bachelor's or master's degree at Østfold University College (HiØ).
If you wish to improve a grade in a course that is included in your diploma, you may apply to have your student status reinstated for the period during which the course is taught and assessed. This is an alternative to taking exams as a private candidate.
The following restrictions apply:
- You may only improve a grade in a course that has the same course code, learning outcomes, grading system, and number of credits as the course included in your degree.
- If you have already used all three examination attempts in the course, you are not entitled to any further attempts.
- It is not possible to improve results in placement-based courses or other courses that require a police certificate.
Deadlines
Deadlines for applying for reinstatement of student status:
- Autumn: 15 June
- Spring: 1 December
Application for reinstatement of student status
Fees
You need to pay the regular semester fee.
Semester and exam registration
Semester registration, payment of the semester fee, and examination registration must be completed in Studentweb after reinstatement of student status has been approved.
- Autumn: from 1 August and no later than 1 September
- Spring: from 1 December and no later than 15 January
New diploma
Once you have received a new result that you wish to be included in your diploma, you must notify the Examinations Office so that your diploma can be updated.
- Campus Halden: eksamen-halden@hiof.no
- Campus Fredrikstad: eksamen-fred@hiof.no