Host City and Institution:

The city of Trondheim, founded in 997, holds a special place in Norwegian history and culture. It was the first capital of Norway, and is still the city where new kings receive their ceremonial blessing. Situated by the Trondheimsfjord, it is surrounded by forested hills, with the River Nidelva winding through the city. Just a few kilometers to the west of the city center you are well into the outdoors. Here you can enjoy walks on well prepared paths in the summer and superb trails for cross country skiing in the winter.

Trondheim offers an excellent environment in which to study. The atmosphere is relaxed and free of the stress found in big cities. In this accessible city it is quite possible to bicycle or even walk to school. "This thousand-year-old city of 150,000 on the western Norwegian coast may seem an unlikely high tech locus. Yet through the combined efforts of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the Sintef R&D center, the town is spitting out 20 new companies a year in sectors ranging from automation to telecommunications." Wired Magazine, July 2000  

Trondheim Airport Værnes has hourly departures to Oslo, and a direct connection to Copenhagen, which is a hub of Scandinavian international air travel. There are also direct scheduled flights to London and Amsterdam. Trains run several times a day to Oslo, and the daily departure of the express coastal steamer brings you either south to Bergen or to North Cape. The weather benefits greatly from Trondheim's location at the receiving end of the Gulf Stream. This warm ocean current provides a climate similar to that of Scotland. Snow usually falls from mid-December until mid-March, and the long days of summer are unforgettable at this latitude about 500 km south of the Arctic Circle.  

NTNU is one of the city's largest employers and property owners. The whole city reflects the activities of its students and staff. Take a university with its main focus on science and technology. Add international top technology research institutes, season it with entrepreneurial drive and the result is a technological capital. Trondheim is often called Norway's technological capital. As the name of the university states - the Norwegian University of Science and Technology - NTNU has the main responsibility in Norway for education and research in technology and is considered the MIT of Norway. NTNU educates 80 per cent of the graduate engineers in Norway and many of the alumni now hold senior positions in industry and the public sector.  

The university has focused on six strategic areas where technological expertise is to successfully compete on international markets: energy and the environment, medical technology, materials technology, marine and maritime technology, information and communication technology and globalization. The other technological axis which brings Trondheim to the international forefront is SINTEF, one of the largest independent research institutes in northern Europe. There is considerable common research and use of staff, equipment and resources between SINTEF and NTNU. Many of the special purpose laboratories are operated jointly.

Trondheim has also become a technological center in Norway for its efforts in entrepreneurship and innovation. Many spin-off companies have been formed and young scientists and established researchers are found among the managing directors in companies engaged in commercializing new technology who studied at NTNU. 

Country:

Norway is Europe's great parkland: a dramatic mix of mountains, seas, forests and fjords. While the country has tidy cities, historic buildings and distinctive artists, nature is clearly its prime attraction.  

The country has astonishing variety: the serene rural landscapes around Oslo are nothing like the deep fjords along the western coast, and the countryside along the zigzagging roads to Bergen could not be more unlike the stark, barren land around Alta or the sunny coves of the south coast. 

Friendly, down-to-earth people, unique scenery, summer nights bright as day and delightful snowy winters make Norway a very special country. In summer, there are plenty of attractions and activities to keep you busy - the unspoiled open country of the Sámi people in the north and fjords, salmon fishing and festivals in the south. In winter, all kinds of winter sports may be enjoyed throughout the country. Norwegians are outdoor people and enjoy activities in conjunction with wildlife and nature and encourage all visitors to do the same! 

About the program:

NTNU is an exchange program for geology, sciences and engineering students. The program offers many classes for students in English. Students will pay Texas Tech tuition and fees before leaving. Students will be responsible for paying for their housing and meals while in Norway. Grades earned during this program will be factored into a student?s GPA.  

Courses and Areas of Study: 

To find out more about the classes please check out the following website: http://www.ntnu.no/international/course_catalogue.php  

Housing and Meals:

Moholt Student Village is situated outside the city center, about a 15 minute walk from the campuses at Gløshaugen and Dragvoll. It is the largest Student Village in Trondheim with more than 1300 apartments and rooms. Each apartment is divided into four rooms. You will share the kitchen and bathroom with three other students. If there are no rooms available at Moholt you will be given a room at Steinan, the newest student village located near a forest preserve that is one of Trondheim's popular destinations for excursions. Here, too, you will be sharing the kitchen and bathroom with the other students, most likely Norwegian. This will help you in your transition to Norwegian student life and help you learn the language more quickly.

On arrival at Moholt you will receive a wash card that can be used to start the different launderettes and dryers at the student village. Each wash or dry cycle costs NOK 10 and 8, respectively. You will be billed for this, and your rent, every month. In each kitchen there is an oven and a refrigerator, but no knives, forks, spoons, pans, glasses or cutlery. The rooms are about 100 square feet, with a sofa / bed, a desk, reading lamp, bookshelf and dresser in every room. There is also a telephone and a hook-up for cable TV in every room. There are no bed linens, pillows or blankets; however, you may rent a comforter.  

Financial Aid and Scholarships:

Financial Aid

Financial Aid is available to all TTU students studying in a TTU approved program. Budgets for the approved programs are sent directly to the Study Abroad Financial Aid Advisor. The amount of aid available to each student varies according to the program of study. Students are encouraged to meet with the Study Abroad Financial Aid Advisor in the Office of Financial Aid, West Hall room 301, at least 5 weeks prior to the start of the study abroad program.  

Study Abroad Competitive Scholarship (SACS)

This scholarship is funded from monies collected through a four-dollar international education fee paid by all regularly enrolled students at Texas Tech University. Students attending TTU the semester before participating in international exchange and study abroad programs through Texas Tech or its affiliates, and International students enrolled in a degree program at TTU are eligible to apply.  

There are two award periods: apply during the fall semester for the following spring or apply in the spring semester for summer/fall study. Complete applications will be reviewed by the SACS committee, who determines the recipients and amount of award. For more information, please attend one of the information sessions held several times a week prior to the scholarship deadline.  

Orientation:

Students are required to attend a pre-departure orientation before they leave Texas Tech University to participate in their study abroad program. NTNU will provide an orientation for students upon their arrival.