Hydropower Development Master's, NTNU

English-taughtFree for EU/EEA/SwissEnergy & Renewable EngineeringDegree: Master

LevelMaster's Degree

Duration2 years

Study load120 ECTS

LocationTrondheim

Fee, non-EU/EEA/SwissThe institution says: Visit our webpage (www.ntnu.edu/studies/tuition-fee) to get detailed information.

Fee, EU/EEA/SwissNo tuition fee

About this programme

Master in Hydropower Development is a Master's Degree programme at Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, taught in English. It runs for 2 years and carries 120 ECTS credits. The register gives Trondheim as the campus town. It lists the degree as Master. Norwegian University of Science and Technology is a state university in Trøndelag.

How it compares

Master in Hydropower Development is one of 10 English-taught Energy & Renewable Engineering programmes at Master's Degree level in the register, offered by 8 institutions. 2 of them list an annual fee for students from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland, from NOK 204,000 to NOK 295,000. 10 are recorded as free for EU, EEA and Swiss students.

What you will study

Hydropower is still the biggest source of electricity in Norway. This two-year master's at NTNU in Trondheim takes you into the engineering and the business of it, from upgrading existing plants to building new small-scale ones.

What you study

The programme has six main profiles, and you pick one:

Hydropower and Energy Markets
Hydropower and Finance
Hydropower and Hydroelectrical Systems
Hydromechanical Systems
Hydropower and Hydraulic Systems
Hydropower and Underground Systems

You can also skip the narrow track and become a hydropower generalist, with in-depth knowledge across several areas. The sector covers a lot: finding and optimising water resources, designing the systems that turn water into power, and trading in the energy market. The programme is built so you can follow your own interest in hydropower and energy management.

How the programme is organised

It runs full time over four semesters and adds up to 120 ECTS. You can take one semester abroad during your studies. The page does not list individual courses, so check the programme structure link on the official page for what you will actually take each term.

Who it suits

It suits someone with a bachelor's in civil, hydraulic or water resources engineering, or something equivalent, who wants to work in renewable energy. You need at least 30 ECTS in mathematics and statistics from your bachelor's, including at least one course in statistics. You also need an average grade equivalent to C or higher in the Norwegian system. If you like the mix of technical design and market questions, the profiles let you lean either way.

Admission, language and next steps

Everything is taught in English. The application portal opens on 1 November. The page says to see Admission for the application deadline and the number of places, so check the official programme page before you plan anything. Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland pay no tuition fee. Other students pay a fee set by the institution, and the page points to NTNU's tuition fee information for the details. Trondheim is a student city, and the page notes it has been named Norway's best student city. The programme page also has a contact form for academic questions and a section where you can meet students.

Job opportunities after graduating

Hydropower engineering in Norway and abroad
Upgrading existing hydropower plants
Developing small-scale hydropower plants
Energy market analysis and trading
Hydropower finance
Hydraulic and hydroelectrical systems engineering
Hydromechanical systems
Underground systems for hydropower

Before you apply

Master’s applications go straight to Norwegian University of Science and Technology, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme. Deadlines are set by each institution for each programme, so confirm yours. Entry requirements and language tests are also set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, study permits and housing.

Visit the programme page ↗

Facts on this page come from the Study in Norway register, the official English-programme list run by HK-dir, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Fees are in NOK as the institution lists them. "Not listed" means the register has no figure, not that the programme is free. Always confirm requirements, fees and deadlines with the institution.

Quick answers

Is Master in Hydropower Development taught in English?

Yes. The Study in Norway register, run by HK-dir, lists it as an English-taught programme at Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Only English-taught degree programmes are included here.

How long does it take?

The register records 2 years of study and 120 ECTS credits. Sixty ECTS credits are one academic year of full-time study.

Where is it taught?

The register lists Trondheim as the campus town for this programme at Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

How do I apply?

Master’s applications go straight to the institution, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme, and some programmes require a minimum grade average. Norwegian University of Science and Technology publishes its requirements on the programme page.

When is the application deadline?

Each institution sets and publishes its own deadline for each programme, and the dates can differ between applicants from outside the EU/EEA, EU/EEA applicants and Nordic applicants. Confirm the date for your own situation on the programme page at Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

What does it cost?

Norwegian University of Science and Technology gives this wording for the tuition: Visit our webpage (www.ntnu.edu/studies/tuition-fee) to get detailed information. Degree students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland normally pay tuition at Norwegian institutions, and the fees vary by institution and programme. For students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland the record shows no tuition fee. Fees are in NOK as the institution lists them. Every student also pays a semester fee of about NOK 1,000 to the student welfare organisation linked to the institution.

Do I need a permit to study there?

Students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland need a study permit from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). UDI asks for proof of admission, housing and funds of NOK 15,488 a month or NOK 170,368 a year (2026/27), on top of any tuition fee. A study permit allows work of up to 20 hours a week during term and full time in the holidays. Students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland register with the police within three months of arrival instead.

Is this programme officially listed?

It comes from the Study in Norway register at studyinnorway.no, the English-programme list run by HK-dir, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. The programme page at Norwegian University of Science and Technology is linked from this page so you can compare.