Who is eligible for support?
Certain requirements must be met in order to qualify for funding from Lånekassen
In order to apply for financial support from The Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen) you need a residence permit (this does not apply for citizens from the Nordic Countries) and admission to a Norwegian educational institution.
EEA countries
Central- and Eastern Europe, Central Asia and developing countries
Political refugee or asylum seeker
Immigrants
What is the financial support from Lånekassen?
Support from Lånekassen consists of a loan and a grant that will cover the costs of studying in Norway. You will only have to repay the loan. If you have children with a residence permit who live together with you in Norway, you may get more support. If you work while you are a student, the support may be reduced.
You need admission to a Norwegian educational institution in order to apply for financial support and you need a residence permit before any support is paid out.
If you are a citizen from a country within the EEA, you may be eligible for financial support. The condition is that you came to Norway to work and that you have been employed here. You must have a workers' residence permit. Additionally, there must be a professional connection between the education you apply for and the nature of your work here.
If you are married to or if you are the child of an EEA worker and you live in Norway, you may be eligible for support.
If you fulfil these requirements, and you have lived in Norway for two of the last five years, you may also be eligible for financial support for education abroad.
Each year Norwegian universities and colleges admit a number of students from countries in Central and Eastern Europe, from Central-Asia, from developing countries under special quota schemes. Read more about the Quota Scheme.
If you came to Norway as a political refugee, you may receive support if you
- have status as a refugee
- are an asylum seeker and have been granted a residence permit on humanitarian grounds
- came to Norway in connection with family reunification with a registered refugee and have been given political asylum
When you apply for support, please enclose the letter from UDI (Directorate of Immigration) stating on what grounds you have been given a residence permit. You must also enclose a copy of your valid residence permit.
Refugee grant
You may qualify for a refugee grant if you are in upper secondary education and have refugee status. You do not qualify for refugee grant if you have residence permit on humanitarian grounds.
As an immigrant you may be eligible for financial support if you meet one of the following criteria
- You have had fulltime employment, without interruption, in Norway for at least 24 months immediately prior to becoming a student, and you have paid Norwegian taxes during this period
- You have been studying full time in Norway over the past three years without any support from Lånekassen and you have passed all your exams. If you have been studying part time, your total education must be equivalent to three years of fulltime education
- You are married to or you are a registered partner to a Norwegian citizen and you both live in Norway
- You have been granted a work or residence permit due to family reunification with a Norwegian or foreign citizen, or have been granted a settlement permit due to such a permit
- You have been granted a residence permit as a descendant of a Norwegian national who emigrated to the Kola Peninsula