A study permit is granted to foreign nationals intending to stay in Norway for the purpose of education. NB: Separate rules apply for citizens of EU/EEA countries.
In order to obtain a permit to study in Norway, you must:
- Have a firm offer of admission from an officially recognised educational institution
What studies can a residence permit be granted for? - Be going into full-time education
This means that you must take subjects or courses that are eligible for full support from the State Educational Loan Fund (Statens Lånekasse). This applies even if you intend to finance your stay by means other than the State Educational Loan Fund - Be ensured housing
You must be ensured housing for the period to which the application relates. Housing is deemed to be ensured if you have the use of a house, apartment, bed-sit, room in a boarding house, etc. If the accommodation is rented, a written contract must be presented, approved by the landlord, housing cooperative or other person having charge of the accommodation. - Be ensured subsistence
You must be ensured subsistence for the period to which the application relates. You must have financial means equivalent to full funding by the State Educational Loan Fund at the current rate. For the academic year 2007-08 this amounts to NOK 82,900. If you must pay school fees, this amount will be in addition to the above-mentioned subsistence requirement.
Subsistence may be ensured by a study loan, a grant, own means or income from work You may apply for a permit to work part-time alongside your studies. Income from this work may be taken into consideration when assessing whether you have sufficient means to ensure subsistence.
If you are planning to meet the subsistence requirement in full or in part by part time work, you need to submit a concrete offer of employment clearly stating working hours and salary. A working permit is granted for work up to 20 hours a week and full time in holiday. The requirement of subsistence is increased to approximately NOK 100 00 as the income is subject to tax.
It is generally not acceptable for subsistence to be ensured by a financial guarantee from a third party, regardless of whether the guarantor is in Norway or abroad. In exceptional cases it may, however, be accepted that parents living in Norway can guarantee that an applicant will receive board and lodging in their home.
If you have your own means at your disposal, the general rule is that you must transfer the amount to an account in a Norwegian bank in your own name, or, if applicable, deposit the amount in an account that the educational institution has established for this purpose. Documentation of the balance in your account, or confirmation from the educational institution that the money remains in the account, must be submitted with the application.
- In addition, it is a condition that you return to your country of origin on completion of your studies. “Country of origin” means the country of which you are a citizen, or where you have been granted long-term permanent residence.
A more precise definition of the conditions for the permit can be found in section 4, paragraph 1 of the Immigration Regulations.
How do I apply?
To apply for a residence permit, you must complete an application form. The application must be submitted from your country of origin or another country where you have been legally resident for at least six months. You may, as a general rule, not enter the country until your permit has been granted. The application must be submitted to your nearest Norwegian foreign service mission (embassy, consulate general). You will also be informed of the decision regarding your application via the foreign service mission.
However, some people may apply for a residence permit from Norway. This applies to those who qualify as a skilled worker/specialist, and either:
- Have a residence or work permit lasting three months or more
- Have been granted a visa for three months
- Are entitled to live in Norway for three months without a permit (i.e. no visa requirement) or
- Have been granted a visa, i.e. a job seeker’s visa, for a period of less than three months
It is also a condition that you are not living in Norway while applying for asylum or while waiting to leave the country following a failed asylum application.
Applications made from within Norway must be submitted to the police in the district in which you live.
Certain groups of applicants for a study permit are exempt from the requirement that the permit must be granted before entry into Norway. You may apply from within Norway if you:
- Are entering under the auspices of the American Field Service (AFS), American Scandinavian Student Exchange (ASSE), Fulbright, Youth for Understanding (YFU), STS High School Foundation (STS), Rotary or Research Council of Norway (NFR)
- Have a scholarship from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) or other Norwegian public institution
- Will be studying at an institution of higher education within the framework of an exchange scheme under the auspices of the EU or a bilateral agreement between a Norwegian and foreign institution of higher education
However, applying from your country of origin is recommended, as the police often have long case processing times. If you are required to have a visa and you apply from Norway, you will also incur an additional charge, as you will have to pay the fee for the visa application and the fee for the application for a residence permit for educational purposes.
What must the application include?
When applying for a residence permit for educational purposes, the following documents must be included:
- Application form for students
- Passport photo/other photo which meets the set requirements
- A letter of admission from the educational institution where you wish to study. The letter of admission must contain your name, information about the educational institution, the studies and the level to which you have been admitted, plus the length of the studies
- Documentation of housing
- Documentation of subsistence (documentation of support from the State Educational Loan Fund and/or documentation that the amount of the subsistence requirement has been deposited in a Norwegian bank account in the applicant’s name or in the educational institution’s account for this purpose)
- Copy of passport
- You must also pay a fee
As a main rule, it is sufficient that copies of the documents are sent with the application. However, you have to produce the original documents when you hand in your application.
All documents attached to the application have to be translated into English or Norwegian.
Exchange students
The general rules for a residence permit for educational purposes also apply to exchange students. However, if the stay is to be financed by public funding or a grant from the country of origin, documentation of this must be included with the application. It must be clearly stated where the money is coming from, how much it will be (converted at the prevailing exchange rate) and how the money is to be transferred to Norway (including whether it will be a monthly amount or a single payment).
Read more about part-time work
How long will it take to process my application?
Case processing times vary. For an overview of average processing times for the various types of permit, visit www.udi.no/caseprocessingtime, or contact the Information Service (OTS) by e-mail or by calling (+ 47) 23 35 16 00.
We urge everyone to allow plenty of time for their application. In order to avoid unnecessary case processing delays, it is important to take care when completing the application form and to include all the requested documentation.
Permit holder’s entitlement
- The residence permit is granted for the duration of the course of study.
- The first time residence permit allows the student to work part time up to 20 hours a week and full time in holidays.
Read more about the rules for part-time work for students. - The permit does not constitute grounds for a settlement permit.
- Family members may come to Norway under the rules for family immigration. The family’s application will be processed in the same unit as the application for the principal person.
Can the permit be extended or renewed?
The permit may be renewed. An application for renewal must be submitted at least one month before the current permit expires. The application must be submitted to the police in the district where you live. The police may approve the applcation if appears clear that the condtions have been met. You must also pay a fee when applying for renewal.
For a renewal, you must provide confirmation of the funds in your Norwegian bank account (bank statement) as at the first of every month, for the past six months.
The following documentation needs to be submitted when applying for a renewal:
- a report from your eductional provider detailing your study progress
- a statement from you education provider clarifying whether part time work will be an obstacle to your study progression, and how many hours they consider you are able to work
- documentation of subsistence (same as with first time residence permit)
- if you are going on field work, the duration needs to be stated. The immigration authorities does not grant a permit for the period of the field work if it has a duration of more than six months. The permit will in that case be valid until departure. You will need to submit a new application (from abroad) when you are to return to Norway in order to complete your studies.
Can I appeal against a decision?
If your application for a residence permit is rejected, you may appeal against this decision. If you appeal, your application will be re-examined by the UDI. The UDI may reverse the decision and grant the requested permit. If the UDI upholds the decision, the case is sent on to the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) for new consideration.
Any questions?
For more information, see the UDI’s circular on students. If you are still unsure about anything relating to how you apply for a residence permit, you can contact your nearest Norwegian embassy or consulate, or the Information Service (OTS).
