Student finance in Norway
If you are coming to Norway to study, you should first check whether you can receive financial support for studies from your home country. You can generally take financial support for education from your home country if you wish to study in another Nordic country. If you are not entitled to support from your home country, you can see whether you satisfy the requirements for support from Norway. If you satisfy the requirements for and are entitled to support from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen), you may receive support for upper secondary education (gymnas), for higher education, and for other types types of education such as folk high schools (folkehøgskole).
Are you entitled to student finance from Norway?
In order to receive financial support from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund, you must generally be a Norwegian citizen and you must have been accepted for an approved educational programme or course. However, in some cases, people with foreign citizenship may be able to receive student finance from Norway. Who is entitled to support depends depends on their connection with Norway and the basis for their stay in the country.
What types of student finance are available, and how much can you receive?
Financial support for education in Norway is divided into loans and grants. There is a difference between support for upper secondary education (gymnas) and higher education at university and university college.
Higher education
In higher education, the basic financial support is paid as a loan. Up to 40 % of the amount can be converted to a grant when the exams are passed or the programme is completed. Income and assets affect how much of the loan is converted to a grant.
For education above post-upper secondary level, you may receive financial support for up to eight years. You may not receive support for more than eight years even if your studies are delayed. There may be exceptions if the delay is caused by illness, disability or birth/adoption. Loans and grants received from public schemes in other countries are included in the calculation of how long a student can receive loans and grants in Norway.
Upper secondary school
Everyone studying at upper secondary level can receive a grant from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund. You must have a place before you apply. Most only receive a grant for equipment, but some people may also receive a grant for living away from home and an income-dependent grant.
Other education
In some cases, support can be given to students on educational programmes in vocational schools and folk high schools.
How do you apply for student finance in Norway?
Everyone who applies for financial support for education does so electronically on the website of the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund. Note that you must be able to log in with electronic ID, document that you have been admitted to an approved educational programme, and show your connection to Norway.
The final application date for support is 15 November for studies in the autumn and 15 March for studies in the spring.
What applies in the event of illness or pregnancy, or if you are a parent?
If you have a child while you are studying, more of your loan can be converted to a grant.
If you become ill while studying and cannot take part in the tuition, your loan may be converted to a grant. An ordinary grant is then converted to a sickness grant.
How do you repay the loan?
About seven months after you have completed your studies, you start to repay your loan. You will receive a repayment plan and an overview of interest on the loan. Everyone has variable interest on their loan to start with, and the variable interest rate is the same for everyone. If you wish, you can apply for a fixed interest rate.
If you are unable to repay your loan, you can apply for a payment deferral. Everyone can defer payment up to 36 times, corresponding to three years, during the course of the repayment period.
Can you receive student finance in another Nordic country?
You can receive loans and grants for higher education, vocational studies, folk high school, and upper secondary education in another Nordic country. The education must be state-approved, and qualify for the student finance scheme in the country of study. The educational programme must also be full time, must be at least one term, and must be location-based. This means that, generally, you must live in the place in which the educational establishment is located and take part in tuition there. The amount you can receive depends on the country you are going to and the type of educational establishment and programme.
Are there other finance schemes?
There are a various scholarships (legater), finance schemes, and grants (stipender) that you can apply for. See what is available in the scholarship handbook, “Legathåndboken”.
Who should you contact if you have questions?
Contact the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund.
Please fill in our contact form if you have any questions or if you have encountered an obstacle in another Nordic country.
NB! If you have questions regarding the processing of a specific case or application, or other personal matters, please contact the relevant authority directly.