Financial support for education 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 financial support for education 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 financial support for education from Norway. Which foreign citizens are entitled to support depends on their connection with Norway and the basis for their stay in the country. For example, you may be entitled to support from Norway if you satisfy the requirement for working and paying tax in Norway, or are in Norway through marriage or some other family-related connection, etc.
What type of financial support can you receive, and how much?
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 you have completed the educational programme or have been awarded a degree. Your income and assets affect how much of the loan is converted to a grant.
For education in addition to post-upper secondary level (gymnas), you may receive financial support for up to a total of eight years. You may not receive support for more than eight years even if your studies are delayed. An exception can be made if the delay is caused by illness, disability or birth/adoption.
Upper secondary school (gymnas)
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 you apply for financial support for education 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 if you become ill, pregnant, or 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 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 financial support for education in another Nordic country?
You may be eligible for support for both higher education and upper secondary education abroad, but the education must be full-time. The amount you can receive depends on the country you are going to and the type of educational establishment and education. The requirements vary slightly depending on whether you will be studying in or outside the Nordic region.
Are other scholarships and support schemes available?
There are a number of scholarships (legater) and grants (stipender) that you can apply for. Click on the link below for a compilation.
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.
