Student residence permit

All students who plan to stay in Norway for more than three months will need a student residence permit. Visas are only issued for stays up to 90 days (e.g. for certain Summer School programmes).

The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) is the public agency processing all applications for a student residence permit. For complete information about the Norwegian immigration regulations please visit their website.

We urge you to carefully read the regulations as to avoid problems during the application process. Applications that are incomplete will not be processed, and your entry to Norway can be delayed.

Regulations concerning student residence permit for students from countries in the EU/EEA/EFTA are available here.
Regulations concerning student residence permit for students from the Nordic countries are available here.

For applicants from countries outside the EU/EEA/EFTA:
You should submit your application to a Norwegian Foreign Mission. The application must be submitted in person. Applications sent by mail or email will not be processed. In some cases the applicant may expect to be called in for an interview.

There is a processing fee of NOK 1 100 (approx. USD 180) for each application made from abroad payable to the Norwegian Foreign Mission. Due to exchange rates and local administrative conditions this fee may vary. Please check with the Norwegian Foreign Mission for exact fee prior to submission of application.

Please visit the Norway Portal to locate the Norwegian embassy or consulate general nearest you.

When you apply for a student residence permit you must submit the following documents:

• An application form for student residence with a passport photograph.
  [download form here]
• A copy of your passport.
• Documentation of admission to an approved educational institution.
  The letter of acceptance from the instution must contain the following information:
  1. The applicant's name
  2. The name of the institution
  3. What course/programme the applicant has been admitted to
  4. The duration of the course/programme
  The course/programme must be full-time and approved for financial support from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund. This also applies for students who have financing from other sources and do not intend to seek support from the Loan Fund.
• A plan of study.
  A filled out form stating the progress of your studies.
  [download form here]
• Documentation of housing.
  Approved documentation includes a lease copy for a house, an apartment or a room issued by a private person or company. Apartments/rooms provided by the institution's own Student Housing organisation must also be documented with a lease copy.
• Documentation of subsistence
  (loan from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund or deposits in a Norwegian bank).
  Subsistence is ensured at NOK 81.400,- for the school year 2007/2008. If you plan to attend an institution/programme/course that has tuition fees, you must also document that you are able to finance this extra cost.
  As a general rule, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration requires the money to be deposited in a Norwegian bank account, and this account must be in the applicant’s name. If the educational institution has set up an account for the students, the student may transfer his/her funds to this account. Documentation in this case should include a statement from the institution confirming that the correct amount is deposited to the account in question, or a bank statement showing a balance for the correct amount.The applicant may apply for part-time work in Norway and submit this as part of the grounds for subsistence. However, the total amount for subsistence will then be higher.As a general rule, financial guarantees from a third person is not accepted, whether this person is a resident in Norway or another country. In special cases financial guarantees from an applicant's parents may be accepted if they are Norwegian residents.

Please note that the documentation requirements will vary from country to country and are subject to change. For more information, contact the Norwegian Foreign Service mission closest to you. If you are in Norway, contact the local police or the Directorate of Immigration.

A student residence permit to Norway is granted under the precondition that the student will return to his/her country of legal permanent residence upon completion of the studies.

For regulations concerning familiy reunification for a student's immediate family, please see the website of the UDI.

Exchange students
The regulations above are also valid for exchange students from countries outside the EU/EEA/EFTA. If the stay is financed through scholarships, student loans or other public funding from the home country, valid documentation must accompany the application. The documentation must include the total amount converted into a generally accepted currency, together with information about how the funds will be paid out (e.g. in monthly installments or the full amount at once).