Want to apply Study permit
If you wish to study or go to school in Norway for more than three months, you must apply for a study permit. If you are granted a study permit, you will also be able to work for up to 20 hours a week while you are studying and full-time during holidays.
The applicant is the person who wishes to visit or live in Norway.
Where will you be studying?
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University college or university
Requirements of the student
- You must pay an application fee.
- You must have been admitted to a university college or university.
- You must study full-time.
- You must have enough money to live on during the period you are going to study in Norway. This means at least
NOK 13 790 per month, or NOK 151 690 per year
for the entire academic year.If you are going to be a student for only one semester in Norway, you must document NOK 68 950 for the autumn semester and NOK 82 740 for the spring semester.
This amount of money may consist of student loans, grants, own funds that you have in a Norwegian bank account or the deposit account of the educational institution, or a combination of the above. If you have already been offered a part-time job in Norway, the income from this work may be included. (Please note that if you do not have a bank account in Norway you may use the bank account at the institution where you are going to study. You must contact the institution where you are going to study for any details regarding this arrangement.) - If you have to pay tuition fees, you must also have money to cover this or document in your application that your tuition fees for the academic year 2023/2024 have already been paid. If you have paid for one semester, you must provide documentation in your application showing that you have enough money to pay for the second semester. If you have an exemption from paying tuition fees this must be confirmed by your educational institution.
- You must have somewhere to live.
- The circumstances in your home country must indicate that it is likely that you can return home when you have completed your studies.
Requirements relating to the study programme
- The place of study must be included on the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education’s (NOKUT) list of approved (accredited) institutions (external website).
Rights and obligations for applicants who are granted a study permit
- You can not be self-employed or run your own business in Norway
- If you are granted a study permit, you are automatically also granted permission to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week, including remote work, in addition to your studies and full-time during holidays.
- Your spouse or cohabitant and children can usually apply to come and live with you in Norway.
- Your spouse or cohabitant and children can usually apply to come and live with you in Norway. Please note that UDI currently does not have the capacity to process your family member’s application at the same time as your application as a student.
- The period you have this permit does not count if you later wish to apply for a permanent residence permit.
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Upper secondary school
Requirements of the student
- You must pay an application fee.
- You must have been admitted to an upper secondary school.
- You must have enough money to live on. This means at least
NOK 13 790 per month, or NOK 151 690 per year
for the entire academic year. This money may consist of student loans, grants, own funds that you have in a Norwegian bank account or the deposit account of the educational institution, or a combination of the above. If you have already been offered a part-time job in Norway, the income from this work may be included. (Please note that if you do not have a bank account in Norway you may use the bank account at the the institution where you are going to study. You must contact the institution where you are going to study for any details regarding this arrangement.) - You must have somewhere to live.
- The circumstances in your home country must indicate that it is likely that you can return home when you have completed school.
Requirements relating to the education
The education must meet at least one of the following requirements:
- You have received an offer of admission to a Norwegian school through an exchange partnership with a county or a non-profit organization
- You are going to attend an IB (International Baccalaureate) study programme
- You have been accepted to a study programme based on your skills and, consequently, will be attending an institution such as the Norwegian College of Elite Sport, Barrat Due Institute of Music or the Bårdar Academy
- You have been accepted to attend Longyearbyen School and will be participating in upper secondary education and training on the mainland in Norway. It is a prerequisite that the Longyearbyen local administration has entered into a cooperation agreement with the relevant county administration concerning student exchange at the secondary education and training level.
Exceptions: If you hold a residence permit in another Nordic country, no requirements apply to the school. If you are a Russian national living in the Barents region, you can get a residence permit for studies at a general studies program.
Rights and obligations for applicants who are granted a study permit
- You can not be self-employed or run your own business in Norway
- If you are granted a study permit, you are automatically also granted permission to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week, including remote work, in addition to your studies and full-time during holidays.
- You cannot apply for a permanent residence permit in Norway immediately after having held a study permit.
How to apply
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Vocational school
Requirements of the student
- You must pay an application fee.
- You must have been admitted to a vocational school.
- You must study full-time.
- You must have enough money to live on. This means at least
NOK 13 790 per month, or NOK 151 690 per year
for the entire academic year.If you are going to be a student for only one semester in Norway, you must document NOK 68 950 for the autumn semester and NOK 82 740 for the spring semester.
This money may consist of student loans, grants, own funds that you have in a Norwegian bank account or the deposit account of the educational institution, or a combination of the above. If you have already been offered a part-time job in Norway, the income from this work may be included. - If you have to pay tuition fees, you must also have money to cover this.
- You must have somewhere to live.
- The circumstances in your home country must indicate that it is likely that you can return home when you have completed your studies.
Requirements relating to the study programme
- The place of study must be included on the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education’s (NOKUT) list of approved (accredited) vocational schools (external website) (only available in Norwegian).
- The education cannot be an online study programme.
Rights and obligations for applicants who are granted a study permit
- You can not be self-employed or run your own business in Norway
- If you are granted a study permit, you are automatically also granted permission to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week, including remote work, in addition to your studies and full-time during holidays.
- Your spouse or cohabitant and children can usually apply to come and live with you in Norway. Please note that UDI currently does not have the capacity to process your family member’s application at the same time as your application as a student.
- The period you have this permit does not count if you later wish to apply for a permanent residence permit.
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Folk high schools
Requirements of the student
- You must pay an application fee.
- You must have been admitted to a folk high school.
- You must have enough money to live on and to pay the school tuition fees, a minimum of
NOK 116 386 for the 2024/2025 school year. For the school year 2025/2026 you must have a minimum of NOK 122 371
. This money may consist of student loans, grants, own funds that you have in a Norwegian bank account or the deposit account of the educational institution, or a combination of the above. If you have already been offered a part-time job in Norway, the income from this work may be included. - You cannot have had a previous residence permit to attend religion/belief-based school (bible school) or folk high school.
- The circumstances in your home country must indicate that it is likely that you can return home when you have completed your studies.
Requirements relating to the study programme
Rights and obligations for applicants who are granted a study permit
- You can not be self-employed or run your own business in Norway
- If you are granted a study permit, you are automatically also granted permission to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week, including remote work, in addition to your studies and full-time during holidays.
- The period you have this permit does not count if you later wish to apply for a permanent residence permit.
- Your permit is valid for one year and it cannot be renewed.
- Your family members cannot apply for family immigration to come and live with you in Norway.
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Religion/belief-based school (Bible school)
Requirements of the student
- You must pay an application fee.
- You must have been admitted to the school.
- You must attend the school full-time.
- You must have enough money to live on, i.e. at least
NOK 137 900 per year
. This money may consist of student loans, grants, own funds that you have in a Norwegian bank account or the deposit account of the educational institution, or a combination of the above. If you have already been offered a part-time job in Norway, the income from this work may be included. - If you have to pay tuition fees, you must also have money to cover this.
- You must have somewhere to live.
- You cannot have had a previous residence permit to attend religion/belief-based school (bible school) or folk high school in Norway.
- The circumstances in your home country must indicate that it is likely that you can return home when you have completed your studies.
Requirements relating to the study programme
- The school you want to attend, must be authorized under the Act relating to independent schools (The Independent Schools Act). You must contact the school to find out if it is authorized.
Rights and obligations for applicants who are granted a study permit
- You can not be self-employed or run your own business in Norway
- If you are granted a study permit, you are automatically also granted permission to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week, including remote work, in addition to your studies and full-time during holidays.
- The period you have this permit does not count if you later wish to apply for a permanent residence permit.
- Your permit is valid for one year and it cannot be renewed.
- Your family members cannot apply for family immigration to come and live with you in Norway.
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University summer schools
If you are going to attend summer school at a university, you do not need a residence permit.
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Additional education in order for your education to be recognised in Norway
How to applyRequirements relating to your education/qualifications
You must have one of the following types of education/qualifications:
- A completed vocational training programme of at least three years at upper secondary school level, for example as a carpenter or health worker. There must be a corresponding vocational training programme in Norway.
- Completed education or degree from a university / university college, for example a bachelor's degree as an engineer or nurse
- Special qualifications are skills acquired through long professional experience, possibly in combination with courses and some education. You must have as high competence as someone who has completed vocational education from upper secondary school. Generally, you must have at least six years of work experience. For example, suppose you have work experience as a painter. In that case, you must present detailed work certificates from previous employers that show that you have learned and can do the same as a person with a professional education as a painter. It takes a lot to get permission in such cases. Many applications are rejected.
Other requirements of the student
- You must pay an application fee.
- You must have an occupation for which recognition or authorisation is required (external website).
- You must need additional education, work experience or courses in order for your education to be recognised in Norway.
- A recognition authority must confirm that you need this work experience/additional education in order to work in Norway, and provide information about what courses, Norwegian classes, work experience or education you are lacking. You will find information about which recognition authority to contact by choosing your occupation from the list at the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills website (external website).
- You must have enough money to live on. This means at least NOK 151 690 for the entire year. This money may consist of student loans, grants, own funds that you have in your account, or a combination of the above. If you have already been offered a part-time job in Norway, the income from this work may be included.
- If you have to pay tuition fees, you must also have money to cover this.
- You must have somewhere to live.
- The circumstances in your home country must indicate that it is likely that you can return home when you have completed your studies.
Requirements relating to the study programme
- You must have received an offer of admission to a university college, a university or an established school.
- If you are going to attend Norwegian language classes somewhere else than at a university/university college, the provider must be on the list of approved providers of Norwegian language tuition/training (external website).
Special requirements of health personnel
- You must apply to the Norwegian Directorate of Health (external website) for authorisation or a licence to work in the Norwegian health care system.
- You can only be granted a residence permit to take courses that you, according to the Norwegian Directorate of Health, lack in order to obtain a licence or authorisation
- If you are a nurse, you must have received an offer of admission to a study programme at the nursing education department of a university college. If relevant, you can then apply for exemption from individual courses.
- If you are to complete your required practical training period ('turnus'), you must apply for a residence permit as a skilled worker instead.
Rights and obligations for applicants who are granted a study permit
- You can not be self-employed or run your own business in Norway.
- If you are granted a study permit, you are automatically also granted permission to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week, including remote work, in addition to your studies and full-time during holidays.
- Your spouse or cohabitant and children can usually apply to come and live with you in Norway. If your family members apply at the same time as you, you will receive the answer to your applications at the same time.
- The period you have this permit does not count if you later wish to apply for a permanent residence permit.
- You can hold such a study permit for a total of maximum two years.
